Oak View Group Appoints Chris Granger As CEO

Chris Granger has been named chief executive officer of Oak View Group, the company’s Board of Directors announced today.

Granger, who previously served as president of OVG360, was appointed as interim CEO in July after Tim Leiweke stepped down from the role. As CEO, Granger will spearhead all aspects of the company’s global business. Oak View Group, the parent company of Pollstar, is a leader in sports and live entertainment, working in venue development, hospitality and sponsorship sales.

“Chris’s performance during his tenure as Interim CEO has been exceptional,” Lee Wittlinger, Chairman of the OVG Board of Directors, said in a statement. “He seamlessly stepped into the role during a pivotal time and demonstrated tremendous leadership. Chris understands the entire ecosystem of sports and live entertainment and the Board is confident that he is the right executive to lead OVG into its next phase of global growth.”

Music mogul Irving Azoff, a senior partner at Oak View Group, said, “I have known and worked with Chris for nearly 20 years. No one is better for the CEO job. He is uniquely qualified to lead OVG as we continue to build it bigger and better. He shares our passion to deliver for all our clients, fans and artists.”

Granger worked in sports and entertainment for over three decades. Prior to joining OVG360 in 2021, he served as group president of sports and entertainment for the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings, and he was also the president and chief operating officer of the Sacramento Kings. He also held senior roles with the National Basketball Association, including executive vice president of team marketing and business operations. Granger graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in science of business management and has a master’s from Yale University’s school of management.

 “I’d like to thank the Board for their confidence. I am honored to serve in this role and build upon an incredible foundation,” said Granger, who began his career at Walt Disney World. “I look forward to working with our deep roster of entrepreneurial leaders and talented teammates, across North America and around the world, as we continue to deliver on our mission to disrupt positively and with purpose. We will work tirelessly on behalf of our partners, we will root for one another, and we will lift the communities in which we operate. Let’s go.”