Incoming Jockey Club Chairman Everett Dobson Basking in the Glow of an NBA Championship

[Wandering Eyes]

Everett Dobson admits there were a lot of anxious moments on the path to this year's NBA championship. But Dobson, an owner and breeder who operates Cheyenne Stables and Candy Meadows and is a minority owner of the Oklahoma City Thunder, says he was ready for them.

“When you have a horse going into the gate for a Grade I race there is a level of anxiety and excitement and your heart is pounding,” said Dobson, who will take over as the Chairman of the Jockey Club this August. “That is what it feels like to be playing in the NBA finals. The difference is an NBA finals game will last almost three hours while a horse race lasts a couple minutes. But it is a similar feeling. You're on edge and you are excited and nervous. It's obviously an incredible experience.”

To make it to the championship, the Thunder were forced into a seventh game in two rounds of the playoffs, including the finals against the Indiana Pacers.

“Were there anxious moments? To say that least,” Dobson said. “We beat Denver in a Game 7 and we won this series against Indiana in a Game 7,” he said. “It highlights the importance of having the best record in the NBA because you are assured that, if it is a seven-game series, it will be played on your home court regardless of who you are playing. That gave us a little comfort knowing we were going to be in front of our home crowd if this does go to 7. That's exactly what happened. It was an exciting finish, to say the least.”

It was a good year for racing people who are involved in other sports. Vinnie Viola, who operates St. Elias Stable along with his wife Theresa, is the owner of the Florida Panthers. The Panthers wrapped up their second straight Stanley Cup final when defeating the Edmonton Oilers earlier this month.

The group that owns the Thunder is made up of seven individuals, all of them from Oklahoma. They bought the Seattle Supersonics in 2006 and moved the franchise to Oklahoma City in 2008. The seven owners also make up the board of the Thunder. Dobson is listed as a managing partner. The chairman is Clayton I. Bennett.

Forbes estimates the team is worth $3.65 billion. The team was bought for $350 million.

“I like the asset class, I like the NBA,” Dobson said. “It's been a very good financial investment. It's been an incredible story.”

Oklahoma City is far from a metropolis. Oklahoma City is 20th largest city in the U.S. When it comes to the television it is the 47th largest market.

Dobson said that being in a small market can have its advantages.

“You wouldn't have thought it was a small town if you rode in the parade,” Dobson said. “They were estimating over a half-million people were at the parade. Now they're estimating that it was more like 600,000, maybe close to 700,000. We are the only big-league sport in the state. We have a population of 4 million in the state and we get the attention of all 4 million. Everybody in the state takes ownership. We don't have to worry about dividing their attention with other big-league sports. If you look at our metrics across things that are relevant like attendance and season ticket sales, we're actually in the top third in NBA.”

The NBA does not resume playing until Oct. 21. That should give Dobson time to immerse himself in his new job with the Jockey Club.

“It would be aspirational to think that horse racing could grow to the level of our big-league sports like the NBA,” he said. “It is still a very important sport and there are a lot of good things that are happening in the sport right now. I understand that it has its challenges that need to be addressed.

“With the horse we have to be able to tell their story quickly because their careers don't last long. But these horses can be compelling stories. The Triple Crown, Saratoga, Del Mar, the Breeders' Cup, those are all compelling stories. Creating stars is a challenge. You just have to step up and deal with it.”

Dobson isn't planning on being an absentee chairman when it comes to the Jockey Club. Though not yet officially the organization's chairman, he's already gotten to work.

“Racing has its challenges that need to be addressed and will be addressed,” he said. “I'm really optimistic about the future of horse racing.”

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