Just a few days after announcing an amicable parting of the ways with team president and long time team employee Greg Grissom, the Houston Texans announced that Mike Tomon will be joining the organization as Grissom’s replacement.
In a team statement, Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair expressed his excitement over adding Tomon to his team:
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Mike Tomon to our Texans family,” said Chair and CEO Cal McNair. “Mike is a proven leader who brings more than 20 years of experience in sports and entertainment to our team. His extensive background in stadium development and passion for inspiring those around him shined during our conversations. As we enter this next chapter as an organization, I’m looking forward to the future of our business operations under his leadership.”
For his part, Tomon is equally excited to be joining the Texans:
“I’m honored to join the Texans during such a fun and exciting time,” said Tomon. “I want to thank Janice, Cal, Hannah, and the McNair family for giving me this incredible opportunity to join the NFL. I love working with people who are passionate about their work and love what they do, and it was clear in our conversations that the McNairs love this organization and the city of Houston. Their vision for this team and aspirations to be champions in every way allowed us to connect immediately. I also want to thank my wife, Lauren, and my two children for their support, we’re all thrilled about the opportunity to move to Houston. I know that Texans fans are among the most passionate in the NFL, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Tomon will have all of the Texans’ business operations under his umbrella. According to the team’s press release, the key areas Tomon would oversee would include marketing, communications, broadcasting, ticket sales and services, event services, corporate sponsorship, community relations, accounting, legal, human resources and general administration. Tomon will also oversee Lone Star Sports & Entertainment, which runs the college football and soccer events at NRG Stadium, including the Texans Bowl.
I don’t think it’s an accident that Cal McNair mentioned “stadium development” as its own item in his introduction of Tomon above, as the next several years represent a key juncture in the shelf life of NRG Stadium. The facility is reportedly in need of hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars in renovation and upgrades. With the stadium approaching 25 years in use, it’s not out of the question that a new stadium becomes a talking point. Tomon’s background would suggest he has an ability to navigate those waters.
Per the Texans’ press release, here is a summary of Tomon’s recent work history, which includes various high level roles either working for, or interacting with, major sports organizations:
Tomon has worked at Legends since 2014, most recently as the Co-President & Chief Operating Officer, where he was responsible for global operations, including domestic and international revenue generation and growth across their 360-degree service solution platform. During Tomon’s tenure, Legends had several strategic acquisitions that led to substantial growth while establishing groundbreaking partnerships with global brands such as Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, FIFA, and the Rugby World Cup. He was also involved in commercial engagements of NFL venues such as SoFi Stadium, Allegiant Stadium, Highmark Stadium and The Star in Frisco, while also assisting with the 2024 Olympics in Paris and 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Before joining Legends, Tomon served as Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships at AEG. In that role, he was responsible for new business development for AEG Global Partnerships, where he created and oversaw the global premium sales strategy for all of AEG’s assets worldwide. Tomon has also held senior roles with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Bobcats and Phoenix Suns, focusing on premium ticketing, partnerships and sales strategy.
Tomon graduated from Georgetown University, where he played on the football team, and was named to the 2015 Sports Business Journal “40 Under 40.”
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