Sean Brace
My list, my time frame!
So we keep the 2018 countdown moving and it brings me pleasure to discuss this individual. For some, maybe they knew him from his MANY businesses owned or worked for over the past three decades. I’ll allow his Wiki to do the talking because there’s way too much to list. But a quick summary of where Sixers minority owner Michael Rubin has come from, is simply incredible:
“Using the proceeds from his serendipitous overstock transaction and after selling his ski shops, he went on to found the athletic equipment closeout company KPR sports – named after his parents’ initials – which bought and sold over-stock name brand merchandise. In 1993, the year Rubin turned 21, KPR reached $1 million in annual sales; by 1995, KPR reached $50 million in sales. In 1995, Rubin purchased 40% of the women’s athletic shoe manufacturer Ryka.
“In 1998, Rubin created Global Sports, which would later turn into GSI Commerce, a multibillion-dollar e-commerce company. At 38, Rubin sold his company GSI Commerce to eBay for $2.4 billion reaping a $150 million windfall. As eBay just wanted the order fulfillment business for large retailers so it could better compete with Amazon.com, Rubin was able to buy back the consumer businesses of GSI at a fire sale price. He repurchased: Fanatics, Inc., a licensed sports merchandiser; Rue La La, a flash seller, and Shop Runner, a retail benefits program, merging the three companies into a new entity named Kynetic. Rubin serves as executive chairman on each of his three companies’ boards.”
As you can see, he is an incredible business man who is very open on his Instagram account. And when I say open, I’m not talking about him smiling the Caribbean on a huge luxury yacht, surrounded by his friends who seem to all be with models. (I’m told having money is a huge pull in the dating world.)
Instead I’m talking about how Rubin recently revealed his SAT scores from high school and it shocked me. How about one of the most business savvy minds in the world didn’t score higher than 780. (True story and probably why I love this part more than some…. his score was higher than what I got. Yeesh.)
Rubin busted on the Philly sports scene in 2014-ish, I want to say? Maybe a little earlier since I know he bought a piece of the Sixers back in 2010. But I really didn’t start to hear about other owners besides Joshua Harris until a few years later. Again, maybe you noticed him sooner, that’s fine. What’s not up for debate is how EVERYTHING Rubin has been about over the past few years has been incredible. From being Meek Mills’ number 1 supporter and really getting difference makers involved, like Patriots owner Bob Kraft, PA Governor Tom Wolfe, comedian Kevin Hart and CNN commentator Van Jones, all in one room, looking to make a huge difference in reforming how the criminal justice system works in our country. The First Step Act was signed and put in to order in December.
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Hopefully one day in the near future, Rubin’s Sixers achievements will be equal, if not better, than all his previous success.
Translation, let’s get a damn ring!
Be sure to keep up with the top 10 Philly sports stories that moved the needle in 2018!
#10: Everything surrounding Super Bowl 52
#9: Gabe Kapler
#8: 4th and Jawn
#7: Go Birds podcast/94WIP.com
#6: Missanelli’s show on NBC Sports Philadelphia
You can follow Sean Brace on Twitter (@Sean_Brace) and Instagram (@sean_brace), and e-mail him at [email protected]. You can also watch him sports anchor on weekends at FOX 29.
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