SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL: Legends appoints Levy as CEO, Mirhashemi moves to Vice Chair role
By Bret McCormick
Levy spent 14 years at Meta (formerly Facebook), where he led, among several efforts, the company’s $100B-plus advertising business before exiting in May 2023
DAN LEVY is the new CEO of Legends as former CEO SHERVIN MIRHASHEMI transitions into a new full-time role as the company’s Vice Chair, according to an internal email shared with SBJ this morning. Mirhashemi, who has served as CEO of Legends since 2017 after initially joining the company from AEG in mid-2013, will remain a Legends board member and actively involved at the company’s helm. Former Facebook exec Levy joined Legends in March as interim president of the company. No other Legends executives were impacted by the move.
Mirhashemi has been centrally involved in the company’s growth from a couple hundred employees in 2013 to more than 3,000 today, with its hands in a slew of sports industry service verticals, including premium and sponsorship sales, project management, and food and beverage and hospitality provision and the newest, a college-focused business encompassing all its offerings. Legends, whose revenues have grown tenfold during Mirhashemi’s time, is currently awaiting DOJ approval to greenlight its reported $2.4B-plus acquisition of venue management giant ASM Global.
Levy spent 14 years at Meta (formerly Facebook), where he led, among several efforts, the company’s $100B-plus advertising business before exiting in May 2023. His arrival at Legends coincided with the exit of several Legends executives, including CURT MCCLELLAN, former co-president and Chief Corporate Officer, and DAN SMITH, former longtime Legends Hospitality President, who transitioned to an advisory role in early 2024.
“You have my commitment that this next chapter of Legends’ growth trajectory will be the most impressive yet,” Mirhashemi wrote in an email to employees announcing the news. “With Dan as CEO, together with [co-President and COO] MIKE TOMON and the rest of our seasoned management team, we are poised to take Legends to new horizons at the forefront of sports and entertainment. “So, keep bringing the focus and passion that makes Legends so very special and ‘Lets gooooooooo!!!!’”