Basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson is among the several owners and executives from American sports teams to have joined Los Angeles 2024’s Board of Directors.
Johnson, who was appointed as a vice-chair of the Californian city’s bid for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in November 2015, is a leading figure at four teams across four different sports.
He owns Major League Baseball’s (MLB) LA Dodgers, Major League Soccer’s (MLS) LAFC and Women’s National Basketball Association’s (NBA) LA Sparks, while he serves as President of basketball operations at NBA’s LA Lakers.
Johnson is one of the most well-known figures in basketball having won the NBA title five times with the Lakers and the Olympic gold medal in 1992 with the United States’ so-called “Dream Team” in Barcelona.
The hall-of-famer became an entrepreneur, philanthropist and motivational speaker after his retirement from the sport and the 57-year-old is currently chairman and chief executive of Magic Johnson Enterprises, which provides services and products to ethnically diverse communities.
He will be joined on the LA 2024 Board by a further 12 representatives, including LA Dodgers President and chief executive Stan Kasten, who is also the owner of LA Sparks.
Dan Beckerman, the Governor of the MLS’s LA Galaxy and the National Hockey League’s (NHL) LA Kings, also features on the list.
Other MLB representatives are Mark Attanasio, the owner and chairman of the Milwaukee Brewers, and Larry Baer, President and chief executive of the San Francisco Giants.
LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is one of five other Board members from the NBA along with LA Lakers owner and Governor Jeanie Buss, Atlanta Hawks owner Tony Ressler, Boston Celtics co-owner and managing partner Steve Pagliuca, and Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores.
Completing the line-up are two representatives of the National Football League (NFL) – LA Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff and New York Giants co-owner and chairman Steve Tisch – and LA Kings co-owner Ed Roski, Jr.
LA 2024 say the owners and executives will lend their talent and expertise in sports presentation, promotion and community engagement to help the Bidding Committee create a new Games for a new era.
“LA 2024 is fortunate to have many of America’s top professional sports team owners and executives on our Board of Directors, lending their talent and expertise to our work to create an innovative, low-risk and sustainable Games in 2024,” LA 2024 chairman Casey Wasserman said.
“LA 2024 is focused on the future of the Olympic Movement, and as we look to help all Olympic sports grow and access America’s $250 billion sports market, our Board members’ strategic insight and deep experience will be invaluable.
“On behalf of all of us at LA 2024, I want to thank our Board members for supporting our work to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games back to the United States.”
It is claimed Los Angeles’ professional sports teams sell more than 12 million sports event tickets annually – more than the annual attendance of some of Europe’s top football leagues.
“Consulting with the top executives in professional sports, LA 2024 seeks to grow every Olympic and Paralympic sport in the $250 billion US sports market and worldwide, and connect International Federations with America’s 100 million young people,” a statement from the Bidding Committee reads.
Los Angeles are up against Paris in the race to stage the 2024 Games.
The International Olympic Committee is due to choose a host city at its Session in Peru’s capital Lima in September.
By Daniel Etchells
Republished with permission from insidethegames.biz.