Casey Wasserman

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = File:President Trump at a Briefing with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (49556365988) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Wasserman in 2020

| office1 = President of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee

| term_start1 = August 11, 2024

| term_end1 =

| predecessor1 = Tony Estanguet
(Paris 2024)

| successor1 = Andrew Liveris
(Brisbane 2032)

| leader1 = Thomas Bach

| birth_name = Casey Myers

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|06|28}}

| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, United States

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| alma_mater = University of California, Los Angeles

| employer =

| occupation = Businessman, philanthropist

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| spouse = Laura Ziffren

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| relatives = Lew Wasserman (maternal grandfather)

}}

Casey Wasserman (né Myers; June 28, 1974) is an entertainment executive and sports agent. He is the founder and CEO of Wasserman, a sports marketing and talent agency, the chairman of LA28, the 2028 LA Olympics organizing committee, and a leader of the January 2025 Southern California wildfires philanthropic recovery initiative.

Early life and education

Wasserman is the son of the Los Angeles socialite and philanthropist Lynne Wasserman and Jack Myers (formerly Meyerowitz), and the grandson of Lew Wasserman. His sister is comedian Carol Leifer. {{Cite web|last=Dagan|first=Carmel|date=2011-08-19|title=Edie Wasserman dies at 95|url=https://variety.com/2011/film/news/edie-wasserman-dies-at-95-1118041521/|access-date=2022-01-18|website=Variety|language=en-US}} He has used the surname Wasserman since he was 18. {{Cite news |last=Barnes |first=Brooks |date=2013-07-06 |title=A Sports Agent With Hollywood in His Blood |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/07/business/a-sports-agent-with-hollywood-in-his-blood.html |access-date=2025-03-10 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

He graduated from UCLA in 2000 with a BA in political science.{{Cite web |last=Wharton |first=David |last2= |date=2015-12-04 |title=Great Read: Casey Wasserman carries the torch to bring Olympics to L.A. in 2024 |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/great-reads/la-sp-c1-casey-wasserman-olympics-20151204-story.html |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

Career

= Arena Football =

In 1998, Wasserman purchased the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League (AFL). He paid about $5 million for the franchise rights. Despite his youth, he was elected chairman of the league. In 2002 he negotiated a groundbreaking national television partnership between the league and NBC television, as well as the collective bargaining agreement with its players. On Saturday, April 18, 2009, Wasserman sent an email to AFL's de facto commissioner informing him of his decision to terminate the L.A. Avengers' membership in the Arena Football League.{{cite news|last1=Farmer|first1=Sam|title=Avengers to fold Arena Football League franchise|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-apr-20-sp-avengers20-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|date=20 April 2009}}

= Wasserman (Agency) =

The same year that he purchased the football team, Casey Wasserman started Wasserman (then-called Wasserman Media Group), a sports marketing and talent management company, of which he remains CEO.

In 2002, WMG acquired the sports marketing and naming-rights company Envision and the action sports marketing and representation firm The Familie, based in Carlsbad, California.

In 2004, WMG purchased 411 Productions and a few months later relaunched it as Studio 411, a sports entertainment film studio. The business was designed to provide financing, obtain sponsorships and arrange distribution in support of original productions.{{cite web|last1=O'Brein |first1=Sean |title=Wasserman Launches Studio411 - Transworld Business Magazine |url=http://www.twsbiz.com/twbiz/features/article/0%2C21214%2C1028079%2C00.html |publisher=Transworld Business |date=22 May 2006 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060522123304/http://www.twsbiz.com/twbiz/features/article/0%2C21214%2C1028079%2C00.html |archivedate=22 May 2006 }} The company also made an unsuccessful bid to sign up enough athletes in BMX, skateboarding and freestyle motocross to form PGA-like sanctioning bodies in those sports.{{cite web|last1=Lidz|first1=Franz|title=Extreme Dream Casey Wasserman, grandson of a legendary movie mogul, has become a force in action sports|url=https://www.si.com/vault/2004/04/05/366874/extreme-dream-casey-wasserman-grandson-of-a-legendary-movie-mogul-has-become-a-force-in-action-sports|website=SI.com}}

In January 2006, WMG acquired the NBA and MLB sports agent business of Arn Tellem, a well-known sports agent who joined WMG as well. Several of Tellem's sports agent colleagues also joined the company as part of the deal.{{cite web|title=Wasserman Acquires Tellem Business; SFX Promotes Pelinka|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/article/100061|website=www.sportsbusinessdaily.com}} Until he retired in June, 2015, Tellem was a principal at the company and ran one of its management groups.{{cite web|last1=Tellem|first1=Arn|title=Arn Tellem: Why I'm making the jump from sports agent to NBA front office|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2015/06/05/arn-tellem-detroit-pistons-sports-agent-nba|website=SI.com}}

In November 2006, the company acquired soccer agency, SFX, in the UK.{{cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=183850|title=Wasserman Media Group Acquires SFX Sports Group|publisher=Wasserman Media Group|website=www.prnewswire.co.uk}} Through that acquisition, WMG came to represent such players as Steven Gerrard, Robbie Keane, Jamie Carragher, Michael Owen, Tim Cahill, Jonathan Woodgate, Wes Brown, Scott Parker, Jack Wilshere, Park Ji-Sung, Shay Given, Tim Howard and Emile Heskey.

