While the “kiss cam” fiasco may be the reason most people know former Astronomer CEO Andy Byron’s name now, he actually had a very different kind of spotlight earlier in life.
He was a college athlete and even had a brief run in professional baseball. He attended Providence College in Rhode Island, where he pitched for the school’s baseball team. According to The Providence Journal, Byron was picked up by the minor league team, the Clarksville Coyotes, in 1997.
“Andy Byron led the team with 8 wins, while George Lovett recorded a 3 ERA, best among qualifying pitchers,” reads a 1997 season profile from Stats Crew.
The Coyotes, part of the now-defunct Heartland League, didn’t exactly dominate that season. They finished fifth with a 32-39 record, but Byron stood out on the mound.
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Coldplay ‘kiss-cam’ costs Andy Byron his job
Notably, during Coldplay’s 16 July concert at Gillette Stadium, Byron was spotted on the stadium’s Jumbotron, draped in arms with Kristin Cabot, a human resources executive at his company. As the camera zoomed in, the pair quickly pulled away and ducked out of frame.
{{/usCountry}}Notably, during Coldplay’s 16 July concert at Gillette Stadium, Byron was spotted on the stadium’s Jumbotron, draped in arms with Kristin Cabot, a human resources executive at his company. As the camera zoomed in, the pair quickly pulled away and ducked out of frame.
{{/usCountry}}Even Coldplay’s frontman, Chris Martin, quipped, “Uh oh. Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy.”
Following the “kiss-cam” moment, Byron quickly went viral on the socials. Shortly after the incident, he was placed on leave, prompting an internal investigation at Astronomer. Days later, he formally resigned.
“Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO,” the company said in an official statement.
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“As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.”