Casson joins MAVS

By Collin Kim

The Dallas Mavericks have appointed Ethan Casson as president of the organization, reporting to Chief Executive Officer Rick Welts, effective Aug. 11. In this newly created role, Casson will oversee much of the team’s day-to-day business operations, while Welts focuses on macro-level strategic initiatives, including the development of a new basketball arena.

 “The Mavericks are committed to being an elite professional sports franchise, and fundamental to that goal is adding top-tier executives like Ethan Casson to our senior management team. With a demonstrated record of leadership and success as an NBA executive, Ethan will help us advance our primary goal of building and maintaining a championship-winning team,” said Dallas Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont. “Additionally, we continue to be focused as an organization on efforts to enhance the game-day experience for our fans — in both the near-term and with the construction of a new state-of-the-art arena in Dallas in the years ahead.”

Casson brings over 25 years of sports industry experience to Dallas, most recently serving as chief executive officer of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Lynx, and Iowa Wolves for the past nine years. During his tenure, he oversaw record growth across all key NBA business metrics, including season tickets, attendance, partnerships, viewership and social media engagement. The Timberwolves were recognized as a finalist for the 2024 Sports Team of the Year by the Sports Business Journal under his leadership.

“We are thrilled and fortunate to be adding one of our industry’s most experienced and respected executives to our management team. It is a demonstration of the Mavericks’ commitment to building a best-in-class organization,” said Welts. “He will be my partner in charting the team into the future and will allow me to devote more time to our strategic priorities, including the building of our new arena and entertainment district in Dallas, and our transition from a basketball organization to a sports and entertainment company operating our own venue.”

Prior to his role in Minnesota, Casson served as the chief operating officer of the San Francisco 49ers, where he played a key role in the development of Levi’s Stadium, one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in the world. Notably, he secured a groundbreaking 20-year, $220 million naming rights partnership with Levi Strauss & Co, one of the largest outdoor naming rights deals in NFL history. The stadium earned multiple industry awards, including Sports Business Journal’s 2015 Facility of the Year.

“Being named president of the Dallas Mavericks is an extraordinary honor,” said Casson. “I’m deeply grateful to Rick and Patrick for their trust in me to help lead this iconic franchise — one poised not only to compete at the highest level on the court, but to deliver a world-class experience for the most passionate and loyal fans in the NBA.”

Throughout his career, Casson has demonstrated exceptional commitment to community engagement and social impact initiatives. His strategic partnerships with organizations such as the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition and the Restore the Vote Coalition led to the restoration of voting rights to 50,000 Minnesotans, earning the organization the prestigious 2023-24 NBA Inclusion Leadership Award.

Casson holds a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management from Colby-Sawyer College and was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Colby-Sawyer College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.