Enjoy a pre-game talk by Brandon Schneider, team President & COO and Jess Smith, President of the Valkyries!
Date: Thursday, January 23, 2025
Time: 4:30 - 9:30pm PST
Location: Chase Center in San Francisco (1 Warriors Way)
**Networking starts at 4:30pm and talk by Brandon Schneider and Jess Smith starts at 5pm followed by the game vs. Chicago Bulls at 7pm
**All-inclusive Hispanic themed buffet, wine, beer and soft drinks included. Hard alcohol is available for purchase.
Tickets:
WCNC Members: $295
WCNC Non-Members: $315
**Limited tickets available, will sell out fast!!
**No refunds, all ages welcome and you cannot buy tickets for just the talk.
**Questions: please contact Claire Gao.Tickets will be issued 1-2 days prior to the event date through email..
HBSA Northern California (HBSANC) is hosting this event along with Harvard Club SF, Kellogg, MIT and Wharton.
About this Event:
Watch the game against Chicago Bulls seated together in the Modelo Cantina which has a large dining and networking space. There is a lot of space to move around, making this a very social and fun seating section. Guests often are moving around to chat with one another, the space flows very nicely. The seating is higher up, like a row 9 on the 200 level but the view is still good.
About Speakers:
Brandon Schneider | Warriors President & Chief Operating Officer
The 2024-25 NBA season will mark Brandon Schneider’s 23rd season with the Warriors organization, and his fourth as the team’s president and chief operating officer. In this role, Schneider reports to Co-Executive Chairman & CEO Joe Lacob and Co-Executive Chairman Peter Guber, and oversees all business-related operations for the Warriors, including Chase Center and Thrive City, a privately financed sports and entertainment district in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood that opened in September 2019. Schneider was promoted to his current role in April of 2021, following three years as the chief revenue officer.
In his tenure as President and Chief Operating Officer, the Warriors have elevated both the organization and the sports business industry to new heights. Valued at over $7.5 billion—the second most valuable professional sports team in the world—the Warriors have continued to lead the NBA in all major revenue metrics, including ticket sales, partnerships, viewership ratings and merchandise. Additionally, the organization launched an original content arm, Golden State Entertainment, a first of-its-kind for a professional sports team. Golden State Entertainment has produced two documentaries to-date, including 38 AT THE GARDEN, an award-winning piece that highlights the plight of Asian Americans in the country, as told through the rise of NBA player Jeremy Lin.
In his three years as chief revenue officer, Schneider was responsible for strategic planning and execution related to all the organization’s sales and activation efforts at Chase Center including tickets, suites, and corporate partnerships. He oversaw the team’s digital and marketing teams as well as philanthropic efforts led by the community relations group and the Warriors Community Foundation of which he sits on the board. He managed the team’s retail business both online and at Chase Center and worked to create the best overall fan experience at Chase Center. Schneider also oversaw the Warriors’ NBA G League team, the Santa Cruz Warriors. Prior to assuming chief revenue officer, Schneider served four seasons as senior vice president, business development; two seasons as group vice president, ticket sales and services; and three seasons as vice president, ticket sales and services. Schneider originally joined the Warriors in the summer of 2002 as a season ticket account executive before being promoted to ticket sales manager in June of 2004 and assistant director of ticket sales the following April.
Under Schneider’s leadership the Warriors’ season ticket base has grown to a capped-out level of 12,000 seats, and he spearheaded a successful renewal strategy that has resulted in a 90-percent plus season ticket renewal rate in each of the past six seasons. The Warriors launched a Priority Wait List for season tickets prior to the 2013-14 season, and that list has grown to more than 40,000 members who are committed to purchasing season tickets if/when they become available. He pushed the organization to successfully adopt a dynamic ticket pricing model prior to the 2011-12 campaign and mirrored the innovative model on the suite level shortly thereafter. He led the Warriors to a franchise-record 377-game-and-counting sellout streak by the end of the 2019-20 season, during which the Warriors received a league-leading five “best in industry” awards at the 2019 NBA Sales and Marketing Meetings.
