The Madison Square Garden Company Names John Abbamondi Executive Vice President of Ticketing, Suites and Hospitality
NEW YORK, June 06, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Madison Square Garden Company (NYSE:MSG) today announced that John Abbamondi has been named executive vice president of Ticketing, Suites and Hospitality, effective July 25. Mr. Abbamondi — who brings with him more than a decade of experience in the sports industry, following a distinguished nine-year career as a flight officer in the U.S. Navy — most recently served as senior vice president of Team Marketing and Business Operations for the NBA.
As MSG’s EVP of Ticketing, Suites and Hospitality, Mr. Abbamondi will be responsible for driving sales, retention, customer service and growth initiatives for all tickets, clubs and premium hospitality products across all of the company’s sports and entertainment assets, including MSG’s professional teams, famed showplaces and original productions. Mr. Abbamondi will define and institute strategic and operational performance standards for sales, operations and service across departmental functions, which include: season subscriptions, service and retention, individual and group tickets and premium hospitality. In addition, he and his team will work closely with the marketing group on how best to communicate with subscribers, fans and partners about MSG’s unmatched sports and entertainment offerings. Mr. Abbamondi will report to MSG’s President and CEO David O’Connor.
Mr. O’Connor said: “We are very pleased to welcome John, who brings with him an extensive understanding of the sports and entertainment worlds, as well as an extraordinary breadth and depth of leadership experience that we know will help drive our commitment to a culture of excellence and teamwork. MSG represents some of the most popular and enduring brands in the world, and I have no doubt that John will play a critical role in ensuring that we continue to earn the loyalty of our fans and partners.”
Mr. Abbamondi said: “I am deeply honored to be joining The Madison Square Garden Company, an organization I have long admired. I look forward to working with MSG’s management team to support the continued growth of the business as we evolve and execute the company’s strategy to ensure that MSG remains a world leader in live entertainment.”
Mr. Abbamondi most recently served as senior vice president of Team Marketing and Business Operations for the NBA, where he was responsible for growing NBA team profitability through strategic consulting on all aspects of business operations, including ticket and suite sales and service, corporate partnerships, marketing and digital, and arena development and operations. Prior to joining the NBA in 2013, Mr. Abbamondi was vice president of Strategy and Business Analysis for the San Diego Padres, overseeing a team that was charged with long-term strategic planning and project management, with a particular focus on growing ticket sales. Before the Padres, he served as assistant general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, after starting in MLB as part of the League’s Labor Relations Department. Mr. Abbamondi also served nine years as a U.S. Navy flight officer before beginning his career in sports, and is a two-time recipient of the Navy Air Medal with 40 combat missions over Iraq. He earned a Bachelor of Science in political science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master of Business Administration from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) is a world leader in live sports and entertainment with a portfolio of legendary sports teams, exclusive entertainment productions and celebrated venues. MSG Sports owns and operates some of the most widely recognized sports franchises: the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL) and the New York Liberty (WNBA), along with two development league teams – the Westchester Knicks (NBADL) and the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL). MSG Sports also presents a broad array of world-class sporting events, including: professional boxing, college basketball, tennis, bull riding and e-gaming events. MSG Entertainment features exclusive, original productions that include the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and New York Spectacular Starring The Radio City Rockettes. MSG Entertainment also presents or hosts a wide variety of live entertainment offerings, including concerts, family shows and special events, in the Company’s diverse collection of iconic venues. These venues are: New York’s Madison Square Garden, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre; the Forum in Inglewood, California; The Chicago Theatre; and the Wang Theatre in Boston, MA. More information is available at www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com.