Menu
Forty Under 40

Forty Under 40

Gilula

Gilula
BRENDAN GAUTHIER/BOSTON RED SOX
Unlike many of Jonathan Gilula’s current co-workers, the Boston Red Sox executive vice president for business affairs and Southern California native did not grow up roaming the concourses of Fenway Park and worshiping at the baseball shrine that is the now 99-year-old ballpark.

But Gilula nonetheless has methodically overseen a dramatic, 10-year ballpark renovation process totaling more than $285 million, serving as a key lieutenant to team President Larry Lucchino, that has likely preserved the facility for at least another generation and has become an industry model for the restoration of older sports facilities.

“I still get chills coming to work, walking through the doors of our office out into the ballpark,” Gilula said of Fenway Park. “It’s still a pretty intense feeling.”

On top of helping shepherd the series of major ballpark renovations, Gilula has been involved in nearly every other significant effort pursued by the Red Sox and parent company New England Sports Ventures, including the ongoing development of the club’s spring training complex in Fort Myers, Fla., slated to open next year; the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park; a now-regular summer concert series at the ballpark; and an international soccer friendly held there last summer between Celtic and Sporting Club of Portugal.

“Last year was a very eventful year that obviously began right from the first day with the [2010] Winter Classic,” Gilula said. “But we are now building up to the crescendo of next year and the 100th anniversary of the ballpark. It’s an exciting time to be around here.”

Age: 35
Title: Executive vice president of business affairs
TEAM: Boston Red Sox
Education: B.A., Princeton University, 1998
Family: Wife, Robin
Career: San Diego Padres, 1998-2002; joined the Red Sox in 2002
Last vacation: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
What's on your iPod: Anything that can get me through workouts at the gym
Guilty pleasure: None. I take no pleasure in guilt.

Best stress release: 300 yards right down
the middle of the fairway …
Pet peeve: Lack of follow-through
Greatest achievement: I believe it is still
ahead of me.
Greatest disappointment: My father not
being alive to share this phase of my life with me
Fantasy job: PGA Tour pro
Business advice: Trust is much easier
maintained than it is regained.

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. 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/Journal/Issues/2011/03/21/Forty-Under-40/Jonathan-Gilula.aspx

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

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2011/03/21/Forty-Under-40/Jonathan-Gilula.aspx

CLOSE