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MICHAEL DEE NAMED AS CEO OF MIAMI DOLPHINS AND DOLPHIN STADIUM
Michael Dee has been named as Chief Executive Officer of the Miami Dolphins and Dolphin Stadium, it was announced today by Dolphins Owner and Managing General Partner Stephen M. Ross. In his new role, Dee will be responsible for the business development and growth of both entities and to position the team and the stadium in the forefront of the sports and entertainment field. He will oversee the marketing and sales effort of the Dolphins and will explore new opportunities for the team to expand its brand on both a local and national level. He also will oversee the new initiatives and capital projects at Dolphin Stadium that will offer the stadium’s patrons a live game-day experience unmatched anywhere in the country and will work to introduce new elements to the stadium’s schedule of events.
Bill Parcells will continue to oversee all football operations, reporting directly to Mr. Ross.
Dee joins the Dolphins after 14 years in Major League Baseball, including the last five as Chief Operating Officer of the Boston Red Sox. Dee originally joined the Red Sox on July 15, 2002 and was named COO on March 7, 2004. In his capacity there, he oversaw the club’s day-to-day business operations.
“I’m thrilled to be able to add someone of Mike’s background and expertise to our organization,” said Ross. “His accomplishments with the Red Sox greatly expanded their business footprint and amplified the team’s standing as one of the premier franchises in professional sports. I know that under his leadership the Dolphins and Dolphin Stadium will continue their position as industry leaders and provide unmatched service and value to our fans and partners.”
“I’m excited about this opportunity,” said Dee. “The Dolphins are one of the flagship franchises in the National Football League and Dolphin Stadium is recognized as one of the top sports facilities in the world. It’s an honor for me to join such a well-regarded organization and I’m looking forward to implementing Steve’s vision to optimize the game-day experience for our fans and to provide unprecedented business opportunities to our customers.”
During his tenure in Boston, Dee played an instrumental role in all of the franchise’s business initiatives. In that time, the Red Sox consistently set new records for attendance and revenue growth – including a MLB record 469 consecutive sellouts at Fenway Park dating back to May, 2003. Dee spearheaded the business implementation and integration of Fenway Park improvements such as the Green Monster Seats, the EMC Level, the State Street Pavilion and the Big Concourse expansion. Additionally, he worked on a wide range of innovative business ventures, including leading the club’s real estate activities, bringing concerts to Fenway Park, enhancing the game-day operations of the Red Sox staff and improving the quality of concessions and service through his work with concessionaire ARAMARK. In 2006, Dee negotiated the club’s ten-year radio rights agreement with Entercom Communications – still the largest team radio rights deal in history.
In October of 2008, Dee negotiated an agreement with Lee County, Florida to keep the Red Sox Spring Training operations there for at least the next 30 years. The agreement included the design and construction of a publicly financed, state-of-the-art, single-site Spring Training facility that is slated to open in 2012.
