Tom Garfinkel is stepping down as the National Football League (NFL) team Miami Dolphins’ (US) President and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) after 13 years, the team announced recently amid a handful of operational changes in the organization.
‘nfl.com’ stated that he will remain part of the organization as the Vice-Chairman of the Miami Dolphins and their home arena – the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida (US) – as well as the Managing Partner of the Miami Grand Prix but is stepping away from the day-to-day responsibilities.
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami Metropolitan area (US). The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a Member of the American Football Conference (AFC) East Division.
The 64,767-seat Hard Rock Stadium is a multipurpose stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, US. The stadium is the home field of the National Football League (NFL) team Miami Dolphins.
The Miami Grand Prix is a Formula One Grand Prix which was held for the first time during the 2022 season with the event taking place at the 65,000-seat Miami International Autodrome which is located around the grounds and the private facilities of the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, US.
‘nfl.com’ further stated that the Dolphins announced that Daniel Sillman, the son-in-law of the Owner Stephen Ross, will oversee the football operations for the team with the Head Coach Jeff Hafley, the General Manager (GM) Jon-Eric Sullivan and the Executive Vice-President of Football Operations Brandon Shore reporting directly to him.
Sillman was also named the head honcho of Ross Sports & Entertainment, a new company that will merge Ross’ sports holdings – the Miami Dolphins, the Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami Grand Prix, the Miami Open tennis tournament, and the Precision Drive Club – into one entity. Sillman is the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of the sports and media rights company Relevent.
The Miami Open is an annual professional tennis tournament held in Miami Gardens, Florida, United States. It is played on the outdoor hardcourts of the Hard Rock Stadium and is held in late March and early April.
The Precision Drive Club is an ultra-exclusive, private driving club located at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. It is the only private driving club in the world that gives the Members year-round track access to the Miami International Autodrome.
Impactful Tenures
Ross said in a statement released by the Miami Dolphins, “Tom Garfinkel has had one of the most impactful executive tenures in the professional sports history. When he joined our organization we envisioned creating a world-class sports and entertainment company that would redefine what was possible for a franchise, a stadium and a community. Together, we turned that vision into reality. … Tom assembled an extraordinary leadership team and created an incredible foundation for continued growth. While he is stepping away from the day-to-day responsibilities of the CEO, I am grateful that he will continue to play an important role as the Vice-Chairman and a trusted Advisor to Danny and me.”
Business Turnaround
Since joining the Dolphins in 2013, Tom Garfinkel spearheaded the business turnaround of the organization. He had a primary role in bringing the Formula 1 racing to Miami through the Miami Grand Prix and securing the event through 2041. He also established a 30-year agreement to host the Miami Open tennis tournament at the Hard Rock Stadium and won bids to host the 2020 Super Bowl (the annual championship game of the National Football League in the United States), the 2021 and 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship games (the highest level of college football in the United States) and seven matches during the 2026 World Cup.
London (UK)-based Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for the open-wheel, single-seater formula racing cars run by the Formula One Group and sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one of the world’s premier forms of motorsport since its inaugural running in 1950 and is often considered to be the pinnacle of motorsport.
Paris (France)-based the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) is an international organization with two primary functions surrounding the use of the automobile. Its Mobility Division advocates the interests of the motoring organizations, the automotive industry and the motor car users in the fields of road safety and traffic circulation. The Sport Division is a governing body for many international motorsport championships and disciplines including the Formula One.
New York (US)-based the National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States.
Composed of 32 teams it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and the highest professional level of American football in the world.
Second-to-none
Tom Garfinkel sent out a statement which read, “I love the Dolphins and the people here but after 13 years it was just the right time for me to make this decision. The business has never been in a better place and the team of people we have here is second-to-none in sports.”
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