Robert Gutkowski
SharplinkAbout Robert Gutkowski
Independent director of SharpLink Gaming, Inc. (SBET) since February 2024; age 76; member of the Audit and Compensation Committees. Background spans senior sports media and entertainment leadership: President of MSG Network (oversaw Knicks, Rangers, MSG Communications/Entertainment/Facilities); founder/CEO of The Marquee Group (sold to SFX for >$100M in 1999); and principal of RMG Sports Ventures LLC advising PE in sports, entertainment and media. Education: Bachelor of Business Administration, Hofstra University .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSG Network / Madison Square Garden entities | President, MSG Network; executive roles at MSG | Joined 1985; named President Dec 1991; led through 1994 | Ran operations of NY Knicks and NY Rangers (1994 Stanley Cup), expanded MSG Network subscribers to 5.1M; MSG named “Arena of the Year” 1993-1994 |
| The Marquee Group | Founder and Chief Executive; public company | Founded 1996; acquired by SFX in 1999 | Built global sports/entertainment firm; acquisitions (ProServ, Athletes & Artists, etc.); sale at >$100M |
| Sports & entertainment transactions | Co-originator/investor | Various | Co-originated True Temper Sports acquisition for Lincolnshire Management; invested alongside PE sponsor |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| RMG Sports Ventures LLC | Founder/Lead | Oct 2014–present | Originates/advises PE/institutional capital in sports/entertainment/media; recent True Temper Sports deal |
Board Governance
- Board composition and independence: SBET Board has four members; three are independent under NASDAQ rules (Leslie Bernhard, Obie McKenzie, Robert Gutkowski) .
- Committees:
- Audit Committee: Bernhard (Chair/financial expert), McKenzie, Gutkowski; scope includes financial reporting, auditor independence, risk (incl. cybersecurity), and pre-approval/oversight of related-party transactions .
- Compensation Committee: McKenzie (Chair), Bernhard, Gutkowski; scope includes NEO pay, equity plans, policy oversight, and clawback policy administration .
- Clawback policy: Board-adopted Section 10D-compliant policy covering incentive compensation tied to financial metrics (including stock price/TSR, revenues, EBITDA, EPS, etc.), applicable to current/former executive officers over the prior 3 fiscal years in the event of restatements .
- Attendance/engagement: Specific 2024 SBET Board/committee attendance rates are not disclosed in the proxy; SharpLink Israel disclosed 2023 activity but those pertain pre-domestication (context only) .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual director cash retainer | $30,000 | Feb 14–Dec 31, 2024; paid quarterly | 2024 Board Compensation Plan |
| Committee chair fee (Audit or Compensation) | $15,000 | Annual; paid quarterly | Applies to chairs; Gutkowski is not a chair |
| Committee membership fee (Audit and Compensation) | $10,000 | Annual; paid quarterly | For directors serving on Audit/Comp Committees and not chair; Gutkowski qualifies |
Note: The plan specifies $10,000 annually for committee service on Audit and Compensation Committees (not specified as “per committee”) .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Quantity | Vesting Schedule | Fair Value/Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (annual grant) | Feb 14, 2024 | 40,000 | Time-based: 10,000 vest on Mar 31, Jun 30, Sep 30, Dec 31, 2024 | 2024 director equity grant |
| RSUs (additional grant) | Sep 30, 2024 | 66,668 | Time-based: 16,667 vest on Dec 31, 2024; Mar 31, 2025; Jun 30, 2025; Sep 30, 2025 | Approved Aug 28, 2024 |
- Performance metrics: None disclosed for director equity; RSUs vest on time-based schedules (no revenue/EBITDA/TSR conditions) .
- Clawback applicability: Company-wide clawback policy applies to incentive compensation tied to financial reporting measures; director RSUs as disclosed are time-based and not explicitly tied to financial metrics .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Public Listing | Role | Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No current public company board service disclosed for Gutkowski |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Sports media operations and P&L leadership; scaling cable network subscriber base; venue and team operations oversight (Knicks, Rangers) .
- Founder-operator with M&A execution culminating in >$100M sale (Marquee Group) .
- PE advisory/investor in sports equipment and related sectors (True Temper Sports) .
- Board-relevant skills: audit/comp committee service; industry deal origination; senior management experience; BBA (Hofstra) .
Equity Ownership
| Date/Source | Beneficial Ownership (shares) | Percent of Outstanding | Vested vs. Unvested Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 18, 2024 (record date) | 56,667 | 1.6% (3,585,350 shares outstanding) | Includes 26,667 RSUs vesting Dec 31, 2024 |
| Aug 29, 2025 (record date) | 44,721 | “*” (less than 1%) of 194,067,724 shares outstanding | Includes 1,389 unvested RSUs; excludes 74,996 unvested RSUs |
- Pledging/hedging: No pledging or hedging of company stock disclosed for Gutkowski .
- Options: Director option awards are not disclosed for Gutkowski; 2024 director compensation comprised cash and RSUs .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Gutkowski is one of three independent directors on a four-person board and serves on both key committees, supporting oversight of financial reporting, pay practices, and related-party matters; Audit has a designated financial expert (Bernhard), and Comp is fully independent .
- Alignment: Director pay mix emphasizes equity via RSUs with quarterly vesting across 2024–2025; cash retainer is modest relative to equity grants, encouraging ownership and alignment (beneficial holdings disclosed) .
- Conflicts/related parties: No related-party transactions involving Gutkowski are disclosed; the Audit Committee pre-approves and oversees related-party transactions per charter; disclosed related-party items pertain to other parties (insurance broker relationship; legacy lease), not Gutkowski .
- Independence/engagement: Independent status confirmed; specific attendance rates not disclosed; governance policies include a clawback policy and committee charters posted for transparency .
- Red flags: None specifically tied to Gutkowski in filings (no pledging, no RPTs, no legal proceedings noted). Company-level capital actions (reverse split; authorized share increase) and treasury strategy are Board matters but not specific to Gutkowski; investors should monitor dilution risk and governance of future issuances .