Rich Claffey named SVP of Madison Square Garden

Rich Claffey is returning to Madison Square Garden as Senior VP and GM after less than a year away from the company.

Claffey first joined MSG in 1983 as part of the stage crew at the New York venue.

Over the following 20 years he assumed positions of increasing responsibility at sister venue Radio City Music Hall, culminating in SVP and GM of Theatre Operations and Rockettes Operations.

Claffey left that role in November last year, and has since been working as a venue consultant to various clients, including MSG.

He’ll now be overseeing all facility operations for the Madison Square Garden arena, as well as The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

That includes the planning and direction of building operations, event production, event operations, food and merchandise operations, construction and ticketing operations.

With the overarching goal of providing a superior customer experience, Claffey will work closely with teams across the company to execute and support strategic plans and programs that involve The Garden and The Theater, reporting into Hank Abate, Executive Vice President of Venue Management.

“Rich has always been a part of the MSG family, and we are thrilled to welcome him back in this important role.”

“Rich has always been a part of the MSG family, and we are thrilled to welcome him back in this important role,” says Abate.

“He knows our venues and our business well, and his expertise will be highly valuable as we remain focused on delivering a first-class experience to our customers and partners at The Garden and The Theater, while exploring new and innovative ways to build on the standard of excellence that these venues have set.”

Claffey adds: “This is an incredible opportunity – rejoining the company, and in this role at the world’s most famous arena – is significant to me both professionally and personally.

“Hank and the MSG leadership team have established clear goals to strengthen and enhance the live experience we provide to our customers and partners at our venues.

“I look forward to working with them to ensure Madison Square Garden delivers on this objective and continues to provide the unforgettable experiences that have made it so iconic for so many.”