Alex Diaz (BSESS ’95, MSESS ’97)
Chief Operating Officer, Intuit Dome (Los Angeles Clippers)
Alex Diaz (BSESS ’95, MSESS ’97): Powering elite sport venues from coast to coast
As chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Clippers’ Intuit Dome, UF alum Alex Diaz (BSESS ’95, MSESS ’97) ensures hundreds of events run smoothly each year. Since day one, his role has evolved from leading new construction to overseeing all arena operations.
“I manage a lot of people and a lot of square footage,” Diaz said.
With more than 30 years of experience – working with some of the biggest names in the sports and entertainment industry, like Madison Square Garden, the Miami Heat’s Kaseya Center and the Brooklyn Nets’ Barclays Center – Diaz now shares his passion for the industry’s operations side through his role on the UF College of Health & Human Performance Department of Sport Management’s Industry Advisory Board.
“I’m really passionate about the operations side of sports and entertainment, and there aren’t a lot of people that talk about that or are in that,” Diaz said. “I want to talk to people who want to help students and alumni.”
A double Gator, Diaz enrolled at UF in 1992 on a baseball scholarship and discovered exercise and sport science. After earning his bachelor’s degree, he joined UF Athletics as an assistant, which included the chance to attend graduate school. It was then that Diaz decided to pursue his master’s degree, setting the stage for a career in sport facility operations.
After graduation, Diaz was offered a role as an event manager in Miami, supporting events like the World Series and the Super Bowl. From there, he “cut his teeth” on working in arenas, serving as the senior vice president and general manager of facilities for the Kaseya Center. After nearly nine years in south Florida, Diaz relocated to New Jersey to help develop the Barclays Center.
“It’s been a progression of other arenas of operating and helping,” Diaz said. “I didn’t think I’d be in sort of the development side of it, more on the operating end. That’s probably what makes me a little bit different in that I don’t just come in on the front end to help create, you know, what you do; I actually operate the arenas.”
Diaz later joined Madison Square Garden in New York City as senior vice president and general manager, where he supported a $1.1 billion renovation. In 2016, he began consulting for clients, including the NBA and NHL, among others. One of those clients – the LA Clippers – hired him to help develop the team’s new arena and organizational chart, given his track record at the Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden.
“Developing the organization structure for places is something I really enjoy doing – of going in and helping them develop their plan for how they’re going to tackle, whether it’s a new facility or an existing facility,” Diaz said.
Now, five years into his role, Diaz manages teams and collaborates with designers and architects to continually improve the arena, which will host basketball events during the 2028 Olympics.
Despite his success in metros like New York, Miami and Los Angeles, Diaz remains deeply connected to UF.
“It’s nice to come back and check in, but it still feels the same, and that’s a good thing,” said Diaz, recalling a recent visit to a Gator football game with his children.
As the newest member of the department’s advisory board, Diaz hopes to guide students into the competitive sports industry and to collaborate with other advisory board members on setting students up for success after graduation.
“I tell young kids to work – work somewhere in sports and entertainment,” Diaz said. “Whether it’s as an usher, a ticket taker, a security guard…you can’t be too specific about what you want to do. To get there, you may have a few steps along the way.”