EDC Investor Categories: Sports

New York Yankees

 

 

Named after one of the most iconic owners in sports history, George M. Steinbrenner Field is one of Tampa’s leading special events facilities and spring home to the 27-time World Champion, New York Yankees.  Under the leadership of the Steinbrenner Family for over four decades, the New York Yankees have long been viewed as one of the most successful franchises in sports history and one of the most iconic brands in the world. Yankees Spring Training draws fans from around the country and is an impactful economic contributor to the greater Tampa Bay area.  Additionally, the Yankees organization is proud of its support of local non-profit organizations through the New York Yankees Tampa Foundation. Present in Tampa since 1989, the Yankees recently completed a $40 million renovation project at George M. Steinbrenner Field and the Himes Player Development Complex, while extending their commitment to Hillsborough County through 2047.




Tony Bruno

Tony Bruno became Chief Financial Officer of Yankee Global Enterprises upon its creation in 2004, having previously served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the New York Yankees.  He has worked with the Yankees organization since 2000 and has played an instrumental role in the financial, and day-to-day operations of Yankee Global Enterprises, the construction of the new Yankee Stadium, the formation of Legends Hospitality and the transaction between 21st Century Fox and the YES Network.  Tony is an active supporter of the local community having served on the Board of Trustees for the Suncoast Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for ten years, the Board of Trustees for St. John’s Episcopal Day School, and currently serving as an honorary board member for The Matty Fund, which helps children and families touched by epilepsy. Additionally, he serves as a Director for the Yankees Foundation in both Tampa and New York.

Tony Bruno
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Professional football first came to Tampa, Florida in 1976, two years after the Bay area was awarded the National Football League’s 27th franchise.

Beginning with a noble struggle in ’76 – at a time when expansion teams were given few of the advantages they are given now – the Tampa Bay Buccaneers began a remarkable journey that is now well into its fifth decade.

Through 44 seasons, the Buccaneers franchise has been through it all with huge home crowds, long road trips, last-second victories, coaching and uniform changes, a stadium change, and even an ownership change that ushered in a new era of success. That era led to the Bucs breaking through to reach the top of the NFL.

In January of 2003, at the end of the franchise’s 27th season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came home with the Lombardi Trophy after a 48-21 victory over Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII. With that win being the most glorious moment in franchise history up to this point, it serves as an example of what the team envisions for their future as they pursue new and greater triumphs.




Atul Khosla

With more than 16 years of experience, Atul Khosla joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneer organization as the Chief Corporate Development and Brand Officer in June of 2017, with responsibility for corporate partnership, marketing and event production, game day entertainment, community relations, along with digital and media rights. Under Atul’s leadership, his team has won the American Marketing Association’s 2018 Tampa Bay Marketer of the Year as well as the 2019 SHAPE Florida Community Service award and were nominated for their first Webby in the category of Social: Athletes & Sports Teams.

Among his significant previous positions, Atul served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, where he oversaw the day to day operations of the Team and the growth of MLS in Chicago. He joined the Fire in 2011 after spending over a decade at General Electric, holding key leadership positions with the multinational conglomerate’s Healthcare division as well as NBC Sports.

With his recent relocation to Tampa Bay, Khosla is representing the Buccaneer organization by serving on the board of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, The Greater Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce and The Afterschool All-Stars program. While residing in Chicago, Khosla was actively involved with several notable organizations, serving on the Advisory Council and Board of Directors for the Chicago Sports Commission, member of the Chicago Economic & Executive Club, and YPO Chicagoland. He was also named to the 2013 Crain’s Chicago Business Leaders 40 Under 40 list.

Khosla holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He currently resides in Tampa with his wife, Charisse, and their three daughters.

