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Carolina Camarena, Director of Communications
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Tommy O’Hare
New Sports and Special Events Director to Position San José as the City to “Fly, Stay, and Play” in 2026 and Beyond
Olympian and Sports Executive Tommy O’Hare joins San José
SAN JOSE, Calif. (January 22, 2025) - After a nationwide recruitment, City Manager Jennifer Maguire selected Tommy O’Hare as the City’s new temporary Sports and Special Events Director to oversee the coordination efforts related to the marquee sporting events taking place in 2026, including Super Bowl LX, NCAA Men’s West Regional Basketball Tournament, and the FIFA World Cup. O’Hare will assume the Director role on February 3, 2025.
“Tommy has both personal – as an Olympian – and professional experience in the world of sports and special events,” said Maguire. “I am certain that he will create lasting civic pride and economic impact as we welcome people from all over the world to fly into San José Mineta International Airport – next door to PayPal Park and just 10 minutes away from the Levi’s Stadium - stay and play in our vibrant and diverse city.”
“We’re gearing up for 2026,” said Mayor Matt Mahan. “And we’re fortunate to have Tommy O’Hare joining the team as we plan an unforgettable experience for visitors and residents alike. Working with partners like the Sports Authority and TeamSJ, Tommy will help ensure that these large events lay the groundwork for growing San José’s sports and entertainment economy into the future.”
O’Hare’s sports credentials are rooted in the Olympics. He joined the ice-skating world as a young child to keep up with his older sister, and by the time he was a student at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, he was a member of the US Olympic Team. In 1998, he skated the short-track relay for the United States at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. O’Hare was also a two-time medalist at the Winter Universiade in the short-track relay, winning bronze in 1997 and silver in 1999.
O’Hare’s career as a sports executive began in 2006 as the Associate Director of Strategic Planning for the United States Olympic Committee where he led the implementation of digital media products and content operations and oversaw the broadcasting affairs including multi-billion-dollar broadcasting and sponsorship agreements. He joined Google in 2011 as the Sports Content Partnerships Manager where he was responsible for the programming concepts of YouTube Stars at the Olympic Games and TeamUSA originals that resulted in multi-million-dollar sponsorship sales. In 2015, he joined the International Olympic Committee as head of Digital Strategy; and in 2018 he became the Senior Vice President of Product, Content Operation and Analytics for Discovery. In 2020, he became the Senior Vice President of Business Development and Licensing for Outside Interactive in San Francisco where he assisted with acquisition and integration of over 20 brands. Most recently, he was the General Manager of ClipperVision for the LA Clippers and helped manage over 300 sports and music events across the Intuit Dome, Kia Forum, and Frontwave Arena.
“I’m thrilled to join the team at the City of San José and be part of making all the amazing events coming to the City a success and help create a lasting positive legacy for the community,” said O’Hare.
O’Hare holds a Bachelor of Science in Corporate Finance from the University of Colorado and a Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law. He is a member of the California Bar.
The Sports and Special Events Director will lead efforts to bring the 2026 world-class events coming to our region to life in San José with city-specific programming, while also shaping a legacy of community pride, economic impact, and regional influence. The Director will engage across City departments and coordinate with external partners such as the Bay Area Host Committee, the San Jose Sports Authority, Sharks Sports and Entertainment, San Jose Earthquakes, Team San Jose, San Jose Downtown Association, San Jose State University, and other key partners to execute on strategic initiatives that maximize the impact of these 2026 sporting events.
About the City of San José
With almost 1 million residents, San José is one of the most diverse large cities in the United States and is Northern California’s largest city and the 13th largest city in the nation. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center has resulted in one of the largest concentrations of technology companies and expertise in the world.
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