VenuesNow 2025 All-Star Honoree: Tad Brown

TAD BROWN
Chief Executive Officer
Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment

FIRST NON-INDUSTRY JOB:
“Providing tours of NBC Studios at 30 Rock.”

Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment has been scoring big, whether we’re ranking sports empires, talking new venue projects or examining the sports and entertainment company’s impact both on a global scale and local level.

Shouting out “the leadership of Josh Harris, David Blitzer and our ownership group,” CEO Tad Brown notes that HBSE was recently named the third most valuable sports portfolio in the world at $14.6 billion. “This is in part thanks to exciting milestones, like the Devils reaching a record-setting $2 billion valuation and the announcement that HBSE will own and operate a new WNBA team in Philadelphia starting in 2030. We also deepened fan engagement through a multi-franchise partnership with Campbell’s, bringing its iconic brands to life for our fans through unique activations.”

Major venue projects include plans for a state-of-the-art arena in Philadelphia slated to open in 2030 or 2031 as the home of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers and the new WNBA team, as well as the restoration of Loew’s Theater in Jersey City. Plus, Brown says, “Down in D.C., our team has made steady progress with Mayor Bowser and the City Council in bringing a new Commanders stadium to the historic RFK site.”

HBSE’s global presence is growing, from its investment in South London-based Crystal Palace Football Club to the Washington Commanders being among the first NFL teams awarded international marketing rights in the UAE through the league’s Global Markets Program (GMP). The company’s other highlights include its existing properties celebrating some of their strongest years yet including Northwest Stadium having “its biggest summer concert series since opening in 1997, with over 300K fans in attendance, a 20% increase in attendance from last summer’s record setting slate.”

HBSE remains deeply committed to giving back, including “efforts to uplift local youth and help empower the next generation. The 76ers, Devils, and Commanders hosted more than 100 community events each last year, connecting fans, players, and partners in impactful ways.”