January 18, 2011 | Bend Bulletin
Tim Doran
The Bulletin
Marshall Glickman, CEO of G2 Strategic and the former Portland Trail Blazers president, has moved his international sports marketing and consulting business to Bend and become involved in community activities, such as serving on the board of Arts Central. Glickman is seen here at The Oxford Hotel, where he recently helped start the Jazz at The Oxford music series.
The Basics
What: G2 Strategic
Where: Bend
Employees: 1
Phone: 541-633-7088
Web site: http://g2strategic.net/
Pick a hot topic in the sports world and you’ll likely find a comment about it in a media outlet from Bend resident Marshall Glickman. He provided insights to Foxbusiness.com last year when NBA player LeBron James became a free agent, allowing him to switch teams. The same publication, part of the Fox Business Network, sought him out earlier this month for a story about the NBA’s financial health. Glickman, 51, owner and CEO of Bend-based G2 Strategic, had a monthly segment, and continues as a guest, on Sports Business Radio. For media seeking an expert, Glickman’s an obvious choice. He has spent most of his career in the business of sports, either working, consulting or developing venues for employers and clients worldwide. Early in his career, he worked in the National Basketball League’s front offices.
In 1994, the Portland Trail Blazers, the team founded in 1970 by his father, Harry, named him president of Trail Blazers Inc. and the Oregon Arena Corp.
He led the development of the Rose Quarter and renovation of PGE Park in Portland, earning him a regular place in that city’s media spotlight.
Glickman also served for two years as a full-time consultant to Euroleague Basketball, living in Barcelona, Spain, where the league has its headquarters.
But his most recent venture in Bend doesn’t involve sports. It stems from an early career stop and his longtime love of jazz music. Glickman, who began his career syndicating jazz radio programs in Los Angeles, joined forces with The Oxford Hotel in Bend to present a series of concerts that began Friday and are scheduled for three more holiday weekends: around Presidents Day, Feb. 18-20, spring break, March 25-27, and Memorial Day weekend, May 27-29, according to a news release from The Oxford.
“I love it,” Glickman said. “I’ve lived in New York City, and I’ve spent a lot of time in New York, and that’s how I entertain myself, going to jazz clubs.” Along with a desire to bring world-class musicians to Bend, Glickman also helped create the music series for his 10-year-old son, “Laz,” who is becoming an outstanding jazz piano player, his father said. “It’s like a gift to him,” Glickman said. Most of Glickman’s career, however, has revolved around sports.
In 2004, he founded G2 Strategic in Boston. G2, which stands for Glickman Global, helps develop arenas and stadiums, dealing with financing and the political process. Glickman also consults on ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, venue management, media and other areas of sports business, according to his website. His clients have included ATP tennis, the French tennis federation, several NBA teams, and French interests developing a sports and entertainment venue in Villeurbanne, France. Glickman moved the company to Bend in 2007 to be near his family and that of his wife, Lisa. Lisa Glickman hosts the “What’s Cooking” segment of “Good Morning Central Oregon” on COTV and writes a blog.
Closer to home, a Eugene group, Save Civic Stadium, hired Glickman last year to create a plan to renovate the stadium owned by the Eugene School District. And in 2008, Glickman was studying the potential for an entertainment, sports and performing arts venue in Central Oregon, anchored by a professional hockey team, with other nonentertainment-related development focusing on human performance and the training of elite athletes. He had partners and raised several million dollars, he said. The economic crash forced the partners to halt work on the effort, but he said it’s not dead.
Q: Why did you move your business from Boston to Bend?
A: Because I’m from Oregon. I’m an Oregonian. We made a lifestyle decision to move back to Oregon. My father is in his 80s now. Lisa’s family is all in the Portland area. My family is in the Portland area. (We’ve) been coming here (to Central Oregon), like most Portlanders, for years. My business can be anywhere. If I came to Central Oregon, my first question was transportation. Seattle, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Denver. I can go into those hubs and one-stop to Europe. That was point one. We’ve lived in Portland, Barcelona, Boston. I’ve lived in New York and L.A. I’m a big-city guy. I wanted to be able to live in a small town with big-city amenities. There’s everything here. There’s an immense amount of talent here. I sell Bend everywhere I go. I believe in it. It’s growing, and I want to see it grow in a responsible way.
Q: What does G2 Strategic do?
A: It’s not easy to define. What we’re more known for is the development of public assembly venues, arenas and stadiums. (We) also work with groups that are pursuing business opportunities in sports and entertainment. A lot of it is real estate-development related, an intertwining of real estate, finance and politics.
Q: Are there differences when working in the U.S. or Europe?
A: We are largely driven, largely motivated, by profit, which is fine. But that’s not the case in most European countries. Profit is a factor, but not the only factor. When I sat in meetings … it was like the United Nations General Assembly. I had to wear headphones.
Q: Can you describe the efforts around 2008 to build a venue in Central Oregon?
A: (We) had partners here and in Portland. We formed a (partnership). We spent a good year … meeting with everybody. We began to negotiate property deals, and we had raised a couple million dollars privately — from two sources. Then the economy (collapsed). So we shelved it. But it doesn’t mean we shelved it indefinitely.
Q: How would it differ from existing Central Oregon venues?
A: I don’t want to put up a tin box. Anybody can do that. I (want to build) something that (will) be loved and stimulate jobs and the economy.
Tim Doran can be reached at 541-383-0360 or at tdoran@bendbulletin.com