David Blitzer
David Blitzer | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 7, 1969 Scotch Plains, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Investor, sports team owner |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Known for | Chairman of Blackstone Tactical Opportunities; managing partner of New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers; ownership stakes across all five major US sports leagues |
David Scott Blitzer (born September 7, 1969) is a prominent American investor and owner of multiple sports team franchises. He serves as chairman of Blackstone’s Tactical Opportunities division and is the managing partner for both the New Jersey Devils (NHL) and the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA). Through Global Football Holdings, Blitzer holds ownership stakes in several association football clubs and maintains minority interests in the Cleveland Guardians (MLB) and Washington Commanders (NFL). Notably, he is the first individual to possess equity stakes across all five major professional sports leagues in the United States.
After graduating from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Blitzer began his career at Blackstone in 1991. He led the firm’s global Tactical Opportunities group from 2012 until his promotion to chairman in 2024. Blitzer entered the sports ownership arena alongside Apollo co-founder Josh Harris in 2011 and co-established Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment in 2017. As of 2025, his net worth is estimated at $3.6 billion.
Early life and Blackstone
Hailing from Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Blitzer graduated magna cum laude from Wharton in 1991. Soon after, he joined Blackstone and was responsible for overseeing its European operations from London between 2001 and 2011. As a member of Blackstone’s management committee, he directed the Tactical Opportunities group starting in 2012 before advancing to chairman in November 2024.
Sports ownership
Blitzer’s involvement in sports investments began following his 2008 meeting with Apollo Global Management co-founder Josh Harris. By 2011, they led a consortium that acquired the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) for $280 million, with notable investors including Michael G. Rubin, Will Smith, and Jada Pinkett Smith. In 2013, Blitzer and Harris expanded their portfolio by purchasing the New Jersey Devils (NHL) along with the Prudential Center for $320 million. From 2014 until divesting in 2021, they held a 50% ownership stake in the Triple-A affiliate team Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
In 2017, Blitzer and Harris founded Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), which manages assets such as the 76ers, Devils, NBA G League’s Delaware Blue Coats, AHL’s Utica Comets, esports organization Dignitas, HBSE Real Estate, venture capital arm HBSE Ventures, and marketing and ticketing company Elevate Sports Ventures. In January 2022, Blitzer collaborated with Ryan Smith to acquire Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake, including its stadium and affiliates, subsequently reviving the NWSL franchise Utah Royals. He sold majority control of these properties to Gail Miller in April 2025 while retaining a minority interest.
In June 2022, Blitzer obtained a 25% ownership share in MLB’s Cleveland Guardians, with an option to assume controlling interest by 2028. This acquisition made him the first individual to hold equity stakes across all five major North American sports leagues: NBA, NHL, NFL, MLS, and MLB.
On the international front, Blitzer acquired an 18% stake in English Premier League club Crystal Palace F.C. in 2015. He subsequently founded Global Football Holdings to invest in European clubs including Portugal’s Estoril Praia, Spain’s Alcorcón, Belgium’s Beveren, Germany’s FC Augsburg, Netherlands’ ADO Den Haag, and Denmark’s Brøndby. In 2020, he and Harris purchased a $140 million share of NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2023, he was part of the Harris-led consortium that bought NFL’s Washington Commanders for $6.05 billion.
Additional ventures include minority stakes acquired through HBSE in Joe Gibbs Racing (NASCAR) during 2023 and participation in reviving the SlamBall basketball league. In October 2023, Blitzer was appointed to the NHL Executive Committee where he oversees matters such as ownership vetting, collective bargaining agreements, and league expansion initiatives. He also co-owns Jupiter Links Golf Club associated with virtual golf league TGL alongside Tiger Woods.
In early 2024, Blitzer divested his Steelers stake to Art Rooney II and Thomas Tull. He contributed to College Sports Tomorrow by advocating significant reforms within college football governance structures. Together with Harris, he launched youth sports enterprise Unrivaled Sports supported by The Chernin Group. His investments extend to emerging leagues including Major League Table Tennis and women’s indoor volleyball league LOVB Pro in 2024 as well as Shaun White’s Snow League in 2025. HBSE secured a Philadelphia WNBA expansion franchise slated to begin competition in 2030. In June 2025, Blitzer became co-owner of LOVB Austin alongside Peter Holt and Amy Griffin.
Properties
| Team | League | Acquisition Year | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia 76ers | National Basketball Association (NBA) | 2011 | Joint managing partner alongside Josh Harris. Ownership also includes the Delaware Blue Coats competing in the NBA G League. |
| New Jersey Devils | National Hockey League (NHL) | 2013 | Managing partner in collaboration with Harris. Portfolio includes the Prudential Center and the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League. |
| Joe Gibbs Racing | NASCAR | 2023 | Holds a limited partnership with Harris. |
| Philadelphia WNBA team | Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) | 2025 | Serving as managing partner together with Harris. |
| Team | League | Acquisition Year | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estoril Praia | Primeira Liga | 2019 | Sole owner. |
| Alcorcón | Segunda División | Sole owner. | |
| Beveren | Challenger Pro League | 2020 | Co-ownership shared with Jahm Najafi and Jeff Moorad. |
| FC Augsburg | Bundesliga | 2021 | Holds a 45% share as co-owner alongside Klaus Hofmann. |
| ADO Den Haag | Eerste Divisie | Sole ownership. | |
| Brøndby | Danish Superliga | 2022 | Majority stake of 50.1% ownership. |
| Team | League | Year Acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders | International League | 2014 | Held a 50% interest with David Abrams; divested to Diamond Baseball Holdings in 2021. |
| Crystal Palace | Premier League | 2015 | General partnership with Steve Parish, John Textor, and Josh Harris; owns an 18% equity stake. |
| Cleveland Guardians | Major League Baseball (MLB) | 2022 | Limited partner holding a 25% share with an option for majority control by 2028. |
| Washington Commanders | National Football League (NFL) | 2023 | Limited partnership under Josh Harris’s leadership. |
| Jupiter Links Golf Club | TGL | Co-owned with golfer Tiger Woods. | |
| Real Salt Lake | Major League Soccer (MLS) | 2025 | Limited partnership; co-ownership with Ryan Smith until transfer to Gail Miller in 2025. |
| Utah Royals | National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) | ||
| LOVB Austin | LOVB Pro |
Co-owned alongside Peter Holt and Amy Griffin. |
Personal life
David Blitzer is of Jewish heritage and is married to Allison (); together, they have five children. As of June 2025, his net worth was approximated at $3.6 billion. His father-in-law, Stuart Ross—who previously held the North American rights to The Smurfs—was found guilty of extortion in 2010 after attempting to demand $11 million from Blitzer.
In 2014, Blitzer established the Blitzer Family Foundation. He holds board memberships at both the Mount Sinai Health System and the Wharton School, and contributes philanthropically to Hillel International, aiding Jewish student initiatives. Additionally, he has engaged in sports business discussions, including panels organized by Wharton in 2019 and by Sportico in 2022.
External links
- https://www.blackstone.com/the-firm/our-people/#bio-david-s-blitzer – Profile at Blackstone
- https://www.hbse.com/our-team/david-blitzer/ – Profile at HBSE