SPHERE ENTERTAINMENT NAMES GLENN DERRY EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, MSG VENTURES

Rhea-AI Summary

Sphere Entertainment Co. (NYSE: SPHR) has appointed Glenn Derry as Executive Vice President of MSG Ventures. Derry, an Academy Award-winning technologist with over 30 years of experience, will oversee technology initiatives for the subsidiary focused on developing advanced technologies for live entertainment.

Derry will support Sphere Studios, the immersive content studio creating multi-sensory experiences for Sphere venues, including the first location opened in Las Vegas in September 2023. He joins from AGBO, where he served as President of Production Technology, and previously led Technoprops, developing innovative visual production technology including an award-winning head-mounted camera system.

His extensive experience includes work on major films like Avatar, Star Wars: Rogue One, and The Jungle Book. Based at Sphere Studios in Burbank, Derry will report to Jim Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO.

Positive

• Appointment of an Academy Award-winning technology expert strengthens company's technical leadership
• Strategic hire brings expertise from major entertainment projects (Avatar, Star Wars) to enhance Sphere's capabilities
• Addition of proven innovator in virtual production technology could advance Sphere's immersive entertainment offerings

Negative

• None.

BURBANK, Calif., Feb. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sphere Entertainment Co. (NYSE: SPHR) announced today that Glenn Derry, an Academy Award winning technologist with over 30 years of industry-defining entertainment technology experience, has joined the Company as Executive Vice President of MSG Ventures.

In this role, Mr. Derry will oversee a wide range of technology initiatives across MSG Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sphere Entertainment focused on developing advanced technologies for live entertainment. MSG Ventures also supports Sphere Studios, the immersive content studio dedicated to creating multi-sensory entertainment experiences exclusively for Sphere, and the Sphere platform overall, including future Sphere venues. Mr. Derry will work across the organization to deploy both new and existing technologies that enhance Sphere's live entertainment and experiential content, which has been redefining immersive experiences since the first Sphere opened in Las Vegas in September 2023. He will be based at Sphere Studios in Burbank, and report to Jim Dolan, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Sphere Entertainment.

"Our vision for Sphere was to combine cutting-edge technologies with storytelling – bringing audiences together to share in experiences they cannot experience anywhere else," said Mr. Dolan. "Glenn is a creative technologist whose work has had a significant impact on the entertainment industry. His expertise will be an asset to Sphere as we continue to build on this next generation entertainment medium and reinforce our position at the forefront of immersive experiences."  

"Throughout my career I have focused on developing technologies in service of creative visions that expand the possibilities of entertainment, and there is no better opportunity to continue that work than at Sphere," said Mr. Derry. "Sphere sets a new standard for immersive experiences, and together with my colleagues across the organization we look forward to creating new tools and experiences that push creative boundaries and drive innovation across the industry."

As one of Hollywood's leading technological innovators, Mr. Derry brings to Sphere extensive experience from various facets of the film and gaming industry, where he is credited with introducing the concept of "virtual production." He joins Sphere Entertainment from AGBO, an Academy Award winning independent film, television, and gaming studio, where he served as President of Production Technology. In this role, he helped lead the establishment of AGBO's innovative virtual production and animation pipelines that service transmedia explorations of the company's intellectual property.

Prior to joining AGBO Mr. Derry served as Vice President of Visual Effects at 20^th Century Fox Studios following the acquisition of Technoprops, an R&D firm specializing in motion capture and emerging visual production technology. Mr. Derry was the founder and CEO of Technoprops, and over nearly 20 years he built the company into a force recognized for redefining creative and technical innovation in the film industry. Among Technoprops' achievements was developing a state-of-the-art head-mounted camera system widely adopted for capturing an actor's facial movements. Mr. Derry and his team received an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Technical Achievement Award for the groundbreaking design and engineering of this system. Over the course of his tenure at Technoprops, Mr. Derry was involved in some of the most technically ambitious projects in film and video games, including Avatar, Star Wars: Rogue One, Avengers – Age of Ultron,  Zero Dark Thirty, The Jungle Book, Minority Report, and Halo 4, among many notable others.

Mr. Derry began his career in the film industry creating practical effects, including advanced puppets for movies, before transitioning into his work in visual effects and virtual production. 

About Sphere Entertainment Co. 
Sphere Entertainment Co. (NYSE: SPHR) is a premier live entertainment and media company. The Company includes Sphere, a next-generation entertainment medium powered by cutting-edge technologies to redefine the future of entertainment. The first Sphere venue opened in Las Vegas in September 2023. In addition, the Company includes MSG Networks, which operates two regional sports and entertainment networks, MSG Network and MSG Sportsnet, as well as a direct-to-consumer and authenticated streaming product, MSG+, delivering a wide range of live sports content and other programming. More information is available at sphereentertainmentco.com.

Contact:
Sphere Entertainment – spherepr@thesphere.com

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SOURCE Sphere Entertainment Co.

FAQ

What role will Glenn Derry have at Sphere Entertainment (SPHR)?

Glenn Derry will serve as Executive Vice President of MSG Ventures, overseeing technology initiatives for live entertainment and supporting Sphere Studios in creating immersive experiences.

What major projects has SPHR's new EVP Glenn Derry worked on previously?

Glenn Derry has worked on major films including Avatar, Star Wars: Rogue One, Avengers – Age of Ultron, The Jungle Book, and Halo 4, among others.

How will Glenn Derry's appointment impact SPHR's technology development?

Derry will deploy new and existing technologies to enhance Sphere's live entertainment and experiential content, leveraging his expertise in virtual production and visual effects.

What technical achievements has SPHR's new EVP Glenn Derry received recognition for?

Derry received an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Technical Achievement Award for developing a state-of-the-art head-mounted camera system for capturing facial movements.

When did Sphere Entertainment (SPHR) open its first venue?

Sphere Entertainment opened its first venue in Las Vegas in September 2023.