Brian M. Deevy
About Brian M. Deevy
Independent director of Atlanta Braves Holdings (BATRA) since July 2023; age 69. He chairs the Audit Committee and serves on the Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees, and is designated an “audit committee financial expert.” The Board has determined he is independent under Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBC Capital Markets | Head, Communications, Media & Entertainment Group | Until June 2015 | Led strategic development across M&A, private equity, debt capital formation, and advisory engagements |
| Daniels & Associates | Chairman & CEO | Pre-2007 (acquired by RBC in 2007) | Built advisory platform in communications industry |
| Continental Illinois National Bank | Various roles | Prior to Daniels & Associates | Banking experience (foundation for capital formation expertise) |
| Daniels Fund | Director | 2003 – present | Non-profit board leadership |
| U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation | Director | 2016 – 2024 | Non-profit board leadership |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Tenure | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty Media Corporation | Director | 2015 – present | Public company directorship; potential network overlap with BATRA’s historical Liberty Media arrangements |
Former public company boards: Trine II Acquisition Corp. (2021–2023), Ascent Capital Group, Inc. (2013–2016), Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. (2008–2010) .
Board Governance
- Independence: Deevy is independent; 75% of BATRA directors are independent .
- Classification: Class I director; term expires 2027 .
- Committee assignments:
- Audit Committee: Chair; 5 meetings in 2024; audit financial expert designation .
- Compensation Committee: Member; 2 meetings in 2024 .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: Member; 1 meeting in 2024 .
- Attendance: Over 95% director attendance at 2024 Board and committee meetings; Board met 4 times; independent directors held two executive sessions without management .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount ($) | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Cash fees | 150,000 | Cash portion of annual director fee plus committee fees (Audit Chair $25k; Compensation member $10k; Nominating & Corporate Governance member $10k; cash portion of director fee $105k) |
| Stock awards (RSUs) | 105,000 | 2,625 BATRK RSUs granted Dec 4, 2024; vest on first anniversary (or upon death/disability) |
| Total | 255,000 | 2024 nonemployee director compensation |
Director fee policy: $210,000 annual, paid 50% in cash and 50% in RSUs; additional committee fees: Audit member $15k (chair $25k), Compensation member $10k (chair $15k), Nominating & Corporate Governance member $10k (chair $15k) .
Performance Compensation
| Metric Type | Terms | 2024 Status |
|---|---|---|
| Director equity performance metrics | Not disclosed; nonemployee director awards were RSUs (time-based) | No performance-based director awards disclosed; “Option Awards” line for directors shows none in 2024 |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Topic | Observation |
|---|---|
| Compensation Committee interlocks | Company reports no Compensation Committee interlocks or Compensation Committee engagement in related-party transactions in 2024 . |
| Liberty Media linkages | Deevy is a Liberty Media director; BATRA maintained transition services with Liberty Media in 2024 (~$4.2m), overseen and reviewed by committees (incl. Audit) . |
| Voting control environment | Chairman Terence McGuirk controls ~44.1% of votes at the 2025 Annual Meeting through Series B and proxy agreement with the Malone Group, potentially affecting election outcomes and say-on-pay . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep M&A and capital formation experience from RBC and Daniels & Associates, plus financial sophistication (audit committee financial expert) .
- Media, communications, and entertainment sector knowledge aligned with BATRA’s operating context (MLB franchise and mixed-use development) .
Equity Ownership
| Security | Beneficially Owned | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BATRA (Series A, voting 1:1) | 1,024 shares | Includes 24 BATRA shares held by WJD Foundation where Deevy has sole voting power . |
| BATRB (Series B, voting 10:1) | — | No holdings disclosed . |
| BATRK (Series C, non-voting) | 12,797 shares | Includes shares and options exercisable within 60 days . |
| BATRK stock options (exercisable ≤60 days) | 7,597 options | Listed in management options table . |
| RSUs outstanding (BATRK) | 2,625 units | Granted Dec 4, 2024; time-based vesting . |
| Pledged shares | None disclosed for Deevy; pledging disclosure only notes Mr. Plant . | |
| Hedging policy/compliance | Company allows hedging but reports no hedging arrangements entered by directors/NEOs as of Feb 28, 2025 . | |
| Stock ownership guidelines | Nonemployee directors must own ≥3x the cash director fee; 5-year compliance window from initial appointment (Deevy deadline: July 2028) . |
Insider Trades
| Period | Form 4 Transactions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024–Feb 28, 2025 | Not detailed in proxy | Company reports no delinquent Section 16 filings for directors in 2024; specific trade data not provided in DEF 14A . |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Independence and financial expertise as Audit Chair; robust pre-approval and oversight of audit and non-audit services; Audit Committee confirmed KPMG independence and recommended inclusion of audited financials in 2024 Form 10-K .
- High engagement: committee meeting cadence (Audit 5; Comp 2; Nominating 1) and >95% overall director attendance .
- Transparent director pay structure with meaningful equity component (RSUs), plus clear ownership guidelines and no hedging by directors reported .
-
Potential risks/considerations:
- Concentrated voting control by the Chairman (approx. 44.1%) may limit minority shareholder influence on director elections and compensation proposals; places a premium on independent committee leadership effectiveness (including Audit led by Deevy) .
- Ongoing and legacy related-party arrangements (e.g., services with Liberty Media; aircraft agreement with an entity owned by the Chairman) require continued rigorous Audit Committee oversight to mitigate conflicts; 2024 aircraft payments were reviewed and approved by the Audit Committee .
-
Signals for investor confidence:
- No Compensation Committee interlocks or Compensation Committee engagement in related-party transactions in 2024; executive sessions held by independent directors; strong say‑on‑pay support in 2024 (>98%) .
-
RED FLAGS to monitor:
- Governance structure without a lead independent director while the Chair/CEO controls voting power might constrain board challenge; offset by active independent committee leadership (Deevy/Murphy/Lucas) .
- Continued related‑party transactions need vigilant audit oversight (Deevy’s committee) to ensure arm’s length terms and transparency .