LA Clippers Hire Gillian Zucker To Handle Business
- Updated: November 10, 2014
Business women rejoice! Following the takeover of Steve Ballmer as new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, the organization have hired Gillian Zucker to be the president of business operations.
This marks Ballmer’s first major hire and Zucker joins Lakers Jeanie Buss in becoming two of the few female chief executives (or presidents) in major U.S. pro sports.
Gillian Zucker has spent the last nine-years of her professional career as president of Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, the West Coast’s largest racetrack. She replaces Andy Roeser, who after being involved in the scandal that was Donald Sterling, took an indefinite leave of absence.
At Auto Club Speedway, Zucker was in charge of overseeing operations, ticketing, finance, communications and marketing. Before this, she was Daytona International Speedway’s vice president of business and development. Zucker once worked in minor league baseball as the assistant general manager of the Durham Bulls in North Carolina.
Clipper’s owner met with more than 25 people before deciding Zucker was the perfect fit for the organization. He said she was “someone with enough intensity, enthusiasm and wisdom to really do this job well.”
ESPN.com quotes Zucker saying she has been looking forward to working for the team since Ballmer took over in August:
“I’m so excited about what the future holds for the Clippers,” she said.
Zucker said she’s busy learning about the team, adding, “I’m drinking from the fire hose.”
“Even though he owns the team, it really belongs to the fans,” she said.
Zucker said she’d focus on providing ticketholders with added perks and boosting sponsors and media partnerships.
“I’m very humbled to be in a role that could inspire someone,” Zucker said
Zucker joins Jeannie Buss, who is co-owner and president of the Lakers; Rita Benson LeBlanc, owner/vice chairwoman of the board of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints and NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans; and Irina Pavlova, who serves on the board of the Brooklyn Nets as some of the business women in executive roles among the major pro sports.
And the best part of all? Gillian Zucker and Jeannie Buss’ teams share the same arena and we cover both teams!
Stay with us at Calisportsnews.com as we will keep you up-to-date on all things Los Angeles Clippers, and the rest of the LA sports teams! All Cali, all the time!
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