Menu
Franchises

TEXAS TWO-STEP: STARS EXEC NAMED TO RANGERS POST, TOO

          Stars President Jim Lites was named MLB Rangers
     President and is now just one of five people to lead two
     sports franchises, according to Gerry Fraley of the DALLAS
     MORNING NEWS.  Lites, who replaces Tom Schieffer, "is
     expected to bring about significant changes" in the Rangers'
     marketing campaigns to ticket buyers and advertisers. 
     Rangers Owner Tom Hicks: "What we didn't want anybody to
     worry about was that I was going to unleash a bunch of
     business suits into the sports business.  We don't do that. 
     We get the best possible people to do the job and let those
     people do their job.  Sports people will be in charge of
     sports."  Fraley reported that Lites' sports background,
     with 17 years in hockey with the Stars and the Red Wings,
     "figured" in Hicks' decision.  Hicks, however, will
     "represent" the Rangers at MLB and AL meetings, with
     Southwest Sports Group Exec VP/Finance & Operations John
     McMichael, who was recently promoted from Rangers Exec
     VP/Business Operations (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/8). 
          NEW MODEL: In Dallas, Richard Alm wrote that the Stars
     and Rangers are "becoming one, forging the next generation
     of sports enterprise."  Southwest Sports Group CEO Michael
     Cramer: "All the ticket sales will be run through one
     person.  All sales of corporate sponsorships will be run
     through one person.  All marketing will funnel through one
     person."  Stars Marketing Dir Jeff Cogen, who has led the
     Stars' string of 40 straight sellouts, is taking over ticket
     sales for both teams (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/8).
          THE LITES STUFF? In Dallas, Tim Cowlishaw wrote that
     with the Lites announcement, the "mom-and-pop organization
     ... is no more."  Lites, on making changes to the Rangers'
     operations: "I think there are opportunities here that have
     not been maximized.  You might see different things in the
     way the game looks and sounds.  I anticipate those things
     changing a bit" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/8).
          CAPITAL GAIN: In N.Y., Kevin Sack detailed former
     Rangers Owner George W. Bush's stewardship of the team.  The
     TX Gov. saw his $606,000 investment turn into a $14.9M
     payday when his group sold to Hicks in '98.  Sack: "There's
     no denying the Rangers' success during Mr. Bush's tenure,
     both on the field and in the stands" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/8).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: May 3, 2024

Seismic change coming for NCAA? Churchill Downs rolls out major premium build out and Jeff Pash, a key advisor to Roger Goodell, steps down

Learfield's Cory Moss, MASN/ESPN's Ben McDonald, and Canelo

On this week’s pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp has two Big Get interviews. The first is with Learfield's Cory Moss as he talks about his company’s collaboration on EA Sports College Football. Later in the show, we hear from MASN/ESPN baseball analyst Ben McDonald on how he sees the college and professional baseball scene shaking out. SBJ’s Adam Stern shares his thoughts on the upcoming Canelo-Mungia bout on Prime Video and DAZN.

SBJ I Factor: Molly Mazzolini

SBJ I Factor features an interview with Molly Mazzolini. Elevate's Senior Operating Advisor – Design + Strategic Alliances chats with SBJ’s Ross Nethery about the power of taking chances. Mazzolini is a member of the SBJ Game Changers Class of 2016. She shares stories of her career including co-founding sports design consultancy Infinite Scale career journey and how a chance encounter while working at a stationery store launched her career in the sports industry. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/1999/05/10/Franchises/TEXAS-TWO-STEP-STARS-EXEC-NAMED-TO-RANGERS-POST-TOO.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/1999/05/10/Franchises/TEXAS-TWO-STEP-STARS-EXEC-NAMED-TO-RANGERS-POST-TOO.aspx

CLOSE