Barry Mendelson
Barry Mendelson (born February 5, 1943) is an American television producer and CEO of Mendelson Entertainment Group LLC.
Early life[edit]
Mendelson was born in Rochester, New York to Arthur and Eva Mendelson. He graduated from Penfield High School, in Rochester, New York, in 1961. He graduated from Ithaca College in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science in Communications. Mendelson went on to enter the United States Army in 1966, where he served as a Communications Specialist in the 3rd Armored Division, stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. He received an honorable discharge in 1968.
Career[edit]
1968–1969 Color commentator for New York Giants Radio Network[1]
1969–1970 Play-by-play radio announcer for New York Jets Radio Network
- Wrote the Pat Summerall Pro Football Radio Preview Show (1969–1970)
- Created and produced the Red Auerbach Radio Show (1969–1970)
- Created and produced the Whitey Ford Radio Show (1969–1970)
1969–1970 Play-by-play radio announcer for Army Football
1969–1970 Vice-President of the Boston Celtics Basketball Team (1969–1970)[2]
1971–1972 Director of Radio, Television and Advertising at Los Angeles Forum Arena
1972–1973 Sports Director at KFI Radio, Los Angeles[3]
- Sports talk with Jerry Bishop
1972–1974 Personal Manager for Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers[4]
1974–1978 Vice-President of Business Operations (1974–1976) then General Manager (1976–1978) of the New Orleans Jazz Basketball Team[5][6]
1978–1979 Founder and President of Cincinnati Kids Major League Indoor Soccer Team
1980–1984 President of Ticketmaster Associates[citation needed]
1979–1987 President of Barry Mendelson Presents[citation needed]
1979–1998 General Partner of Saenger Performing Arts Center and Owner of the historic landmark Saenger Theater in New Orleans[7]
1988–1990 Executive Vice President of Madison Square Garden Enterprises[8]
1994–2000 President of On Ice, Inc. These ice shows were performed in all 50 states, China, Russia, England, Australia, and New Zealand[9][10][11][12][13][14]
2004–2006 President of TVSN Sports[citation needed]
2001 – current President of Mendelson Entertainment Group LLC[citation needed]
- The University of North Carolina vs The University of Texas basketball game at Cowboys Stadium (December 19, 2009; co-presenter with Dallas Cowboys; attendance 37,500)[15]
- Star Wars in Concert at Cowboys Stadium (November 2009; co-presenter with the Dallas Cowboys; attendance 21,000)[16]
- Children's Med Dallas, a 13-part series seen on WFAA, the ABC affiliate in Dallas/Fort Worth[1][permanent dead link]
Notable achievements[edit]
As Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the New Orleans Jazz, was the first person in the NBA to sign a free agent, with compensation. (Gail Goodrich, 1975.)[17] It is notable that this pick from the Jazz was used by the Lakers to sign Earvin Magic Johnson in 1979.[2][permanent dead link]
As Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the New Orleans Jazz, set the first attendance record of over 25,000 people to attend an NBA game. (November 5, 1975, 26,511 Jazz vs Lakers.)[18]
Promoted largest indoor crowd worldwide to attend a concert. The Rolling Stones, December 3, 1981, Louisiana Superdome, 87,500 people.
As Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the New Orleans Jazz, hired the second African-American NBA Head Coach – Elgin Baylor.
He is member of the Ithaca College Athletic Hall of Fame[19]
He established the Ann E. Mendelson and Barry Mendelson Endowed Scholarship at the Ithaca College School of Communications,[20] and the Sandi and Barry Mendelson Sports Intern Scholarship at the Ithaca College School of Health Sciences and Human Performance [3][permanent dead link]
Member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation [4]
References[edit]
- ^ "New York Jets ʻCo-Voiceʼ Is a Former Rochesterian Whoʼs Immersed in Radio." The Times-Union, 22 Aug. 1970, C:10.
- ^ Beeney, Bill. "Ex-Brighton man making it in the pro sports world"
- ^ "Mendelson Named" Nevada State Journal. 5 June 1971, p.14
- ^ Pistol Pete: The Life of Pete Maravich, ISBN 0743284984.
- ^ "Birth of a Ball Club." [press release from Jazz]
- ^ Jazz Promotes Mendelson." [press release from The New Orleans Jazz] 23 June 1976
- ^ Dodds, Richard. "Producer Discusses Plans for Saenger." Times-Picayune, New Orleans, 22 September 1979, 1:22
- ^ Bourgoyne, J.E. [compiled] "Garden gets N.O. promoter." Times-Picayune [New Orleans] 12 July 1988, A:7.
- ^ Dodds, Richard. "Theater at True Brew Coffeehouse in Transition", Times-Picayune, New Orleans, 26 Sept 1991. p.E9
- ^ Romano, John. "The Road to Barcelona Goes Through Tampa", St. Petersburg Times, 5 July 1992. p.1C
- ^ Stowe, Dorothy. "Skaters are Magical in 'Nutcracker on Ice'", Deseret News Salt Lake City, 12 Dec 1994. P. C2
- ^ Flocken, Corrinne, "Chillin to Tchaikovsky", LA Times, 27 Nov 1997
- ^ "MGM Skates Into Live Entertainments with Touring MGM Ice Capades Show". prnewswire.com. 1996-08-22. Retrieved 2016-08-05.
- ^ Cling, Carol. "Shooting Stars", Las Vegas Review-Journal, 15 Nov 2004. p. 5E
- ^ Jacobson, Gary. "Big Game, Big Crowd?", Dallas Morning News, 4 Aug 2009. p. 3C
- ^ Tapping, Joy. "A Sci-Fi Musical Tour de Force", Dallas Morning News
- ^ "Gail Goodrich Signs Pact With the Jazz" The Morning Herald-Evening Standard. Uniontown, Pa. 8 Aug 1976, p. 20
- ^ Lind, Angus. "Jazz-mania in the Superdome: ʻFannnnnnntastic!ʼ", The States-Item New Orleans, 6 Nov. 1975, 1+
- ^ Warwick, Mike (2001). "The 2001 Hall of Fame". Ithaca College Quarterly.
- ^ "Yearly Scholarships awarded in the Park School". Roy H. Park School of Communications.