Full Name
Vanessa Shay
Job Title
President
Company
Los Angeles Sparks
Speaker Bio
Vanessa Shay was named President of the three-time WNBA champion Los Angeles Sparks on May 16, 2022. As President, Shay oversees corporate partnerships, ticket sales, merchandise, marketing & communications, and community outreach. Shay is a sports and entertainment industry veteran with decades of commercial experience in sales, sponsorship acquisition and retention, ticketing, merchandise and brand building.
Prior to joining the Sparks, Shay was the Chief Revenue Officer of San Diego Wave FC, a newly awarded 2022 franchise of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Vanessa Shay oversaw the team expansion process, running all facets of the San Diego Wave FC business operations start-up including corporate partnerships, ticketing & premium seating, team merchandise, brand marketing, communications and fan engagement. Her tenure included signing a marquee jersey and health partnership with Kaiser Permanente, as well as selling out the first three consecutive home games and remaining a NWSL leader in team merchandise sales.
Shay joined San Diego Wave FC after spending 13 years with AEG Worldwide. Shay joined AEG in 2008 and was tasked to help identify revenue streams for what was then the construction of the L.A. LIVE entertainment district in downtown Los Angeles. With the successful launch of L.A. LIVE, she spent more than a decade at AEG creating pathways for national brands to access AEG's global sports and entertainment properties. Shay also built branded destination marketing events, led property sales and marketing teams, and supported all facets of the AEG business including ticketing and premium seating.
Shay is a member of the International Sports Leaders Under 40 Award 2018 Class, and completed the invitation-only Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business’ elite Women in Sports Executive Program.
A graduate of Michigan State University, her early career included a 4 year stay at Taubman Centers –a luxury shopping center developer/REIT- as Manager of Corporate Partnership. At Taubman she was charged with identifying unique opportunities for national brands to access the upscale and highly desirable customer base in Taubman’s elite shopping destinations. Prior to that she had and a brief stint with the Michigan Lottery's marketing and sponsorship division as Sponsorship Coordinator managing the Bureau’s professional sports team sponsorship deals. Shay started her professional career at Washington and Chicago offices of Fleishman-Hillard public relations on the consumer marketing team
Prior to joining the Sparks, Shay was the Chief Revenue Officer of San Diego Wave FC, a newly awarded 2022 franchise of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Vanessa Shay oversaw the team expansion process, running all facets of the San Diego Wave FC business operations start-up including corporate partnerships, ticketing & premium seating, team merchandise, brand marketing, communications and fan engagement. Her tenure included signing a marquee jersey and health partnership with Kaiser Permanente, as well as selling out the first three consecutive home games and remaining a NWSL leader in team merchandise sales.
Shay joined San Diego Wave FC after spending 13 years with AEG Worldwide. Shay joined AEG in 2008 and was tasked to help identify revenue streams for what was then the construction of the L.A. LIVE entertainment district in downtown Los Angeles. With the successful launch of L.A. LIVE, she spent more than a decade at AEG creating pathways for national brands to access AEG's global sports and entertainment properties. Shay also built branded destination marketing events, led property sales and marketing teams, and supported all facets of the AEG business including ticketing and premium seating.
Shay is a member of the International Sports Leaders Under 40 Award 2018 Class, and completed the invitation-only Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business’ elite Women in Sports Executive Program.
A graduate of Michigan State University, her early career included a 4 year stay at Taubman Centers –a luxury shopping center developer/REIT- as Manager of Corporate Partnership. At Taubman she was charged with identifying unique opportunities for national brands to access the upscale and highly desirable customer base in Taubman’s elite shopping destinations. Prior to that she had and a brief stint with the Michigan Lottery's marketing and sponsorship division as Sponsorship Coordinator managing the Bureau’s professional sports team sponsorship deals. Shay started her professional career at Washington and Chicago offices of Fleishman-Hillard public relations on the consumer marketing team
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