Background: 

The United Center, nested in the heart of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the nation’s premier arenas, renowned for its cultural significance and impressive scale. Since opening its doors in 1994, it has been home to the six-time NBA champion Chicago Bulls and the six-time Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks as well as host to some of the most iconic moments in sports and entertainment history. Constructed to succeed the legendary Chicago Stadium, this multi-purpose venue stands as a flagship of professional sports while also serving as a leading destination for concerts, collegiate sporting events, conventions, and other marquee events. Spanning over 960,000 square feet, the United Center features a maximum seating capacity of 23,500 for large-scale events and concerts in the round, making it a sought-after location for live performances. With nearly 21,000 seats for basketball, it is the largest arena in the NBA and the second largest in the NHL, accommodating 19,717 fans for hockey games. This expansive facility remains a cornerstone of Chicago’s vibrant sports and entertainment landscape. 

Over the years, the United Center has undergone a series of strategic renovations and enhancements over the years to elevate the fan experience and reinforce its status as a premier venue. These upgrades encompass cutting-edge digital technology, improved seating options, and luxurious premium suites. With one of the largest scoreboards in professional sports, interactive fan zones, and a diverse selection of dining choices highlighting local restaurant partners, the arena ensures a captivating, inclusive, and immersive experience for all guests. This adaptability empowers the United Center to excel in an ever-evolving landscape, successfully hosting a diverse range of events—from blockbuster concerts to significant political conventions—while consistently redefining the standard of excellence for entertainment venues. 

The 1901 Project (the “Project”) marks a significant milestone in the next chapter of the United Center and Chicago’s West Side. The Project is a $7 billion private investment to transform over 55 acres of surface parking lots on Chicago’s West Side into a vibrant neighborhood with more than 25 acres of public open space, housing, retail and entertainment. The Project is poised to be the largest private investment in the area’s history. The Project is poised to be the largest private investment in the area’s history. By enhancing the local infrastructure and fostering economic opportunity, the Project not only elevates the United Center experience but also solidifies Chicago as a leading global destination for sports and entertainment.   Please see the accompanying slides. 

The United Center’s enduring success is anchored in its philosophy of “Humble Promise, Huge Potential,” which establishes its reputation as a modest yet prevailing leader in the sports and entertainment industry. As a family-owned business, the United Center prioritizes the delivery of unparalleled experiences. This commitment, instilled by its founders, reflects a culture of humility, dedication, and service to all who walk through its doors—guests, corporate partners, artists, staff, and athletes alike. With an unwavering focus on enhancing its positive impact throughout Chicago’s West Side, the United Center consistently strives to elevate the standard of excellence.

Any interested candidates should contact TurnkeyZRG directly. 

Contacting the United Center will only delay consideration of your qualifications. 

Position Summary: 

The Head of Commercial Growth will serve as the architect and driving force behind the long-term commercial vision of the United Center Campus and 1901 Project. This individual will lead commercial operations, (including input on design & development matters impacting commercial operations), formulate commercial growth strategies, and bring together numerous stakeholders to drive long-term success.  Reporting to the United Center CEO, this role requires a selfless leader/team captain with the ability to prioritize team performance over individual performance, align multiple internal and external stakeholders and complex business functions, ensure operational efficiency, and maximize consumer and corporate revenue opportunities through strategic planning, experiential branding, and innovative partnership development.

This strategic leadership position is responsible for developing and executing a roadmap for substantial and sustainable revenue generation, enhanced brand positioning, and cross-functional collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.  The Head of Commercial Growth will work closely and collaboratively with the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks sales teams, ensuring alignment and acceleration of sales initiatives. Additionally, this individual will play a key role in the development of saleable assets and programming, leading discussions with partners, identifying high-value categories and opportunities, and integrating creative partnerships that go beyond traditional sponsorship models.  Being able to build consensus and followership from a wide array of individuals who do NOT report to this role is crucial to success.  

The Head of Commercial Growth will be tasked with designing a comprehensive 10-year roadmap for maximizing the campus’ commercial revenue potential, ensuring that retail, partnerships, and activation efforts align with long-term business objectives. This person must have expertise in strategic planning and complex dealmaking for high-value partnerships, where they have a demonstrated track record of sourcing and structuring high-impact, revenue-generating initiatives.  The multi-layered marketing partnerships envisioned for the Project are not garden variety “sponsorships,” but rather deals that embed partners into the very DNA of the place, of the experience and of the brand so that such deal moves the needle for partner, Project and visitors.

