Quentin F. Dolan
About Quentin F. Dolan
Quentin F. Dolan (age 31) is a Class B Director of Sphere Entertainment Co. (SPHR) serving since April 17, 2020. He is a graduate of New York University and currently serves as Senior Vice President, Player Performance & Science Leader at Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (MSGS) (since July 2024), after prior advisory and investment roles at MSGS (2023–2024; 2022–2023) . He is a member of the Dolan family (son of James L. Dolan; step-son of Kristin A. Dolan), with extensive family relationships disclosed in the proxy .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSG Sports (MSGS) | SVP, Player Performance & Science Leader | Jul 2024–present | Senior operating role in performance/science; prior Strategic Advisor and Investment Director at MSGS |
| MSG Sports (MSGS) | Vice President, Strategic Advisor to Executive Chairman | Jan 2024–Jun 2024 | Advisory role to Executive Chairman |
| MSG Sports (MSGS) | Strategic Advisor to Executive Chairman | Jul 2023–Dec 2023 | Advisory role |
| MSG Sports (MSGS) | Investment Director | 2022–Jul 2023 | Investment function at MSGS |
| MSG Networks (MSGN) | Director | 2015–Jun 2020 | Board experience at predecessor affiliate |
| Grubman Shire & Meiselas, P.C.; Azoff MSG Entertainment, LLC | Intern | Not dated | Early internships disclosed |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSGE) | Director | Apr 2023–present | Current public company directorship |
| Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (MSGS) | Director | 2021–present | Current public company directorship |
| MSG Networks (MSGN) | Director | 2015–Jun 2020 | Prior public company board |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board’s identified independent directors are Lhota, Litvin, Perelman, Sykes, Tese, and Vogel; Quentin F. Dolan is not identified as independent. SPHR is a “controlled company” under NYSE rules and does not maintain a majority-independent board .
- Committee memberships: None (no Audit or Compensation Committee roles) .
- Board/committee attendance: The Board met four times in the 2024 Transition Period; all directors on the Board during that period attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
- Lead independent director: None designated; the Board combines Executive Chairman and CEO roles and does not appoint a lead independent director .
- Independent oversight: Audit and Compensation Committees are 100% independent; Audit members: Lhota (Chair), Tese, Vogel; Compensation members: Sykes (Chair), Lhota, Vogel .
- Related-party oversight: Independent Committee reviews related party transactions (Item 404) and oversees all transactions/arrangements with MSGE, MSGS, and AMC Networks above $1 million, with quarterly reporting from Internal Audit .
Fixed Compensation
| Period | Cash Fees ($) | Equity Grants ($) | Total ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Transition Period | 37,500 | 73,917 | 111,417 | 1,956 RSUs granted on Dec 9, 2024 to each non-employee director; Topic 718 valuation; RSUs outstanding (12/31/24): 14,757 units |
- Director perks: Up to two tickets per event for up to eight Sphere events per year (no charge; considered integrally related to board duties, not a perquisite); access to events at MSGE venues deemed perquisites; no director exceeded $10,000 in perquisites in the period .
Performance Compensation
| Component | Structure | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|
| Director equity | RSUs (time-based) | No performance metrics described for director awards in the proxy; grants disclosed as RSUs with grant-date fair value |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles (if disclosed) | Interlock/Related-Party Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSGE | Director | Not disclosed | SPHR uses an Independent Committee to oversee/all approve transactions with MSGE (>$1M), with quarterly related-party updates |
| MSGS | Director | Not disclosed | Independent Committee oversight for transactions with MSGS (>$1M) |
| MSGN (prior) | Director (2015–Jun 2020) | Not disclosed | Prior affiliate board service |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Education: Graduate of New York University .
- Domain experience: Sports performance/science leadership at MSGS; strategic advisory and investment roles; familiarity as third-generation member of the Cablevision founding family .
- Board skills noted by SPHR: Board cites familiarity with company operations and contributions at SPHR, MSGE, MSGS, and MSGN as rationale for service .
Equity Ownership
| Security | Beneficial Ownership | % of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPHR Class A Common | 5,405 shares | <1% (proxy asterisk) | Excludes director RSUs |
| SPHR Class B Common | — | — | — |
| Director RSUs (unvested) | 14,757 units as of 12/31/24 | — | Excluded from beneficial ownership per proxy convention |
Additional alignment considerations:
- Director RSUs are subject to a holding requirement through the end of Board service under corporate governance practices .
- Section 16(a) compliance: Company reports no failures or late filings during the 2024 Transition Period .
Governance Assessment
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Key positives
- Independent Audit and Compensation Committees; Audit designated “financial experts” and explicit cybersecurity and venue-security oversight mandate .
- Formal Independent Committee policy with pre-approval for related-party transactions with MSGE/MSGS/AMC and quarterly monitoring .
- Documented stockholder engagement (>85% of Class A engaged on governance/compensation during 2024 Transition Period) .
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Risks and red flags
- Not independent: Quentin F. Dolan is a Class B Director and is not listed among the Board’s independent directors .
- Family and interlocks: Extensive familial relationships (son of SPHR Executive Chairman & CEO James L. Dolan; broader Dolan family ties disclosed) and concurrent board roles at MSGE and MSGS create potential related-party exposure, necessitating reliance on Independent Committee controls .
- Controlled company structure: Dolan Family Group beneficially owns 100% of Class B and 71.8% combined voting power; Board does not designate a lead independent director .
- Committee influence: No committee memberships for Quentin limits direct involvement in audit/compensation oversight .
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Compensation mix signal
- Director pay emphasizes equity (approx. 66% equity; 34% cash for TP 2024), aligning with shareholder value but lacks performance conditioning (RSUs) .
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Attendance and engagement
- Board-level disclosure indicates at least 75% attendance threshold met by all directors; individual attendance rates are not provided .
Overall implication: Quentin F. Dolan’s board role is closely tied to the Dolan family’s control and affiliated company ecosystem. While independent committee structures and processes are in place, investors should monitor related-party approvals, director equity holdings/pledging (none disclosed for Quentin), and any evolution in committee participation to assess ongoing board effectiveness and independence safeguards .