Mike Dee
Mike Dee | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Sports and Media executive |
| Known for | President of Sports for Entercom Communications and RADIO.COM CEO of the San Diego Padres CEO of the Miami Dolphins COO of the Boston Red Sox |
Mike Dee is an American sports and media executive who is currently President of Sports for Entercom Communications and RADIO.COM Sports, the largest audio rights holder of professional teams and sports talk radio in the United States. He is the former Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball and previously served in a similar role with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. Dee also served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Boston Red Sox and as President of Fenway Sports Group. While with the Red Sox, the team won two World Series titles.
Early life and college
Earning a degree in Government from Franklin and Marshall College (F&M) in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Dee also played collegiate basketball and is a member of Sigma Pi fraternity.
Executive career
San Diego Padres (1995–2002)
Dee joined the San Diego Padres in 1995 as the director of corporate development, and was promoted to senior vice president of business affairs, working under his mentor, Larry Lucchino in 1999, remaining with them until 2002. He assisted in the financial planning and construction of Petco Park and worked to fortify the Padres' business and military partnerships within the community.[1]
Boston Red Sox (2002–2009)
When Lucchino joined the John W. Henry and Tom Werner led ownership purchase of the Boston Red Sox in 2002, Dee followed him to Boston, reaching the position of Chief Operating Officer. The Red Sox set new franchise revenue and attendance records each year of Dee's time with the club[2], including an MLB-record sellout streak that began in 2003. They also won two World Series, breaking an 86-year drought. In 2004, Dee turned down an offer to become President of the Los Angeles Dodgers[3] to take on an expanded role with the Red Sox, which included becoming President of Fenway Sports Group (FSG), a sports investment entity conceived with John W. Henry to diversify and expand Red Sox' business interests beyond Major League Baseball. Today, FSG is the parent company of the Red Sox and Liverpool F.C. of the Premier League. Among the initiatives Dee was responsible for, he spearheaded the acquisition of a 50% interest in Roush Racing, which became Roush Fenway Racing. [4] Dee also oversaw the new revenue streams created by the eight-year remodeling of Fenway Park and the surrounding neighborhood. Just prior to his departure in 2009, he consummated a $78 Million, thirty-year agreement with Lee County, Florida for a publicly funded spring training complex, known today as Jet Blue Park.[5] Dee's successful tenure with the Red Sox and Fenway Sports Group concluded in May of 2009, when he was offered the role of CEO of the Miami Dolphins. [6]
Miami Dolphins (2009–2013)
Dee served as the CEO of the Miami Dolphins and Sun Life Stadium from 2009 through 2013. Dee brokered the stadium naming-rights deal with Sun Life Financial that became the site of major events such as four Orange Bowls, Super Bowl XLIV, 2013 College Football National Championship Game, and WrestleMania XXVIII. He also started the Dolphins Cycling Challenge, benefiting the University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center which has become the largest athletic fundraiser in the State of Florida.[7]. Dee left the Dolphins in July, 2013 to become the President & CEO of the San Diego Padres.[8]
San Diego Padres (2013-2016)
On July 17, 2013, the San Diego Padres hired Dee to serve as team President and Chief Executive Officer. During his tenure, Dee led the Club to significant revenue growth, had oversight of a multi-year renovation to Petco Park that saw it be named as the #1 Ballpark in Major League Baseball, [9] and was responsible for the Club's successful bid to host the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game [10].
On October 12, 2016, it was announced that the San Diego Padres and Dee had parted ways [11]
Entercom Communications (2017-present)
On May 2, 2017, Dee joined Entercom Communications as President of Entercom Sports with responsibility for "elevating Entercom’s position as a leading sports media partner in support of the company’s expansive suite of local sports radio stations and personalities and sports play-by-play relationships," according to a company press release.[12][13]. At Entercom Communications, Dee was responsible for launching Radio.com Sports[14], a fully integrated digital audio platform for all of its sports content.[15]
Personal
Dee is married to Karen, and they have two sons, Spencer and Tommy. A native of Baltimore Maryland, Dee grew up an avid fan of the Baltimore Orioles, Baltimore Colts, Washington Bullets (Wizards), and University of Maryland Basketball. He is a member of the advisory board at his alma mater, Franklin and Marshall College. He is also an avid cyclist participating in the Pan Mass Challenge, in addition to serving on its board. The nation's largest athletic fundraiser, Pan Mass has raised more than $700 million for cancer research.[16]
References
- ^ Center, Bill (July 17, 2013). "Mike Dee returns as Padres President, CEO". San Diego Union-Tribune.
- ^ Helyar, John. "Red Sox go where other LCS teams can't -- to the revenue races". ESPN.com.
- ^ Reid, Jason. "Dee Will Stay With Red Sox".
- ^ Livingstone, Seth (September 12, 2007). "Roush Fenway looks to capitalize on unique connection". USA Today.
- ^ Miller, Glenn (April 29, 2009). "Watermen-Pinnacle site chosen as new Red Sox spring training home". [www.tallahassee.com].
- ^ Civin, Todd. "Boston Red Sox lose "Bonafide First Rounder" Michael Dee to Miami Dolphins". Bleacher Report.
- ^ "Miami Dolphins launch 'Dolphins Cycling Challenge' at Sun Life Stadium". South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- ^ "Mike Dee bolts Miami Dolphins to take San Diego Padres CEO job". ESPN.com. July 17, 2013.
- ^ Berg, Ted. "San Diego's Petco Park is the best ballpark in baseball". USA Today.
- ^ "MLB awards the 2016 All-Star Game to the San Diego Padres". MLB.com.
- ^ McVicker, Laura. "Padres President Mike Dee leaves Team". NBC San Diego.
- ^ "Entercom Names Mike Dee as President of Entercom Sports", 2 May 2017 (retrieved 7 September 2018).
- ^ Entercom leadership profile for Mike Dee (retrieved 7 September 2018)
- ^ Everett, Seth. "Entercom Launches Radio.com Sports". Forbes.
- ^ Ourand, John. "Entercom Details Strategy for Radio.com Sports". Sports Business Journal.
- ^ Bailey, Melissa. "How the Pan-Mass Challenge Raised Half a Billion Dollars for Cancer". Stat News.