Isiah L. Thomas III
About Isiah L. Thomas III
Independent-minded Class B director of Sphere Entertainment Co. (SPHR), age 63, serving since April 17, 2020. Not assigned to standing Board committees; background spans over 25 years in sports management and media, with degrees from Indiana University and a master’s in Education from UC Berkeley . SPHR is a controlled company with Class B holders electing up to 75% of the Board; independent director representation is ~33.3% overall, but Mr. Thomas is not listed among NYSE-defined independent directors .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Pistons (NBA) | Player (Point Guard) | 1981–1994 | Two-time NBA champion; leadership legacy noted by Board as relevant sports industry expertise |
| Toronto Raptors (NBA) | Minority Owner & EVP | 1994–1998 | Executive leadership; franchise operations experience |
| Continental Basketball Association | Owner | 1998–2000 | League operations oversight |
| Indiana Pacers (NBA) | Head Coach | 2000–2003 | Team leadership and performance management |
| New York Knicks (NBA, owned by MSGS) | GM, President of Basketball Operations & Head Coach | 2006–2008 | Deep familiarity with Dolan-controlled ecosystem; potential governance linkage to SPHR context |
| Florida International University | Head Basketball Coach | 2009–2012 | Program leadership |
| New York Liberty (WNBA) | President & Alternate Governor | 2015–Feb 2019 | Women’s sports management; franchise governance |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isiah International, LLC | Chairman & CEO | Since 2011 | Diversified holding company leadership |
| NBA TV | Commentator & Analyst | Since 2014 | Media expertise |
| Turner Sports | Commentator & Analyst | Since 2012 | Media expertise |
| One World Products, Inc. (OTC: OWPC) | CEO & Executive Chairman | Since 2020 | Cannabis/hemp licensed producer |
| UWM Holdings Corporation (NYSE: UWMC) | Director | Since Jan 2021 | Public company directorship (mortgage lending) |
| ForbesBLK (non-profit) | Director | Ongoing | Community and entrepreneurship network |
| Strategic Wireless Infrastructure Fund II, Inc. | Director | Ongoing | Private fund oversight |
| Get In Chicago | Director | Since 2013 | Violence prevention non-profit governance |
| Mary’s Court Foundation | Founder | Since 2010 | Philanthropy |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: None; SPHR’s standing committees (Audit; Compensation) are comprised solely of independent directors, and Mr. Thomas is not a member .
- Independence status: Not identified as independent among those designated by the Board (Lhota, Litvin, Perelman, Sykes, Tese, Vogel) .
- Attendance: Board met four times in the 2024 Transition Period; all directors attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; 15 directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Board leadership: Combined Executive Chairman/CEO; no lead independent director due to voting structure; regular executive sessions of independent directors .
- Controlled company: Class B elects up to 75% of Board; no nominating committee; Compensation Committee remains independent .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy/Amount | Mr. Thomas TP 2024 Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer | $75,000 (paid quarterly; pro-rated) | $37,500 |
| Committee Member Fee | $15,000 (Audit/Comp) | $0 (no committee) |
| Committee Chair Fee | $25,000 (Audit/Comp) | $0 |
| Meeting Fees | None | N/A |
| Director Perquisites | Tickets to events; aggregate perqs under $10,000 for each director (excluded from table) | Not exceeding disclosure threshold |
Performance Compensation
| Grant | Grant Date | Units/Shares | Grant-Date Fair Value | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Director RSU (TP 2024) | Dec 9, 2024 | 1,956 RSUs | $73,917 | Fully vested at grant; holding until 90 days after separation; settled in stock or cash at Committee’s election | 2024 TP equity retainer based on $80,000 (half-year) policy |
| Standard Annual Equity Retainer (policy) | Typical annual meeting | Determined by $160,000 ÷ 20-day avg price | $160,000 (full-year policy) | Fully vested; holding requirement until post-service | TP 2024 used $80,000 retainer due to six-month transition |
Performance metrics tied to director pay: None disclosed; director equity is time-based with mandatory post-service holding, not performance-conditioned .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public boards: UWM Holdings Corporation (NYSE: UWMC); One World Products, Inc. (OTC: OWPC) .
- Dolan ecosystem familiarity: Prior executive roles at the New York Knicks (owned by MSGS), and SPHR is part of the broader Dolan-controlled group; SPHR is a controlled company with extensive Dolan family representation on the Board, though Mr. Thomas is not a current director of MSGS/MSGE/AMCX .
- Potential interlocks with suppliers/customers: None disclosed.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep sports and entertainment domain experience (NBA/WNBA operations), media commentary roles, and leadership of a diversified holding company, aligning with SPHR’s live entertainment/media businesses .
- Educational credentials: Indiana University (undergraduate) and UC Berkeley (Master’s in Education) .
Equity Ownership
| Security | Beneficial Ownership | Percent of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A Common Stock | — | — | No beneficial shares reported |
| Class B Common Stock | — | — | No beneficial shares reported |
| Director RSUs (as of Dec 31, 2024) | 14,757 units | N/A | RSUs fully vested at grant but subject to post-service holding; settled after separation |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited by Insider Trading Policy | N/A | Anti-hedging/pledging across directors and employees |
| Ownership Guidelines | RSUs subject to mandatory holding until post-service; no multiple-of-fees guideline disclosed | N/A | Policy emphasizes holding requirement |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Significant sector experience relevant to SPHR’s Sphere and media operations .
- Director equity designed to enforce long-term alignment via post-service holding; anti-hedging/pledging policy strengthens alignment .
- No delinquent Section 16(a) reports in the transition period, supporting compliance confidence .
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Watchpoints / RED FLAGS:
- Controlled company structure concentrates power with Dolan Family Group; Mr. Thomas is not listed as an independent director, and holds no committee roles, limiting direct involvement in audit/compensation oversight .
- Prior executive ties to the Knicks (MSGS-owned) create perceived proximity to Dolan-controlled entities; related party transactions are overseen by Independent Committees, but investors should monitor any cross-entity dealings disclosed in “Transactions with Related Parties” .
- Limited disclosed share ownership; alignment is primarily via RSUs subject to holding rather than open-market ownership .
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Investor confidence signals:
- Say-on-pay support at ~93.7% of votes cast in 2024 meeting indicates broad acceptance of compensation governance for executives (contextual to SPHR governance) .