logo
Mavericks hire Ethan Casson in new role as president under CEO Rick Welts

Mavericks hire Ethan Casson in new role as president under CEO Rick Welts

DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Mavericks hired Ethan Casson in a new role as president Tuesday, giving CEO Rick Welts someone to handle daily operations on the business side while he focuses on the franchise's plans for a new arena.
Casson was most recently CEO of the Minnesota Timberwolves along with the WNBA's Lynx and the G-League's Iowa Wolves. He served in that role for nine years.
The addition of Casson comes seven months after Welts came out of retirement to replace Cynt Marshall, who was hired by then-owner Mark Cuban in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal in the business office of the Mavericks.
Cuban sold his majority interest in the club to the Las Vegas-based Adelson and Dumont families in late 2023. Patrick Dumont took over as the team's governor, with Cuban keeping a minority stake and becoming alternate governor.
'The Mavericks are committed to being an elite professional sports franchise, and fundamental to that goal is adding top-tier executives like Ethan Casson to our senior management team,' Dumont said.
Welts has said the club hopes to open a new arena in 2031. In his previous role with Golden State, Welts spearheaded the plan that moved the Warriors across the bay to San Francisco from Oakland.
The Mavericks share American Airlines Center with the NHL's Dallas Stars, and Welts has said the NBA club anticipates going solo with a new arena. Welts has said the Mavs want the new arena to be in Dallas rather than one of the suburbs.
Before joining the Timberwolves, Casson was CEO of the San Francisco 49ers when the NFL franchise made the move to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara from Candlestick Park. Casson struck the naming rights deal with Levi's.
'He will be my partner in charting the team into the future and will allow me to devote more time to our strategic priorities, including the building of our new arena and entertainment district in Dallas, and our transition from a basketball organization to a sports and entertainment company operating our own venue,' Welts said.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump administration cancels plans to develop new offshore wind projects
Trump administration cancels plans to develop new offshore wind projects

San Francisco Chronicle​

time19 minutes ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

Trump administration cancels plans to develop new offshore wind projects

The Trump administration is canceling plans to use large areas of federal waters for new offshore wind development, the latest step to suppress the industry in the United States. More than 3.5 million acres had been designated wind energy areas, the offshore locations deemed most suitable for wind energy development. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is now rescinding all designated wind energy areas in federal waters, announcing on Wednesday an end to setting aside large areas for 'speculative wind development." Offshore wind lease sales were anticipated off the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Maine, New York, California and Oregon, as well as in the central Atlantic. The Biden administration last year had announced a five-year schedule to lease federal offshore tracts for wind energy production. Trump began reversing the country's energy policies after taking office in January. A series of executive orders took aim at increasing oil, gas and coal production. The Republican president has been hostile to renewable energy, particularly offshore wind. One early executive order temporarily halted offshore wind lease sales in federal waters and paused the issuance of approvals, permits and loans for all wind projects. In trying to make a case against wind energy, he has relied on false and misleading claims about the use of wind power in the U.S. and around the world. The bureau said it was acting in accordance with Trump's action and an order by his interior secretary this week to end any preferential treatment toward wind and solar facilities, which were described as unreliable, foreign-controlled energy sources. Attorneys general from 17 states and the District of Columbis are suing in federal court to challenge Trump's executive order halting leasing and permitting for wind energy projects. His administration had also halted work on a major offshore wind project for New York, but allowed it to resume in May. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at

Nottingham Forest signs Swiss forward Dan Ndoye from Bologna
Nottingham Forest signs Swiss forward Dan Ndoye from Bologna

Fox Sports

time19 minutes ago

  • Fox Sports

Nottingham Forest signs Swiss forward Dan Ndoye from Bologna

Associated Press NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — Nottingham Forest signed Switzerland international Dan Ndoye from Bologna on Thursday. The 24-year-old forward has joined on a five-year deal. Forest did not say what the fee was for Ndoye, who helped his team to the Coppa Italia title last season by scoring the winning goal in the final. 'Dan is an exciting new addition to our squad and a player we have tracked extensively over a long period of time,' said Forest chief football officer Ross Wilson. Forest has also signed Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha this offseason. Ndoye has won 22 caps and played at last year's European Championship. 'It is a really exciting time at Forest and I knew straight away that I wanted to be a part of the project. It's a really ambitious team with a fantastic history and I can't wait to get started," he said. ___ AP soccer:

