2. Tracy Dolgin and Ray Hopkins
Tracy Dolgin
President/CEO, YES Network
Years in Cable: 24
Education: Undergraduate, Cornell; MBA, Stanford
Best Advice in 7 Words or Less: Make changes when things are good.
Ray Hopkins
COO, YES Network
Education: BA, Gettysburg College; Executive Education Program, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern
Best Advice in 7 Words or Less: Combine a passion with a profession.
With Hopkins and Dolgin in the driver’s seat, YES Network is on track to be the most-watched regional sports network for the ninth straight year. That’s quite a record. YES is up to nearly 15 million subscribers, and revenues keep rolling in. Its ad sales team produced its best Yankees season, revenue-wise, this year as 2011 also saw more than 250 advertisers on air. In addition, YESNetwork.com has enjoyed a 331% increase in page views since January 2008. It seems Dolgin was destined for this kind of success. When he was 9 years old, he told his mother he would know that he “made it” when he could afford Yankees season tickets.
Tracy Dolgin
If I had to pick a personal theme song, it would be…
“Before They Make Me Run,” Rolling StonesBands I would actually go see live:
Grateful Dead, The WhoThe top 3 most played selections on my iPod:
“Bertha” (Grateful Dead) “Baba O’Riley” (The Who), “I’ve Loved These Days (Billy Joel)My favorite sports team: Green Bay Packers. Oops! I mean the New York Yankees.
If I could only have authenticated online access to 5 cable networks (not affiliated with my company), they would be:FX, ESPN, AMC, CNBC, HBO
How many companies have you worked for since graduating from college?
5 (General Foods, HBO, Fox, Houlihan Lokey, YES Network)
Ray Hopkins
The worst thing I’ve ever heard someone say in a meeting: “I didn’t hit budget”
My favorite vacation spot: Grand Exuma, Bahamas
My guilty television pleasure: “Modern Family”
How many companies have you worked for since graduating from college? 5 (Marion Laboratories; CNBC; Fox, Gemstar-TV Guide; YES Network)
