Brian G. Sweeney
Madison Square Garden SportsAbout Brian G. Sweeney
Brian G. Sweeney (age 61) has served as a Class B Director of Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. since September 30, 2015; he is not identified as an independent director by the Board under NYSE/SEC rules . He previously served as President and later President & Chief Financial Officer of Cablevision (2014–2016), with earlier senior roles in strategy and digital operations (2000–2014) . He is a Dolan family in-law (brother-in-law of James L. Dolan, Marianne Dolan Weber, and Thomas C. Dolan), and currently sits on boards of AMC Networks, MSG Entertainment, and Sphere Entertainment . The Board met six times in FY2025 and all directors attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cablevision | President | 2014–2016 | Executive leadership of cable/media operations |
| Cablevision | President & CFO | 2015–2016 | Financial leadership; strategic direction |
| Cablevision | Sr. EVP, Strategy & Chief of Staff | 2013–2014 | Strategy execution; executive support |
| Cablevision | SVP, Strategic Software Solutions | 2012–2013 | Technology/software strategy |
| Cablevision | SVP, eMedia | 2000–2012 | Digital/media initiatives |
| MSG Networks | Director | 2010–2021 | Board oversight |
| Cablevision | Director | 2005–2016 | Board oversight |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMC Networks Inc. | Director | Since 2011 | Governance network interlock with Dolan-controlled entities |
| Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. | Director | Since April 2023 | Board service; Dolan group interlock |
| Sphere Entertainment Co. | Director | Since April 2020 | Board service; Dolan group interlock |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: None at MSGS; not a committee chair .
- Independence: Not listed among independent directors (independents are Cohen, Mills, Peltz, Schwartz, Seidenberg, Tese, Vinciquerra) .
- Controlled company: NYSE “controlled company” exemptions; no majority-independent board; Audit and Compensation Committees are fully independent .
- Attendance: Board met 6 times in FY2025; all directors attended ≥75% of Board and committee meetings during their service .
- Executive sessions: Regular executive sessions of non-management/independent directors .
- Board leadership: Combined Executive Chairman/CEO; no lead independent director due to voting structure .
Fixed Compensation
| Element | Amount/Design | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $75,000 | Paid quarterly in arrears; prorated if partial service |
| Committee member fee | $15,000 | Per Audit/Comp Committee membership; not applicable (no committee) |
| Committee chair fee | $25,000 | Per Audit/Comp Chair; not applicable |
| Annual equity retainer (RSUs) | $160,000 | Granted at annual meeting; fully vested on grant, subject to holding until separation |
| Perquisites | Tickets | Up to two tickets per event for eight Garden events/year (no perq), plus access to MSGE/Sphere events (perq), non-resalable |
Director-specific FY2025 compensation for Brian G. Sweeney:
| Metric | FY2025 |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | $75,000 |
| Stock Awards ($) | $164,318 |
| Total ($) | $239,318 |
| RSUs granted Dec 2024 | 709 units (to each non-employee director) |
| RSUs held as of June 30, 2025 | 6,774 units |
Performance Compensation
- Directors do not receive performance-linked awards (no PSUs/options for directors); annual equity retainer is RSUs fully vested at grant, with a mandatory holding requirement until 90 days after separation (settled in stock or cash at Committee’s election) .
- No director bonus metrics apply; performance metrics (AOI, revenues) are used for executives, not directors .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Interlock/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AMC Networks (AMCX) | Director | Dolan-family controlled; long-standing ties |
| MSG Entertainment (MSGE) | Director | Dolan-family controlled; cross-entity business arrangements |
| Sphere Entertainment (SPHR) | Director | Dolan-family controlled; cross-entity arrangements |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Senior operating and financial leadership at Cablevision (President; President & CFO) with deep experience in strategy, software, and digital media .
- Extensive board experience across Dolan-controlled media/sports entities, providing institutional knowledge of MSGS and related-party ecosystems .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class A Common Stock beneficially owned | 44,686 shares (sole and shared power) |
| Class B Common Stock beneficially owned | 676,888 shares (shared power) and equal number of Class A issuable upon conversion |
| Combined voting power of all classes beneficially owned | 10.5% |
| Breakdown (Class A) | 15,182 shares personally (sole power); 29,504 shares shared power including spouse and trusts; disclaimers as noted |
| Breakdown (Class B) | 676,888 shares shared power via spouse-related trusts; disclaimers as noted |
| RSUs held | 6,774 units (director retainer; subject to holding until separation) |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited for directors and immediate family under Insider Trading Policy |
| Ownership guidelines | RSUs subject to holding until post-separation settlement; no separate multiple-of-salary guideline disclosed for directors |
Governance Assessment
- Red flags:
- Not independent; extensive family ties to Dolan family (in-law relationships) with material voting control via Class B stock; Dolan Family Group can elect up to 75% of Board and control combined-class votes .
- Significant shared beneficial ownership through spouse-related trusts, creating potential related-party exposure and alignment with the controlling group’s interests .
- Mitigants/Positive signals:
- Independent Audit and Compensation Committees oversee financial reporting and executive compensation; Independent Committee mandated to review and approve related-party transactions above thresholds and all cross-entity arrangements with MSGE/SPHR/AMCX over $1 million .
- Mandatory holding requirement on director RSUs enhances long-term alignment; hedging/pledging prohibited .
- Attendance at least 75% across Board and committees; continued stockholder engagement (management engaged holders of over 60% of Class A in FY2025) .
Say-On-Pay & Shareholder Feedback
- 2024 say-on-pay received majority support; approximately 92.1% approval among Class A holders and majority overall, which the Compensation Committee considered in program design .
- 2024 annual meeting: Sweeney re-elected as a Class B director; all Class B nominees received unanimous votes from Class B stockholders under the controlled voting structure .
Compensation Committee Analysis
- Composition: Cohen (Chair), Tese, Vinciquerra—fully independent .
- Independent compensation consultant: ClearBridge Compensation Group engaged; Compensation Committee determined advisor independence and no conflicts .
- Clawback: NYSE-compliant clawback policy effective Dec 1, 2023 covering incentive-based comp for current/former executive officers for three fiscal years preceding any restatement .
Related Party Transactions (Conflict Oversight)
- Independent Committee reviews and approves related-party transactions under SEC Item 404 thresholds and separately oversees all transactions/arrangements with MSG Entertainment, Sphere Entertainment, and AMC Networks over $1 million, with quarterly internal audit updates on related-party items .
- Dolan Family voting agreements and registration rights underscore concentrated control and potential for interlocks; Dolan Family Committee structure governs Class B block voting .
Director Compensation (Program Reference)
| Component | FY2025 Program | Mechanics |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Retainer | $75,000 | Quarterly; prorated if partial service |
| Equity Retainer | $160,000 RSUs | Granted near annual meeting; fully vested; holding until 90 days post-separation |
| Committee Member | $15,000 | Audit/Comp only; not applicable to Sweeney |
| Committee Chair | $25,000 | Audit/Comp only; not applicable to Sweeney |
Note: Directors may elect to defer cash compensation into RSUs annually (election in prior calendar year). Deferred RSUs are fully vested but subject to the same holding requirement until separation .
Independence, Attendance, Engagement
- Independence: Not independent (per Board determination under NYSE/SEC rules) .
- Attendance: ≥75% participation in FY2025; Board met six times .
- Engagement: Management engaged with holders of over 60% of Class A stock on governance and compensation practices in FY2025 .