Joel Browning

EVP, Chief Financial Officer at Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena

Joel Browning is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena. He was appointed to this position in August 2021.1 4 In his role, Browning oversees several key departments including accounting, finance, information technology, and analytics for both the Hawks organization and State Farm Arena.3

Professional Background

NBA Experience:: Before joining the Hawks, Browning had significant experience within the NBA ecosystem:

He served as a vice president in the NBA's Team Marketing & Business Operations (TMBO) department from July 2016 to September 2021.2 3
In this role, he acted as an account manager and consultant for several NBA teams, focusing on sales, marketing, and business operations.3

Previous Roles::

Vice President of Business Operations & Strategy for the Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports & Entertainment from November 2012 to June 2016.2
Project Manager at Barrett Sports Group, LLC from June 2010 to October 2012.2
Vice President at Bergman Group, Inc. from January 2005 to June 2010.2
Investment Banking Analyst in the Media division at J.P. Morgan from August 2000 to June 2002.2

Education

Browning has a strong educational background in business and finance:

MBA in Finance and Entertainment from UCLA Anderson School of Management.2 3
BSBA in Finance from Boston University's Questrom School of Business.2

Achievements and Responsibilities

At the Hawks, Browning plays a crucial role in the organization's financial and strategic operations:

He leads the accounting, finance, IT, and analytics departments for both the Hawks and State Farm Arena.3
Browning is involved in the strategic development of future large-scale projects for the organization.3
In his previous NBA role, he contributed to record-setting operating performance and was involved in game scheduling and arena capital projects.3
He was part of a team that received the 2019 Commissioner's Award for Innovation for their work on the NBA's partnership with Homecourt, an AI basketball app.3

Joel Browning's extensive experience in sports business operations and finance makes him a valuable asset to the Atlanta Hawks organization as they continue to grow and develop both on and off the court.