Atul Khosla
Chief Corporate Development & Brand Officer

Tampa Bay Rays

 

 

The Tampa Bay Rays have proudly represented Major League Baseball in the Tampa Bay region since 1998. The organization and its foundation are committed to building a strong community bond through meaningful interaction and charitable contributions. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig calls the Rays a “model organization,” and the organization is widely recognized as being “best-run, most symbiotic” in baseball. Over the past six years, the Rays have won more games than any other MLB team except the New York Yankees. The team’s streak of six consecutive winning seasons is the longest ever among Tampa Bay’s major sports franchises. ESPN has long recognized the team’s fan-friendly approach and attention to customer service. It ranked the Rays in fan affordability in each of the past seven years among all MLB, NFL, NHL and NBA franchises. Through grants and other contributions, the Rays Baseball Foundation has invested over $3 million in the Tampa Bay region over the past six years.




Rafaela A. Amador

Rafaela A. Amador Fink joined the Rays in June 2014 and was promoted to Chief Public Affairs and Communications Officer in December 2021. She leads all public affairs efforts and serves as the club’s government affairs liaison. Additionally, she works across departments to ensure consistent and effective communication of business issues and manages all crisis communications.

Prior to joining the Rays, Rafaela served as an account director at a public relations and public affairs firm, was vice president of public affairs and communications at the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, worked in local politics and taught high school English. She received a 2009 Ford Foundation Fellowship for Regional Sustainable Development through the American Chamber of Commerce Executives and traveled to various cities in the U.S. and China throughout her course of study.

Amador holds a bachelor’s in international studies with a Spanish minor from the University of South Florida. She serves on the board of directors for Community Tampa Bay and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, and is a member of the Tampa Bay Partnership’s Racial Equity Task Force, the Tampa Bay Area Committee on Foreign Relations, and USF’s Women in Leadership and Philanthropy. She was also a founding board member of the New Leaders Council Tampa Bay chapter and served as an Honorary Commander at MacDill Air Force Base. She lives in Tampa with her husband, Jason, son, Maddox, and their rescue dog, Gonzo.

 

 

Rafaela A. Amador
Chief Public Affairs & Communications Officer

Tampa Bay Lightning

 

 

The Tampa Bay Lightning, the leasehold rights to the Tampa Bay Times Forum and approximately six acres of adjacent land were purchased by an entity controlled by Jeff Vinik in March 2010. Vinik later added the Tampa Bay Storm to his portfolio and commenced a complete transformation of the sports and entertainment business, highlighted by a more than $60 million renovation of the Times Forum, an extensive charity campaign highlighted by a $2 million annual giveback to Tampa Bay nonprofits through the Lightning Community Heroes program, and redesigned identities for both teams. The Lightning, led by Hockey Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman, are now recognized as one of the leading franchises in the National Hockey League, while the Storm, with future NFL Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks at the helm, are emulated throughout the Arena Football League.




Chris Overholt

Chris Overholt serves as Chief Commercial Officer for Vinik Sports Group. In this role, Overholt oversees all aspects of the company’s marketing and sales teams with a focus on developing, designing and implementing VSG’s commercial strategy to strengthen relationships, drive sales and increase revenue.

Prior to joining VSG, Overholt led the Global Partnerships Division for Madison Square Garden (MSG), overseeing sponsorship marketing, sales and service for iconic entities such as the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers, Madison Square Garden, and more. He also played a pivotal role in global sales for the Sphere in Las Vegas.

Prior to MSG, Overholt served as the founding CEO/Partner of OverActive Media Group (OAM), a Toronto-based organization recognized for its diverse and influential presence in sports, media and entertainment.

Between 2010-2018, Overholt also served as Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC). In that role he drove unprecedented growth in commercial operations while overseeing a broad scope of operations and collaborating closely with Canada’s National Sports Federations to foster the development of aspiring Olympians.

During his 30 years in business, Overholt has played a key role in the marketing, branding, and business strategies for some of North America’s top sports franchises. This includes notable contributions to the success of the Miami Dolphins, Florida Panthers, and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), where he achieved industry-leading results for both the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors.

Overholt holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario and graduated from the Harvard Business School Executive General Managers Program in 2001.

Chris Overholt
Chief Commercial Officer