Al Guido

In his role as President of the San Francisco 49ers, Al Guido is responsible for all strategic initiatives and business operations for the five-time Super Bowl-winning NFL franchise and its award-winning management of Levi's Stadium. Guido concurrently serves as Chairman and CEO of Elevate, a best-in-class consulting firm that provides innovative solutions to organizations across the global sports and entertainment landscape. Guido is one of the industry's leading operators given his more than 20 years of experience leading NFL, NHL, and NBA franchises and award-winning sports and entertainment consultancies. Driven by his signature mission to foster innovation with responsibility, the two-time Sports Business Journal "Forty Under 40" honoree remains dedicated to leveraging the platform and brand power of sports and entertainment to generate positive impact across the globe.

Named to his current position on February 15, 2016, Guido is in his eighth year as Team President after serving as Chief Operating Officer from 2014-16. Under his leadership, Levi's Stadium has established itself as a preeminent entertainment venue, hosting the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the 2016 Copa America Centenario, Super Bowl 50, WrestleMania 31, the 2015 NHL Stadium Series, sold-out concert world tours including Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Coldplay, and the Rolling Stones, international soccer matches, college football, and much more. His 49ers management team has continued to attract the world's biggest events to Santa Clara, most recently securing hosting rights for the 2026 FIFA World CupTM and Super Bowl LX.

During his tenure with the 49ers, the storied NFL franchise has garnered global praise for business initiatives steeped in technology, analytics, and innovation, as well as for its corporate culture and community outreach. The organization has frequently been recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in the Bay Area and was named ESPN's 2017 "Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year." Notably, the 49ers front office has recorded franchise records for sales and renewals of season ticket memberships, suite, and premium seating memberships, and corporate partnerships under Guido's leadership. Levi's Stadium, among the most-booked outdoor NFL stadiums since opening in 2014, was designed, constructed, and completed on time and under budget under Guido's supervision and boasts an impressive collection of industry awards, earning recognition for architectural greatness as the 2015 "Sports Venue of the Year" from both the Sports Business Journal Awards and StadiumBusiness Awards.

Innovation and technology, inspired by Guido's dedication to operational detail and fan experience at Levi's Stadium, have likewise garnered industry acclaim for Levi's Stadium. In 2021, the venue launched the Member Inclusive Menu (MIM) and became the first in sports history to include food and beverage in the cost of season tickets. Now in its third season, MIM has already been recognized as the Best New Concept in Concessions by VenuesNow. Additionally, the operationally-driven Executive Huddle presented by SAP has earned international recognition as the most innovative venue technology from the 2019 Leaders Sports Awards and 2020 StadiumBusiness Awards. That approach also garnered best-in-class recognition from the 2015 White House Smart Cities Initiative,

2016 Department of Homeland Security's SAFETY Act Designation and the 2019 NCS4 Stadium Security Award. Leveraging technology with sustainability, Levi's Stadium also generated notoriety for its green efforts, most notably becoming the first NFL stadium to twice earn LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. For its green innovation and implementation, Levi's Stadium was named the Environmental Stadium of the Year by the Green Sports Alliance in 2016 and the StadiumBusiness Awards in 2017.

Guido's supervision of Levi's Stadium and its extraordinary operational and revenue success followed five years as a senior leader at the sports agency Legends, where he established his preeminence in the field of sports venue, brand, and team consulting. A founding member of Legends, he spearheaded major stadium development and sales projects such as the 49ers and Levi's Stadium while playing a critical role in the agency's initial international growth. Guido maintained his passion for consulting on transformative projects around the world, and in 2018 – fueled by demand in the sports and live event industry for a truly connected, results-driven, and innovative agency – he aligned the interests and ambitions of the 49ers and partners Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Live Nation | Ticketmaster, and Oak View Group to found Elevate; in 2022 Arctos Sports Partners joined Elevate's roster of equity investors.

Under Guido's leadership, and within four years of launch, Elevate has amassed an active client roster of hundreds of sports teams, brands, venues, events, and properties from among the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, NWSL, professional US and international football, professional tennis, MMA, motorsports and horse racing, college athletics and more. Elevate taps into the extensive resources, relationships, and expertise of its partners to innovate and execute comprehensive strategies and solutions in Venue Renovations, Sales and Marketing, Stadium Licenses, Premium Ticketing, Corporate Hospitality, Customer Research, Strategy and Analytics, Sales Training, and more. In addition to providing best-in-class sales and marketing services since launching in 2018, Elevate leverages data-based analysis to identify new revenue opportunities while bringing innovative ideas to market. As a result of its remarkable success, Sports Business Journal honored Elevate with the 2023 Award for "Best in Property Consulting, Sales and Client Services."

Guido has been recognized by the San Francisco Business Times for demonstrating industry excellence and innovation in his position. In 2018, Guido was included among the top 40 international sports "Leaders under 40" by the Leaders Sports Awards and named to Sports Business Journal's list of "Power Players: Ticketing" in 2018. He has also been named 2021 Sports Executive of the Year against an international field by the StadiumBusiness Awards.

Guido's innovation and inspiring management style have earned him a place at the podium at some of the largest industry conferences in the world, delivering keynotes at events including Leaders in Sport, Sports Business Journal's World Congress of Sport, the IEG Pivot Conference, the World Football Summit, VenuesNow, and Bloomberg Power Players. Guido's unique perspective on the sports and entertainment ecosystem and use of pioneering sports business technology have made him a recurring guest on Bloomberg, CNBC, FOX Business Network, and other global broadcast networks.

In Guido's first NFL role, he led efforts for the Dallas Cowboys' opening of AT&T Stadium, breaking industry records for PSL sales totaling over $600 million. Prior to his record-setting tenure with the Cowboys, Guido served in senior leadership roles with the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes.

Additionally, Guido served in senior leadership roles with the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes, during which time the club achieved revenue increases for the first time in the franchise's ten-year history and attained a "Top 5" ranking in new business sales across the NHL. He began his career in sports and entertainment with Comcast-Spectacor, then-owner and operator of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms, Comcast SportsNet, and the Wachovia Complex.

A Board Member of City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley, a contributor to the Navy Seal Foundation, Board Member of the Coach K/Fuqua School of Business, and serving on the Advisory Board at the San Jose State Institute for Study of Sport, Society & Social Change, and the Advisory Council at the Positive Coaching Alliance, Guido received his bachelor of business administration from the College of New Jersey, where he played wide receiver for the school's football program.

A native of Washington Township, N.J., Guido and his wife, Thea, have three daughters, Estella, Sloane, and Tatum, and reside in Los Gatos, CA, with their dog Rocky.