In June 2007, WMG expanded its consulting and media and property capabilities by purchasing Raleigh, North Carolina–based OnSport.{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2007/06/Issue-188/Sports-Industrialists/Wasserman-Media-Group-Acquiring-Gary-Stevensons-Onsport.aspx|title=Wasserman Media Group Acquiring Gary Stevenson's OnSport|website=www.sportsbusinessdaily.com}}

In early 2011, WMG bought London-based media rights manager and advisory firm Reel Enterprises.{{cite web|url=http://www.investinuk.net/investmentuk/?p=586|title=US based Wasserman Media Group acquires the UK's rights manager and advisory firm Reel Enterprises|website=www.investinuk.net}}

That year WMG expanded its golf talent roster by acquiring SFX Golf in April 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/wasserman_growth_continues_with_sfx_golf_purchase/|title=Wasserman growth continues with SFX Golf purchase|date=12 April 2011 |publisher=}}

In 2016, Wasserman Media Group rebranded as Wasserman and is frequently referred to as "Team Wass".{{cite web|url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2016/02/17/wasserman-undergoes-rebrand-reflect-its-evolution-just-sports/|title=Wasserman undergoes rebrand to reflect its evolution from just sports}} In 2021, he acquired Paradigm Agency's music business.[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/paradigm-agrees-to-sell-music-division-to-wasserman-4077739/] In 2023, Wasserman bought themanagement production company, Brillstein Entertainment Partners.[https://variety.com/2023/film/news/wasserman-acquisition-brillstein-entertainment-partners-1235726005/]

LA 2028 Olympic Organizing Committee

Casey Wasserman successfully led Los Angeles' bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics and will head the city's Olympic organizing committee.

In 2015, the USOC selected Los Angeles as the American applicant for the 2024 Summer Olympics after withdrawing Boston's bid. Wasserman commented: "We live in a democracy. The city and the council and the communities need to be engaged and supportive, otherwise we won't be successful regardless." In 2017, the IOC decided to award the hosts of both the 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympics. At the 131st IOC Session, Paris was selected to host the 2024 Summer Olympics, with Los Angeles being selected to host the 2028 Summer Olympics. The LA bid was praised by the IOC for using a record-breaking number of existing and temporary facilities and for relying entirely on corporate funding.{{cite web |url=https://www.olympic.org/news/ioc-makes-historic-decision-by-simultaneously-awarding-olympic-games-2024-to-paris-and-2028-to-los-angeles |title=IOC makes historic decision by simultaneously awarding Olympic Games 2024 to Paris and 2028 to Los Angeles |work=International Olympic Committee |date=September 13, 2017 |accessdate=October 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717195141/https://www.olympic.org/news/ioc-makes-historic-decision-by-simultaneously-awarding-olympic-games-2024-to-paris-and-2028-to-los-angeles |archive-date=July 17, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1078621/los-angeles-2028-releases-privately-funded-balanced-budget-for-olympic-and-paralympic-games|title = Los Angeles 2028 releases "privately-funded, balanced budget" for Olympic and Paralympic Games}}

=Anti-racism and the International Olympic Committee=

On June 19, 2020, Wasserman reportedly wrote the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach to advocate for changes to be made to the controversial Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter which states: "No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas."{{cite news |last1=Soshnick |first1=Scott |title=L.A. Olympic Chair Wasserman Asks IOC President to Repeal Rule That Bars Advocacy |url=https://www.sportico.com/leagues/other-sports/2020/casey-wasserman-ioc-president-letter-thomas-bach-1234610389/ |accessdate=31 July 2020 |publisher=Sportico |date=31 July 2020}} In the letter, Wasserman urged the IOC to amend the guidelines that support Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter to allow anti-racist advocacy on the Olympic stage and stated “Being anti-racist is not political.”{{cite news |last1=Wharton |first1=David |title=L.A. Olympic officials ask IOC to allow athlete protests |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/story/2020-07-31/la-olympic-officials-ask-ioc-allow-athlete-protests |accessdate=31 July 2020 |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=31 July 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Iveson |first1=Ali |title=Los Angeles 2028 chief Wasserman joins calls for Rule 50 to be amended |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1096899/casey-wasserman-rule-50 |accessdate=1 August 2020 |publisher=Inside the Games |date=1 August 2020}}