This role is an opportunity for a visionary leader who can bring together multiple moving parts, align diverse stakeholders, and drive a high-impact strategy that will shape the future of the United Center Campus. It requires a balance of high-level strategic vision and hands-on execution—a unique blend of brand elevation, revenue optimization, and commercial strategy within one of the most exciting development projects in sports and entertainment.

Core Competencies: 

• Highly influential and persuasive; skilled at aligning teams and stakeholders who do not directly report to them; possessing the patience and motor to operate effectively within a highly complex environment. 

• Zero ego; adaptable to the dynamic nature of the project; strong ability to and proven experience in adjusting strategies as needed based on new data and insights. 

• Deep understanding for how to design and commercialize spaces, ensuring they attract retail revenue, event revenue, and sponsorship dollars in ways that feel organic and integrated rather than transactional. 

• Proven expertise in brand and media integration: this leader will ensure that partnerships and activations align seamlessly with the United Center Campus’ identity while enhancing consumer engagement; Demonstrated expertise in crafting and implementing global brand strategies that can elevate current positioning while simultaneously developing the value proposition. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

Lead the overall commercial strategic vision for the United Center Campus & 1901 Project, ensuring long-term revenue growth and ecosystem sustainability. Develop a data-driven 10-year strategic commercial roadmap, incorporating retail, partnership, and experiential growth opportunities. Work closely with ownership to ensure strategic initiatives align with broader organizational goals.

Positioning & Asset Development 

• Spearhead the development of creative, integrated partnership models, programs and assets, moving beyond traditional logo placements to drive brand engagement and commercial value.  

• Lead the development of a comprehensive brand book/positioning, defining the long-term identity of the United Center Campus & 1901 Project. 

• Analytically evaluate the partnership landscape, identifying opportunities to amplify current relationships while also identifying categories or opportunities for diversification. 

• Analyze and design revenue streams that optimize F&B, loyalty programs, and campus-wide monetization. 

• Build and oversee an activation team responsible for translating strategy into compelling brand and partnership experiences. 

• Partner closely with United Center and development teams to properly leverage and position the 1901 Project through a vendor/procurement lens. 

Market Engagement 

• Coordinate with the Bulls’ and Blackhawks’ sales teams, ensuring alignment and strategic acceleration of revenue initiatives; work closely with executive teams to create and align incentives to drive commercial revenue for the United Center and 1901 Project.  

• Identify and/or create high-value partnership and event opportunities and structure them for maximum profitability. 

• Act as the primary external-facing leader, driving high-level pitches and engaging directly with key stakeholders, brands, and potential partners. 

Project Development Participation 

• Collaborate closely with the project development team (design, construction, operations) to ensure the commercial, branding and marketing strategies are aligned with the project’s physical development stages; monitor the development timeline to ensure that key milestones are met for marketing, commercial and partner development activities. 

• Provide input during the design and planning phases to ensure that commercial and partnership opportunities are maximized, considering tenant mix, retail, and entertainment offerings. 

• Work closely with ownership to ensure strategic initiatives align with broader organizational goals. 

• Ensure strategic flexibility, allowing for real-time adjustments based on evolving market dynamics and data insights. 

Qualifications:

• 15-20+ years of experience in strategic growth, experiential marketing, revenue strategy, or large-scale partnership development.

• Experience working in or with real estate development teams, particularly on large-scale mixed-use projects is ideal.

• Deep experience in experiential branding and long-term loyalty development.

• Track record of designing high-impact sponsorship and partnership strategies for real estate developments and/or experiential/hospitality companies that go beyond traditional branding approaches.

• MBA is strongly preferred, with expertise in leveraging business strategy and analytics in complex ecosystems.

• Proven track record in monetizing large-scale entertainment or mixed-use developments.

• Strong ability to influence stakeholders across multiple departments who do not report directly to them.

• A high level of strategic agility, adaptability, and patience to navigate a dynamic and evolving project.

• Exceptional communication and leadership skills, with the presence to engage C-suite executives and ownership.

• Experience working within multi-stakeholder environments, balancing diverse interests to drive cohesive business strategies.