TurnkeyZRG Assisting the Los Angeles Sparks with Head Coach Search
October 15, 2024 – TurnkeyZRG has been tapped by the Los Angeles Sparks to spearhead their search for a new head coach. Managing director Billy King, Chad Chatlos, managing director, college & coaching practice, and Katy Young Staudt, vice president, college & coaching practice, are leading the assignment. The three-time WNBA Champions Los Angeles Sparks are seeking a head coach to lead the team to success through strategic development, effective coaching, and fostering collaboration with players, coaching staff, and the front office, the job specification says. This role requires a leader who can cultivate a culture of accountability, psychological safety, and resilience while promoting strong relationships and team growth.
This position requires its next leader to develop and implement game and practice strategies to maximize team performance as well as leverage advanced analytics, film review, and statistical models to evaluate player performance, optimize lineups, and adjust game strategies.
Preferred experience as a head coach or assistant coach at the WNBA/NBA is needed, professionally overseeing and/or collegiate level is desired as well as demonstrated success in culture development, player development, and team performance. In-depth knowledge of basketball strategies, trends, and related technologies is also preferred. Experience analyzing data and using analytics to improve performance is also needed.
The Los Angeles Sparks are a professional women’s basketball team in the WNBA, established in 1997. They play their home games at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Sparks have won multiple league championships and are recognized for their role in promoting women’s basketball and supporting the development of the sport.
Founded in 1996, TurnkeyZRG is a specialized talent recruitment/executive search firm filling C-level, senior-level and mid-management-level positions throughout sports, media and entertainment. Over the past 25 years, the firm has filled more than 1,400 positions. TurnkeyZRG helps teams, leagues, stadiums, arenas, theaters, college athletic departments, events, sponsors, agencies, media companies, private equity companies and other clients identify, recruit, and hire the best management talent.
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Len Perna is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Turnkey. He has 30-plus years’ experience in the sports and entertainment industry, with senior-level management experience in sales, event marketing and management, sponsorships, venue feasibility and development, facility operations, licensing, and legal affairs. Since founding Turnkey, Mr. Perna has managed over 1,400 executive searches.
Duke Ties
Mr. King has over two decades of experience in sports and entertainment. He served as general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers from 1998-2003 and president and general manager from 2003-2007 and the Nets from 2010-2016. Prior to his time with the Philadelphia 76ers, Mr. King served as an assistant coach of the Indiana Pacers for four seasons. He was also an assistant coach at Illinois State University from 1989-1993. Mr. King is a graduate of Duke University where he played basketball under legendary coach, Mike Krzyzewski. He was captain of the Duke basketball team in 1988 and was a part of the 1986 and 1988 Final Four teams.
New York Jets Retain TurnkeyZRG to Lead General Counsel Search
TurnkeyZRG was called in by the New York Jets to lead in its search for a new general counsel. Len Perna and Shelly Scott are leading the assignment. The Jets seek an experienced, hands-on general counsel to lead and manage the team’s legal affairs department and serve as a partner to key stakeholders inside the organization and at the league office. Reporting to the team president, the successful candidate will be a business-savvy commercial lawyer experienced in managing a wide array of negotiated transactions, in the contexts of team promotion, stadium revenue streams, technology deals, and media alliances, as well as able to adeptly handle issues related to employment law, intellectual property, compliance and risk management.
Mr. Chatlos specializes in senior executive searches across the sports industry with a focus on diverse roles in the ever–changing landscape of Intercollegiate Athletics. He has completed multiple Power Five Commissioner searches for the ACC, Pac-12, Big 10 and Big 12. Chad has also placed multiple Power 5 Head Football coaches and played a pivotal role in the NCAA President search. Prior to joining TurnkeyZRG, Mr. Chatlos started and ran the sports & entertainment practice at Ventura Partners. With more than 15 years of experience in sports marketing and event management, he has property, agency, and corporate experience in the business of sports. Throughout his career, Mr. Chatlos has completed searches for the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, multiple National Governing Bodies, and several brands as well.
For 18 years, Ms. Young Staudt has supported 200+ searches for Division I head coaches, athletic directors, and administrators at institutions such as Yale, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Cal, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Fresno State, Bucknell, Fairfield, Cleveland State, Tulsa, TCU, and Johns Hopkins, among others. Ms. Young Staudt has also been a talent recruiter for Ventura Partners, WittKieffer, and the sports search firm Eastman & Beaudine. Notably, she also ran talent acquisition & recruiting for Learfield. Ms. Young Staudt has also held the roles of assistant athletics director, marketing for the University of California–Riverside, and vice president of business development for a foundation management company specializing in 501c3 charity events for coaches.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media