The Lakers are moving quickly to fill a recently-opened role in the front office.
On Thursday, the team announced Lon Rosen as the new President of Business Operations. Rosen is replacing Tim Harris, who announced earlier in the week to the organization he’d be stepping down, which the Lakers also confirmed.
Rosen served as an Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a role he took in 2012.
“I’m beyond grateful to Jeanie and Mark for trusting me with this incredible opportunity,” Rosen said via press release. “As everyone knows, the economics of the sports business are constantly changing – and they will continue to do so.
“But, at root, my job is a simple one: figuring out how to do right by our employees and our partners while ensuring that the Lakers continue to provide an unparalleled experience for our fans in Los Angeles and around the world. I look forward to working alongside Jeanie, Rob and the whole front office team to make that happen.”
Dodgers’ President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman opened the pipeline between the two LA franchises in the wake of Mark Walter’s purchase of the Lakers by serving as an advisor, but this is the first official move from one front office to the other.
Prior to his time with the Dodgers, Rosen began his career as an intern for the Lakers in the ‘80s.
“For many years, I have seen the impact that Lon has had in our industry,” Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss said in the team’s press release. “Over that time, I have learned that not only is Lon a great person, but he also has a deep understanding of both sports and entertainment and a true feel for where this business is headed.”
This will likely be the first of many hires in the coming weeks and months. With Walter now officially in charge, Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka stated the team would begin reshaping the front office while sparing no expense.
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