The Economics of Sports: Lessons from Cleveland

Lunch and A Panel Discussion on The Economics of Sports: Lessons from Cleveland on the Court at Tennis in the Land, Nautica Entertainment Complex, West Bank of The Flats

Panel will be held on the tennis court and all attendees will receive lunch and two tickets to attend the Friday’s tennis matches ($100 Value). Tennis matches start at 3pm Friday afternoon. Attendees can stay and watch or come back later Friday night

More information on Tennis in the Land

Sponsorships Opportunities Available: email Cindy [email protected]

Moderator: Hallie Olson, Vice President, Global Partnerships at Cleveland Cavaliers

Panelists:
Phil Ciano, Managing Partner and General Counsel of Bright Path Sports Partners LLC

Jonathan Ernest, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Weatherhead School of Management

Nolan Gallagher, Co-Founder & President Cleveland Soccer Group

Michael Murphy, Co-Founder & CEO @ Cleveland Professional Soccer

Hallie Olson, Vice President, Global Partnerships at Cleveland Cavaliers

Phil Ciano, Managing Partner and General Counsel of Bright Path Sports Partners LLC

Phil Ciano is the Managing Partner and General Counsel of Bright Path, and a founding partner of Ciano & Goldwasser, LLP -- a national sports law/deal boutique representing private and public companies, global talent agencies and diversified investment funds. Clients include public and closely held companies and international sports agencies/certified agents in each of the Big Four US sports league. Over a 25+ year legal career, Phil has represented and/or co-led multiple investor groups seeking minority and control acquisitions in NFL, MLB and NBA franchises. Phil currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Ipswich Town Football Club, Miami University Parent's Council and the American Cancer Society. Phil is a first-generation Italian American, retains strong family and business ties to Europe (in Italy and elsewhere), and is conversational in Italian.

Jonathan Ernest, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Weatherhead School of Management

Nolan Gallagher, Co-Founder & President Cleveland Soccer Group

Nolan Gallagher was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. Nolan is Co-Founder and President of the Cleveland Soccer Group, which is building an MLS NEXT Pro men's soccer team that will kick off soon.

Prior to Cleveland Pro Soccer, Nolan founded Gravitas Ventures in Los Angeles in 2006. Over 17 years of Nolan’s leadership as CEO, Gravitas became a global all rights theatrical distribution company that released more than 3,000 films and documentaries on Video on Demand (VOD). On account of the hundreds of relationships forged by Gravitas, a filmmaker’s work could be seen in over 100 million North American and over 1 billion worldwide homes.

While at Gravitas, Nolan was named a Hollywood New Leader by Variety and spoke on numerous industry panels including at the Toronto International Film Festival and SXSW Film Festival. Previously, Nolan worked in corporate marketing roles at leading public media companies Comcast, Warner Bros. and General Cinema Theaters.

Nolan graduated from St. Ignatius High School and earned his undergraduate business degree from Boston College. He received his MBA from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, whose Lloyd Grief Center of Entrepreneurial Studies named him its 2020 Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year.

Nolan is a Board Member for the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, a member of the U.S. Soccer Development Council, a member of the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2024, and a member of the Cleveland Chapter of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). He and his wife, Catherine, are on the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Leadership Council.

Michael Murphy

Co-Founder & CEO @ Cleveland Professional Soccer

Michael Murphy is the Co-founder and CEO of Cleveland Soccer Group, LLC. Previously he served as President of Gravitas Ventures, where he was instrumental in growing the company’s distribution footprint. There he managed the Gravitas’ library of more than 3,000 titles of movies and TV to over 100 transactional, subscription and ad- sponsored VOD operators on a worldwide basis.

Michael also oversaw the company’s Free Ad- Supported Television (FAST) Channel strategy. Prior to joining Gravitas Ventures in 2007, Michael was Captain in the US Army where he served on active duty as a Judge Advocate. In 2005, he deployed with the 3rd Infantry Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Michael is a member of the Cleveland Chapter of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), a member of the U.S. Soccer Development Council, on the board of Boys Hope Girls Hope of Northeast Ohio and on the advisory council for the Northeast Ohio Women’s Sports Alliance.

He coaches track, basketball and soccer at St. Dominic School in Cleveland, Ohio. Michael holds a JD from the University of Akron School of Law where he graduated cum laude, and a AB from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA where he studied Classics and Political Science.

Host or Publisher CFA Society Cleveland