AOL[edit]
In 1987, Leonsis established the marketing communications company, Redgate Communications Corporations.[15] When the organization was acquired by America Online (AOL) in 1994, Leonsis began working with AOL as a senior executive, remaining with the company for 13 years.[16] Under his leadership, AOL increased its membership from under 800,000 members to over 8 million, while their annual revenue increased from $100 million to $1.5 billion.[17] He held numerous positions at AOL during his years there, completing his tenure and retiring in 2006 as the audience group's president and vice-chairman.[18] As of 2014, he serves as vice chairman emeritus of AOL.[citation needed]
Monumental Sports & Entertainment[edit]
Leonsis is the founder, majority owner, chairman and CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the NBA's Washington Wizards, NHL's Washington Capitals and the WNBA's Washington Mystics. Monumental Sports additionally owns the Verizon Center in Washington D.C.[19] and manages the Kettler Capitals Iceplex and George Mason University's Patriot Center.[20] Formed in 2010, Monumental Sports & Entertainment is the only privately held company in a top-10 market to own and operate three professional sports teams and its arena.[21] In January 2013 Monumental Sports & Entertainment launched Monumental Network, a digital platform that serves as a hub for Washington's sports and entertainment news.[22]
- Management
Leonsis has a "hands on" approach to management of his sports teams.[23] After purchasing the Wizards, Leonsis criticized the NBA's salary cap at a luncheon with business leaders. He was fined $100,000 by the league, for "unauthorized public comments regarding the league's collective bargaining negotiations."[24] Leonsis has sought to roll-back changes to the Wizards and Capitals franchises that coincided with the opening of the Verizon Center in 1997. In 2007, he changed the Capitals team logo and its colors back to their original red, white, and blue, and in May 2011, received positive responses from media, fans, players and alumni when the Wizards unveiled a similar red, white and blue color scheme, along with uniforms reminiscent of those worn by the team under their former name, the Bullets, when they won the NBA Championship in 1978.[25] Additionally, he had taken under consideration restoring the Bullets name to the franchise,[26] though critics said that this would "send the wrong message" about gun violence in Washington.[27]
- Washington Capitals
Leonsis has owned the Washington Capitals since the spring of 1999, and in that timeframe the team has won seven Southeast Division titles, a Presidents’ Trophy and has recorded more than 200 consecutive sellouts at Verizon Center.[21]
In the early years of his ownership, the Capitals went on to win back-to-back Southeast Division titles in 2000 and 2001, but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Penguins. In summer 2001, the Capitals traded for Jaromír Jágr and signed him to what was at the time, the largest contract in NHL history. The trade was enthusiastically well received by fans and over 300 people showed up at Dulles International Airport to greet Jágr when he arrived.[28] After Jágr was traded in 2004, Leonsis was criticized by fans.[29]He was involved in a physical altercation with a fan, who led a mocking chant of Leonsis during the game and hoisted a sign chiding him. In the altercation, Leonsis grabbed and threw the fan to the ground, which also caused a young child to fall to the ground. For his involvement in the scuffle, Leonsis was fined $100,000. He also received a suspension of one week, during which he was prohibited from having any contact with the team.[30] After the incident, Leonsis personally called the fan to apologize for his actions and invited him and his family to watch a game in the owner’s box.[31]
In 2009, a season ticket holder informed Leonsis of a homeless man, Scott Lovell, who spent his nights sleeping outside Verizon Center. Leonsis found Lovell a part-time job as a restaurant kitchen worker and provided him with a paid and furnished apartment, a prosthetic leg and Capitals season tickets for life. In return, Lovell vowed to remain clean and sober.[32]
In 2010, journalist Damien Cox, author of the Ovechkin Project, a biography of Alexander Ovechkin, wrote that Leonsis was trying to circumvent the NHL's salary cap when signing Ovechkin's contract.[33] He also alleged that Leonsis was bribing bloggers for positive coverage of the Capitals.[34] Leonsis said that Cox was angry that he did not receive the access to Ovechkin that he wanted and defended his support for the league.[35]
During the 2009–2010 season, the Capitals earned the NHL's President's Trophy as the team that finished with the most points in the league during the regular season.[36]
The 2010–2011 season marked the highest attendance in franchise history, drawing 754,309 fans.[37] The Capitals, like other teams, have raised ticket prices in recent years.[38][39] In 2011, after raising ticket prices for the fourth consecutive year while shrinking the size of beers sold at the Verizon Center, he earned the nickname "Leon$i$".[40] In 2001, Leonsis claimed to have written a computer program that prevented Pittsburgh Penguins fans (the Capitals first-round opponent) from purchasing tickets online. When asked if the actions were unfair, Leonsis stated, "I don't care. I'm going to keep doing it."[41] Again in 2009, he received criticism for preventing visiting team fans from purchasing Capitals playoff tickets.[42]
In the face of community opposition, Leonsis has persisted with a plan to expand the billboards around the Verizon Center.[43] Critics said the signage would make the arena more garish and cheapen DC's Chinatown, Leonsis said it was necessary to raise an additional $20 to 30 million in annual revenue, and a sports expert explained that "an owner saddled with underperforming teams is under greater pressure to find income sources."[44][45][46] Leonsis persevered and in March 2013 construction of the new signs were announced.[45]
In 2013, Leonsis received a letter about Jack Dibler, a lifelong Capitals fan who had recently been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. In response, Leonsis sent Dibler a package that included a signed Alexander Ovechkin jersey and a letter inviting Dibler and his family to a game.[47]
- Washington Wizards
Leonsis became the majority owner of the Washington Wizards in June 2010, inheriting a team that had 26 wins and 56 losses during the previous season.[48] Leonsis has taken a fan-centric approach to running the franchise, by listening and responding to the concerns of Wizards supporters through his email and personal website.[49] On May 10, 2011, the Wizards unveiled a new color scheme, uniforms and logo. The team reverted to its traditional red, white and blue colors. The uniforms are based very closely on those worn from 1974 to 1987, during the team's glory years.[50] During Leonsis’ tenure as owner, the Wizards have compiled a promising young nucleus of players, including John Wall (No. 1 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft), Bradley Beal (No. 3 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft) andOtto Porter Jr. (No. 3 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft). They have also acquired veterans like Nenê and Marcin Gortat via trade.[51][52]
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