Bouchard bids adieu to tennis with throwback performance at hometown National Bank Open
Bouchard bids adieu to tennis with throwback performance at hometown National Bank Open

Fox Sports

time19 minutes ago

  • Fox Sports

Bouchard bids adieu to tennis with throwback performance at hometown National Bank Open

Associated Press MONTREAL (AP) — Genie Bouchard didn't look like a player limping into retirement. You'd be forgiven for thinking she was still in her prime. On center court in her hometown, Bouchard delivered a thrilling performance — and a heartfelt goodbye to tennis — with a hard-fought loss in her final match Wednesday night. 'I've always had a feeling I would end my career here,' Bouchard said. 'Montreal is where I was born and raised, so it just feels right. An emotional moment. I think I just wanted a moment like this because my career deserved a moment like this. 'I really think I got it tonight, and I'm so grateful for that.' The 31-year-old bowed out 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in the National Bank Open's second round against 17th seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland but electrified the crowd against a top-tier opponent — showing flashes of the assertive game that once powered her rise to world No. 5 in 2014. So is she sure about retiring? 'My sister said she started a petition with fans in the crowd, and everyone signed it, so now I have no choice but to rescind my retirement,' Bouchard said, smiling. 'But there's a lot of hard work that goes into tennis. It was great to be able to perform well, but it's such a tough life of sacrifice and hard work. 'I've given so much to tennis, and it's given me so much, but I do feel ready to move on from that and do other things in life, but I will forever be grateful for what tennis has given me.' Bouchard had extended her Montreal run with a throwback first-round upset Monday night against Emiliana Arango, her first WTA Tour victory since 2023. The local favorite turned back the clock again Wednesday by rallying from down a set, but Bencic held on to win the match in two hours, 16 minutes. Fans packing the stands at IGA Stadium chanted 'Let's Go Genie!' and grew louder throughout the night, standing for several ovations. Bouchard returned the favor with an emotional, teary-eyed speech during an on-court ceremony. 'It's so special to play my last match here in Montreal, on this court, in front of you guys,' she said. 'I remember being a little kid, sitting in these stands, hoping and dreaming that I would play on this court one day. 'It feels like such a full-circle moment.' And her career almost continued a little longer. After a difficult first set, Bouchard bounced back to win the second and went up a break early in the third, winning a back-and-forth third game when Bencic's shot dipped into the net on the Canadian's fifth breakpoint opportunity. Bencic regrouped and broke back to tie at 3-3 as Bouchard sprayed shots wide and long. Trailing 5-4 and needing to hold serve, Bouchard fell in a 40-love hole and sent her backhand wide while defending the second match point, ending her upset bid. 'I knew I could win the match,' she said. 'It was really close from the second onward.' Instead, it marks the end of a roller-coaster career. Bouchard peaked during the 2014 season, winning her only WTA singles title, reaching the Australian Open and French Open semis and becoming the first Canadian to play in a Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon. But Bouchard's rapid rise at 20 also quickly came falling down after her 6-3, 6-0 loss to Petra Kvitova at the All England Club. Her highly anticipated homecoming one month later ended abruptly with a 6-0, 2-6, 6-0 loss against American qualifier Shelby Rogers at the then-called Rogers Cup. And the following year, Bouchard crashed out of the French Open and Wimbledon first rounds as losing streaks piled up. A run to the U.S. Open fourth round hinted at a return to form, until Bouchard suffered a concussion from slipping in the locker room — for which she later filed a lawsuit — forcing her to withdraw from the tournament. In recent years, Bouchard has sporadically played on the pro tennis circuit, spending more time on the PPA Pickleball Tour, where she ranks 12th in singles. She ramped up for her final event with the WTA 125 Hall of Fame Open in July — her first tournament since last year's National Bank Open — and lost her opener in straight sets. As for what's next, Bouchard says she looks forward to sleeping in, going on vacation and reflecting on what she wants to do with the rest of her life. 'I feel like I missed out because I didn't go to college and didn't go to school,' she said. 'Diving into the TV stuff more is definitely something I enjoy, so that's a probable next step. I mean, are any of you guys hiring (laughing)? I don't know how to even write — what do you even call it when you …'. The word Bouchard was looking for? Resume. 'I don't even have one of those,' she said. 'Maybe my agent can come up with one for me. I'm not used to doing that.' ___ AP tennis:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store