Sixers

Scott O’Neil Leaving HBSE and Sixers to “Pursue New Opportunities”

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Jun 30th, 2021 · 10:21 AM EDT

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Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment CEO Scott O’Neil is peacing out. He’s leaving his gig overseeing the Sixers and Devils for something different.

Here’s part of the press release the company sent out:

After eight successful years guiding Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) through exponential growth and expansion, CEO Scott O’Neil has elected to step away from the organization in order to pursue new opportunities. O’Neil has over two decades of leadership experience within the sports and entertainment industry, including his most recent tenure with HBSE, a leading sports and entertainment company centered around marquee assets, the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and NHL’s New Jersey Devils.  

“I would like to thank Josh Harris and David Blitzer for inspiring, engaging and empowering me to bring together the most talented executive team in sports and entertainment,” O’Neil said. “Josh and David are extraordinary leaders, partners and friends. Their commitment to our teams, brands, employees – and most importantly – their commitment to serving the City of Philadelphia, Newark and Camden – made our success together possible. To be trusted with the opportunity to steward epic brands – as well as buy, build, integrate, acquire, and grow complimentary businesses to create HBSE as it is today – has been the ride of a lifetime, one for which I am humbled and grateful.”  

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Under O’Neil’s leadership, HBSE was built from a single-entity team, the Sixers, to an all-encompassing sports and entertainment franchise that spans two professional teams, an e-sports business, a leading arena and entertainment business, and several growth and venture investments across sports technology. He led the Sixers to sign the first jersey patch sponsorship in “Big Four” sports history, oversaw construction on the largest and most technically advanced training complex in professional sports, the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex, established an industry-leading Innovation Lab, and became the first U.S. professional sports franchise to acquire a world-renowned esports team. Additionally, he became acting Co-Managing partner for Elevate Sports Ventures, a sports and entertainment agency he helped to create in a partnership between HBSE, Live Nation Entertainment | Ticketmaster, the San Francisco 49ers and Oak View Group. He also helped create HBSE Venture Fund and HBSE Real Estate to round out the portfolio. 

During his time with HBSE, O’Neil and his team were recognized for his impact in creating an innovative and best-in-class workplace and workforce, with the Sixers being named one of the “Top 50 Cultures” in the nation by Entrepreneur (2017). O’Neil’s leadership and role as a change agent within the sports and entertainment industry was widely lauded, as Philadelphia Magazine recognized him one of the “Most Innovative Leaders” in Philadelphia. Sports and technology outlet SportTechie named O’Neil as 2017’s “Most Innovative Executive,” and most recently, the Sixers were bestowed five Clios, including one for “Team of the Year” in 2021. 

I don’t have many thoughts on this. O’Neil was distrusted by a vast majority of Process people because he was a money/suit type who was at odds with the rebuild. He wound up being shaded in Sam Hinkie’s resignation letter:

I can assure you that when your team is eventually able to compete deep into May, Scott will ably and efficiently separate the good people of the Delaware Valley from their wallets on your behalf.

Yeah? Well that was his job. He was the CEO. He was supposed to sell the product and run the business and grow the season ticket base. And he was ultimately successful doing it, was he not? Look where the team is now compared to what it was eight years ago. Strong brand, good marketing, very active in the community and charitable as well. Most business types are not asked to navigate an extreme tank and rebuild and try to grow the product at the same time, so naturally there was always going to be conflict between Scott O’Neil and the basketball side, which was a blurred line at times. This should not surprise anybody at all. It’s just the nature of the beast and it makes jobs and directives incongruous. They just don’t interface properly. Find me a franchise where the business side and basketball side are in perfect lock step. It doesn’t exist.

Anyway, that’s O’Neil and Marc Zumoff who are both taking off. I wonder if that shitty playoff run is going to convince anybody else to move on to something else.