Stan Kasten

Stan Kasten
Name	Stan Kasten
Birth date	April 7, 1952
Birth place	Brooklyn, New York City
Occupation	Sports executive
Years active	1970s–present
Known for	President and CEO roles with Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Thrashers, President of Los Angeles Dodgers

Stan Kasten is an American sports executive and businessman notable for leadership roles with the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Thrashers, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He became prominent in the 1970s and 1980s through rapid ascent in professional sports administration and later transitioned to major ownership and executive roles in Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association. Kasten is recognized for franchise-building, stadium and arena development, and complex negotiations involving team sales and media rights.

Early life and education

Kasten was born in Brooklyn, New York City and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts and Atlanta, Georgia during his family’s relocations. He attended Haverford College, where he studied and engaged in student organizations, and later pursued graduate work at George Washington University and Emory University affiliates during early career development. While at Haverford College he cultivated relationships with peers who later entered leadership in National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball circles, connecting to executives from franchises such as the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Chicago Bulls.

Career in sports management

Kasten entered professional sports administration in the late 1970s, becoming general manager of the Atlanta Hawks at a historically young age. During his tenure he worked closely with owners and executives from franchises including the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and San Antonio Spurs to negotiate player transactions, arena leases, and broadcast arrangements. Kasten’s collaborations encompassed negotiations with municipal authorities in Atlanta and dealings involving venues like The Omni, later transitioning relationships toward projects with developers associated with Centennial Olympic Park and the 1996 Summer Olympics organizing committees.

As president and CEO of the Hawks, he coordinated front-office operations with personnel from across the NBA executive community, including scouting directors from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons, and legal teams that had previously represented the National Football League and Major League Baseball. His management approach emphasized long-term franchise stability, working on ticketing strategies with partners experienced in venues such as Madison Square Garden and Staples Center.

Major league baseball leadership

Kasten joined the ownership group of the Atlanta Braves in the early 1990s, becoming team president and guiding the franchise through a period of sustained competitive success, including multiple National League division championships and a World Series title run. He coordinated baseball operations with general managers from teams like the New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, and Los Angeles Dodgers while also engaging with executives from the Commissioner's Office to navigate labor, arbitration, and postseason matters.

During his time with the Braves, Kasten worked on stadium negotiations involving public authorities in Fulton County and public-private partnerships similar to developments in San Diego and Baltimore. He fostered relationships with broadcasters such as TBS and cable partners linked to franchises like the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs to enhance media distribution and regional sports network agreements.

In 2018 Kasten became president and CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers after a high-profile sale involving investors including Magic Johnson, Earvin 'Magic' Johnson associates, and ownership groups connected to Fosun International and Guggenheim Partners. At the Dodgers he supervised baseball and business operations, collaborating with managers and front-office leaders from the Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, and New York Yankees on competitive strategy, analytics initiatives, and international scouting.

Other professional roles and business ventures

Beyond team leadership, Kasten has been active in broader sports and entertainment ventures, interacting with corporate partners such as Fox Sports, ESPN, and media conglomerates including Time Warner and Viacom. He engaged in arena and stadium development discussions comparable to projects undertaken by stakeholders in Citi Field, Target Field, and Nationals Park. His involvement extended to advisory roles on boards and committees that included representatives from the Major League Baseball Players Association, NBA Players Association, and civic development agencies linked to Atlanta BeltLine planning.

Kasten participated in consortiums and transactions involving private equity groups, collaborating with firms connected to deals with franchises like the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. He has served on executive committees addressing league governance matters with commissioners and legal counsel from the NBA and MLB, and consulted on international expansion topics alongside delegations to Japan, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela that involved scouting and player-development leaders.

Personal life and honors

Kasten has been involved with philanthropic and civic organizations in Atlanta and Los Angeles, supporting institutions such as Emory University affiliates, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, and cultural entities like the High Museum of Art. He has received recognition from sports industry groups and civic bodies, including awards from associations linked to the National Sports Forum and business leadership honors presented by chambers of commerce in Fulton County and Los Angeles County.

His personal network includes long-established ties to executives, owners, and managers across franchises such as the New York Yankees, Houston Astros, and Toronto Blue Jays, reflecting decades of engagement in professional sports administration and franchise operations.

Category:American sports executives Category:Major League Baseball executives Category:National Basketball Association executives Category:People from Brooklyn