3 Ball’s Ross Weintraub Named Sole CEO; Todd Nelson Inks First-Look Deal
Ross Weintraub, who has served as co-CEO of 3 Ball Entertainment with Todd A. Nelson since 2015, has re-upped with the company as sole CEO. Nelson, who co-founded 3 Ball Productions (now 3 Ball Entertainment) in 2001, is pivoting back to his creative and producing roots via a first-look deal with 3 Ball, while also pursuing new ventures in the tech and start-up space.
As CEO, Weintraub will continue to run all aspects of the company behind unscripted hits such as Bar Rescue and My Cat From Hell, working alongside newly appointed 3 Ball President Ronak Kordestani. In addition to shepherding and growing the company’s slate of unscripted projects for broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Weintraub will also focus on expanding the company’s footprint through joint ventures, pod deals and other strategic partnerships.
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Within the last six months, Weintraub and 3 Ball have teamed with unscripted TV heavyweights to launch two separate production banners – Jeff Jenkins Productions and Parabolic Films. Jeff Jenkins Productions, which is run by Jenkins (Keeping Up with the Kardashians; The Simple Life) and Weintraub, creates unscripted docu-series and formats, including a number of celebrity-based projects already in the works.
Parabolic Films, helmed by Co-Presidents Rick Sasson and Seth Sherman, produces unscripted content with a heavy focus on mystery and action-adventure programming. The company currently has series in development with networks including Discovery, Travel Channel and HGTV, among others.
“Ross is the ideal executive to helm 3 Ball and navigate this unquestionable period of change and disruption,” said 3 Ball Entertainment Chairman Reinout Oerlemans, who made today’s announcement. “Under Ross’s savvy and strategic leadership, the company will continue to grow and adapt, developing exciting new projects and forging new ventures and partnerships. Ross is an invaluable asset to 3 Ball, and I look forward to continuing our work together.”
Added Weintraub, “3 Ball has been my home for 12 years, and during that time I’ve had the privilege of working alongside a top-notch production team, creating content that has helped define genres and shape the industry. The business is evolving at a faster rate than ever before, and we’re doubling down on our commitment to breaking splashy new formats, while also establishing 3 Ball as the ultimate creative hub – aligning with talented producers from across the industry and offering the infrastructure for them to do their best work. These initiatives will be the building blocks that help shape the future of our company.”
3 Ball’s current slate includes Paramount’s Bar Rescue franchise, Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell, Hallmark’s annual Kitten Bowl and Facebook Watch’s upcoming World’s Most Amazing Dog, among others. Long-running series also include The Biggest Loser (the first 11 seasons), Extreme Weight Loss, Breaking Bonaduce and Beauty and the Geek.
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