Hank J. Ratner is president and chief executive officer of The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG), which includes renowned performance venues, entertainment properties, professional sports teams and television networks. Mr. Ratner directs the overall strategy and day-to-day operations of the business. He also serves as alternate governor to the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League on behalf of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. The Company’s signature assets consist of some of the nation’s most dynamic and powerful sports, media and entertainment assets and brands. This diverse collection of properties includes a portfolio of iconic venues: New York’s Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre; The Chicago Theatre; the Forum in Inglewood, California; and the Wang Theatre in Boston. In addition, MSG owns and operates professional sports teams, the New York Knicks, Rangers and Liberty; MSG Entertainment and its entertainment properties, including the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, featuring the legendary Radio City Rockettes; regional sports and entertainment networks, MSG and MSG+; and Fuse, a national music network. In February of 2010, Mr. Ratner led the spin-off of Madison Square Garden from Cablevision Systems Corporation and, today, The Madison Square Garden Company is a thriving, stand-alone, public company. Currently, Mr. Ratner is spearheading the Transformation of the iconic Madison Square Garden Arena, which will significantly enhance the experience of customers, athletes, entertainers, suite holders and partners. The project will ultimately feature a dramatically redesigned Seventh Avenue entrance, new seats, improved sightlines, new Event Level and Madison Level suites, two new one-of-a-kind bridges suspended above the playing surface, and spectacular public concourses. The Transformation will also showcase new food offerings by some of the best chefs in the world, pay homage to the building’s storied history and include the restoration of The Garden’s distinctive and celebrated ceiling. Mr. Ratner served as MSG’s vice chairman for seven years before being named president and chief executive officer following MSG’s spin-off from Cablevision. Throughout his tenure, Mr. Ratner has been influential in formulating and implementing the strategic direction for MSG’s multi-faceted business. For example, he has played a key role in bringing some of the country’s landmark venues under MSG management. Over the last six years, these have included The Beacon Theatre, The Chicago Theatre, the Wang Theatre and, most recently, the Forum. In addition, Mr. Ratner is the architect of the company’s integrated business approach, designed to capitalize on MSG’s unique combination of iconic venues, sports and entertainment content, and programming and distribution networks, by strategically aligning these assets to work together to deliver incomparable opportunities and exceptional experiences for partners, entertainers, customers and fans. As chairman of The Garden of Dreams Foundation, the non-profit that works closely with The Madison Square Garden Company, Mr. Ratner has been the visionary behind the charity’s commitment to “make dreams come true for children facing obstacles.” Its extraordinary relationship with the company, allows the Foundation to do what no other charity in the world can do – use the magic and power of MSG’s assets to create on-going, unforgettable programs that improve kids’ lives. Since its inception in 2006, Garden of Dreams has worked with all areas of MSG – including the Knicks, Rangers, Liberty, MSG Media and MSG Entertainment – to create thousands of unique and unforgettable experiences that have brightened the lives of more than 200,000 children. Mr. Ratner has also served as vice chairman of Cablevision Systems Corporation since 2003. In this role, he helps to set corporate direction and strategy for the media and telecommunications company whose portfolio of operations includes a full suite of advanced digital television, voice and high-speed Internet services, and valuable local media and programming properties. Prior to serving as MSG and Cablevision vice chairman, Mr. Ratner served as COO and then vice chairman of Rainbow Media Holdings, Cablevision’s former programming subsidiary which became AMC Networks, a separate company, after its spin-off in June 2011. Mr. Ratner joined Cablevision as assistant general counsel in 1987. A year later, he moved to Rainbow Media, rising to the position of Rainbow’s chief operating officer in 1998. Mr. Ratner was then promoted to vice chairman of Cablevision before also being named vice chairman of MSG in 2003. Previously, Mr. Ratner was an associate with the law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell. He received a bachelor’s degree and doctorate of law with distinction from Emory University.

Sports Management, Sports Industry, Sports