President Bach refuted the suggestion in an op-ed for The Guardian titled "The Olympics are about diversity and unity, not politics and profit. Boycotts don't work, and athletes should be politically neutral."{{cite web |last=Bruton|first=Michelle|title=IOC President Thomas Bach: Olympics 'Are Not About Politics,' Athletes Should Be Politically Neutral At Games|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/michellebruton/2020/10/26/ioc-president-thomas-bach-olympics-are-not-about-politics-athletes-should-be-politically-neutral-at-games/|access-date=2022-01-08|website=Forbes|language=en}}{{cite web |last=Bach|first=Thomas|date=2020-10-23|title=The Olympics are about unity and diversity, not politics and profit. Boycotts don't work {{!}} Thomas Bach|url=http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/oct/24/the-olympics-are-about-diversity-and-unity-not-politics-and-profit-boycotts-dont-work-thomas-bach|access-date=2022-01-08|website=the Guardian|language=en}}

Political activities

Wasserman co-chaired a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign on August 22, 2016.{{cite news|title=Hillary Clinton Fundraisers Coming to Beverly Hills|url=http://bhcourier.com/beverly-hills-news-hillary-clinton-fundraisers-coming-to-beverly-hills/|accessdate=August 5, 2016|work=The Beverly Hills Courier|date=August 3, 2016|archive-date=February 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220225041349/https://beverlyhillscourier.com/|url-status=dead}}

Personal life

Wasserman refers to his grandfather as his teacher. The two would have breakfast together every Saturday and Sunday from the time he was a child until his grandfather's death in 2002.{{cite web |last1=Mullen |first1=Liz |date=10 November 2003 |title=Casey Wasserman |url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2003/11/10/Forty-Under-40/Casey-Wasserman.aspx |website=Sports Business Journal |publisher=Leaders Group}} Wasserman said, "He was my most valuable resource in terms of information. In broad terms he knew what he wanted to do and I followed in his footsteps."{{cite web |title=Casey Wasserman's L.A. story goes far beyond 2024 Olympic bid |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2017/05/11/casey-wasserman-story-goes-far-beyond-2024-bid.html |publisher=Los Angeles Business Journal}}

He is separated from music supervisor Laura Ziffren Wasserman, whose grandfather Paul Ziffren was a Democratic Party leader and chair of the Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics Organizing Committee.{{cite web|title=Laura Ziffren|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0956341/bio|website=IMDb}}{{cite web |last=Johnson|first=Ted|date=2016-10-13|title=Hillary Clinton's Final L.A. Campaign Fundraiser Will Be at Site Steeped in Hollywood-D.C. History|url=https://variety.com/2016/biz/news/hillary-clinton-fundraiser-casey-wasserman-lew-wasserman-1201888222/|access-date=2022-01-08|website=Variety|language=en-US}}{{cite web |last1=Johnson|first1=Ted|last2=Patten|first2=Dominic|date=2020-09-05|title=Kamala Harris' Big Hollywood Virtual Fundraiser Rakes In Big Big Bucks; Ryan Murphy, Dana Walden, Chrisette Hudlin, & Laura Shell Organized, Katzenberg & JJ Abrams Co-Hosted|url=https://deadline.com/2020/09/kamala-harris-hollywood-fundrasier-8-million-ryan-murphy-jeffrey-katzenberg-jj-abrams-dana-walden-jennifer-salke-joe-biden-donald-trump-1234571352/|access-date=2022-01-08|website=Deadline|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|last=Reich|first=Kenneth|date=June 2, 1991|title=Paul Ziffren, Democratic Power in State, Dies at 77 : Politics: He was credited with rebuilding the party in the '50s. He also was board chairman for '84 Olympics.|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-06-02-mn-458-story.html}} They have two children.{{Cite web|date=2016-06-21|title=Laura Wasserman: From Hollywood to High Point Leaving a Los Angeles Legacy|url=https://sidelinesmagazine.com/general/laura-wasserman-from-hollywood-to-high-point-leaving-a-los-angeles-legacy.html|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Sidelines Magazine|language=en-US}}

References

External links

[https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nfl/news/story?id=6057997 ESPN Casey Wasserman Story February 2011]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20021221183445/http://www.laavengers.com/aboutus_casey.php Avengers website bio (cached)]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20030124191359/http://www.jsei.org/About/about_jules_cwasserman.htm Biography from Jules Stein Eye Institute]
[https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117919894?categoryId=1894&cs=1 "Biz game for crossover", Variety interview, 7 February, 2005]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070311184839/http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1809118598/bio Lew Wasserman Biography]

{{succession box

| before = {{flagicon|France}} Tony Estanguet

| title = President of Organizing Committee for Summer Olympic Games

| years = 2028

| after = {{flagicon|Australia}} Andrew Liveris

}}

Category:Living people

Category:Arena Football League executives

Category:American philanthropists

Category:1974 births

Category:American sports agents

Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni