James L. Dolan is Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSG Entertainment), where he is responsible for setting the Company’s overall vision and growth strategy, as well as overseeing its operations.
MSG Entertainment is a leader in live entertainment, and throughout his tenure, Mr. Dolan has ensured the continued prominence of the Company’s renowned venues and brands. He spearheaded the restorations of Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre, as well as the acquisition and renovation of the Forum arena in Inglewood, California, which the Company sold in May 2020. The Company’s venues also include the fully-renovated Madison Square Garden arena, as well as The Theater at Madison Square Garden and The Chicago Theatre. MSG Entertainment also features the original production, the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes, which has been a holiday tradition at Radio City Music Hall since 1933, and stars the Radio City Rockettes, the longest-running precision dance company in America.
Along with his role at MSG Entertainment, Mr. Dolan serves as Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sphere Entertainment Co., a live entertainment and media company whose portfolio includes Sphere – a next-generation entertainment medium that is redefining the future of live entertainment. The first Sphere venue opened in Las Vegas in September 2023. In addition, Sphere Entertainment includes MSG Networks, which operates two regional sports and entertainment networks that deliver a wide range of live sports content and other programming.
Mr. Dolan also serves as Executive Chairman of Madison Square Garden Sports Corp., whose collection of properties includes the New York Knicks (NBA) and New York Rangers (NHL) franchises. He is also Chairman of AMC Networks Inc., which owns and operates several award-winning brands in television and film.
Mr. Dolan was CEO of Cablevision Systems Corporation from 1995 until June 2016, when the media and telecommunications company, which served as MSG’s parent company until 2010, was sold to Altice. Prior to his role as Cablevision CEO, Mr. Dolan was CEO of Rainbow Media Holdings, the former Cablevision programming subsidiary now known as AMC Networks. Mr. Dolan began his career with Cablevision in the 1970s and held a variety of executive positions before overseeing Rainbow Media.
Mr. Dolan’s ongoing commitment to the community is illustrated through a variety of important initiatives. He has led MSG Entertainment’s response to local and national tragedies, playing a principal role in organizing several benefit concerts, including “12-12-12,” which raised more than $50 million for the victims of Hurricane Sandy; “From The Big Apple to The Big Easy,” which raised nearly $9 million for Hurricane Katrina relief; and “The Concert for New York City,” which generated more than $35 million in aid for 9/11 victims and heroes. Mr. Dolan also supports the community through the Garden of Dreams Foundation, the non-profit organization that works closely with MSG Entertainment, Sphere Entertainment, and MSG Sports to assist young people in need. In addition, he is Vice Chairman Emeritus of the board of the Lustgarten Foundation, an organization he helped found in 1998, which today is the nation’s largest private supporter of pancreatic cancer research.
Mr. Dolan has six children and is an avid musician.