There’s a new chief executive for the parent company of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center.
Sam Zussman was named CEO of BSE Global to replace the outgoing John Abbamondi, who announced he was leaving after the NBA season concluded. Zussman will be responsible for leading BSE Global’s business strategy and operations, as well as its assets which include the NBA G-League Long Island Nets and the NBA 2K League’s NetsGC
Zussman will take the summer to transition into his new role with the Nets parent company and take the reigns full-time prior to the start of the 2022-23 NBA season. He will also become an alternate governor for the Nets.
“I attended my first Nets game when the team played in New Jersey and have been impressed watching the organization evolve into what it has become today,” Zussman said in a prepared statement. “Thank you to Joe Tsai, Clara Wu Tsai, and Ollie Weisberg for inspiring me with their passion and vision for this company, and for giving me the opportunity to lead it. I’ve spent the majority of my career learning new businesses and this position is an exciting next step.
“BSE Global has a great deal of momentum as we look to the future.”
Zussman, who spent 16 years with IMG/Endeavor, will become the third CEO since 2019 when Dave Levy resigned after two months. He has been leading the company’s growing portfolio of owned and operated event divisions, including tennis, golf, motorsports, action sports, festivals, and other cultural, art and lifestyle properties.
Zussman also oversaw the company’s global media production business, media rights acquisition and distribution business, and betting rights business.
“We are thrilled to welcome Sam into the BSE Global family,” Nets owner Joe Tsai said in a statement. “Sam comes to us with incredibly diverse experience in operating businesses and leading people. I am excited to partner with Sam as we develop a highly strategic approach to growing our business at BSE Global.”
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There has been a lot of turnover in the executive suite with BSE Global since Tsai took over the Nets. Levy was hired in 2019, but quickly left citing philosophical differences. Oliver Weisberg was installed in the interim before Abbamondi took over in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Nets had set new benchmarks in attendance, ticket revenue and sponsorships, but lost a reported $100 million this past season. It was believed that Tsai felt Abbamondi “was not innovative or data-driven enough,” according to a report last month.
