The Red Sox announced that Chief Operating Officer Sam Kennedy will take over as club President on October 16th. Meanwhile, Larry Lucchino has been named President/CEO Emeritus. “Lucchino will be an active participant in the strategic direction of the franchise and will participate in various issues facing Major League Baseball,” according to the press release, and will remain a member of the Red Sox’s ownership group.
“Larry has helped write a new chapter in the storied history of this franchise,” said Principal Owner John W. Henry in the press release. “He has brought boldness, vision, and intensity each day to Fenway Park. He has also assembled an outstanding team around him, the hallmark of a great CEO.”
Of course, Kennedy will not be involved on the baseball side of things the same way that Lucchino was. Dave Dombrowski, hired as President of Baseball Operations over the summer, will have control over everything on the field while Kennedy is expected to deal more with business operations. In the press release, Henry notes that Kennedy has been the heir apparent to Lucchino’s title since 2012. Team chairman Tom Werner also offered a strong endorsement of Kennedy.
“I have known and worked with Sam for nearly 20 years. We have marveled at his growth and development as one of the top young executives in the sports industry. We could not be happier to entrust him with this position and look forward to working with him on the day-to-day operation of the club,” Werner said.