During his tenure with the Warriors, the organization has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including being named “Franchise of the Decade” among all professional sports teams by Sports Business Journal in 2019. Additionally, the Warriors became the first professional team to win Sports Business Journal’s “Sports Team of the Year” award on multiple occasions (2014 and 2016). Schneider was named to Sports Business Journal’s Power Players list in 2018 after being named to the publication’s Forty Under 40 list in 2017. These honors followed Schneider’s inclusion on Forty Under 40 lists by Diablo Magazine in 2015 and the San Francisco Business Times in 2016. Schneider was heavily involved with the completion of the Warriors’ state-of-the-art new arena, Chase Center. A year after its opening in September 2019, Chase Center was named Sports Facility of the Year by Sports Business Journal and has received numerous distinctions and industry awards.
A Bay Area native, Schneider graduated from UCLA in 2001 with a degree in business economics and an accounting minor. A die-hard fan of both the San Francisco 49ers and San Francisco Giants, and an owner of Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), he lives in Hillsborough with his wife Amanda and their son Tommy.
Jess Smith | President of the Valkyries
Jess comes with a wealth of experience across US sport, most recently off the back of a four-year stretch as Angel City’s Head of Revenue, as the team’s enormous growth saw revenue hit record levels. She’s also had previous experience with the likes of the San Jose Earthquakes, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Oakland Athletics.
Smith, who has over 18 years of experience in professional sports, oversees all WNBA business operations works directly withy Warriors President and Chief Operating Officer, Brandon Schneider.
“Jess is a proven leader and the perfect fit to guide our WNBA team as we begin this exciting new endeavor,” said Schneider. “She brings a strategic and innovative business approach, in addition to an impressive track record for exceeding financial and overall goals. Those intangibles will benefit us greatly as we aim to build a world class franchise that will establish strong and impactful business initiatives off the court and compete for championships on it. We are excited to welcome Jess to the Golden State family.”
Smith joined Golden State from Angel City Football Club, where she served as Head of Revenue since the team’s inception in 2020. In that role, she oversaw partnerships, ticketing, commerce, operations, data and analytics, broadcast and strategic alliances. Smith revolutionized the sports industry partnership approach with Angel City’s model, where she married revenue and impact to invest into local community initiatives focusing on equity, essentials, and education. Under her leadership, Angel City renewed over 90% of the team’s season ticket members heading into the 2024 NWSL season.
“It is an incredible opportunity to build a WNBA team with the backing of Joe Lacob and Peter Guber and the commitment from the Warriors’ Executive Team, led by Brandon Schneider,” said Smith. “Women’s sports fans demand—and deserve—authenticity and a commitment to greatness, two characteristics that the Warriors organization has strongly demonstrated. That is what attracted me to this role. The team’s significant initial investment in the WNBA is just a preview of what’s to come for sports fans in the Bay Area and around the world. I cannot wait to join this franchise with the opportunity to impact and transform our local community and the women’s sports ecosystem.”
Prior to her time at Angel City, Smith served as Vice President, Sponsorship at the San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) from 2017-20, where she secured the largest academy-specific jersey partnership in MLS history. Before joining the Earthquakes, Smith worked for the Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL) from 2015-16. Smith also spent time working for the Oakland Athletics (MLB) from 2008-15 in roles within ticketing and sponsorship.
Smith was named to the 2023 Sports Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list and the 2023 Leaders in Sport Under 40 class for her work with Angel City. Smith holds her B.A. in Journalism from State University of New York and received her M.S.A. from Ohio University.
Event Disclaimer:
Because this event is in person, you acknowledge the below by coming to this event.
I acknowledge and understand that: (i) I am not required to participate in this event; (ii) my participation is voluntary and at my sole risk; and (iii) I am responsible for my own protection against Covid-19, including, without limitation, following all health and safety protocols communicated to me or posted at the event venue.
