Front Office Feature: Dan Dobbins

Growing up in Philadelphia, Dan Dobbins spent weekends at the Spectrum watching the Philadelphia Wings. Little did he know he was watching his future boss (San Diego Seals President Steve Govett) win three championships with the Wings. Talk about a small world!

From the Wings to the Flyers to the Sixers, this young Philly fan made his way to countless games as a youngster. It didn’t take long for him to realize his passion for sports.

Understanding what it would take to break into the industry, Dobbins attended a Top-30 nationally-ranked business school at Temple University. Growing up watching Temple basketball, it all came full circle as he officially became an Owl.

While attending a career fair his senior year, Dobbins found his way to the New Jersey Devils’ booth. The team was hiring for Ticket Sales Associates, and a few round-robin interviews later Dobbins was offered the position on the spot. Two weeks after graduation he moved to The Garden State.

Three years with the Devils, then Dobbins took on a new endeavor with the Delaware 87ers. Nicknamed the Sevens, the NBA G League team of the Philadelphia 76ers hired Dobbins as their Ticket Sales Manager where he was responsible for maximizing revenue from all aspects of ticket sales.

“The Sevens gave me the chance to get ahead in my career. It was the perfect timing, and I am so thankful for what I learned there.”

When the opportunity presented itself to make the trek to San Diego, Dobbins couldn’t say no. Over 2,500 miles and dozens of goodbyes to close friends and family, the newest Southern California resident was excited to build a team from the ground up, and for the opportunity to put his stamp on an expansion franchise. Oh, and the weather down here doesn’t hurt either.

“The move was nerve-wracking, but I was definitely excited to get out here and get started.”

As Director of Ticket Sales and Service for the Seals, Dobbins looks forward to creating the culture with his sales team and throughout the entire front office. Simply put, he believes in “being able to do what we want, the way we want to do it, with the right people.”

With the excitement of his beloved Eagles capturing the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Dobbins sees how much the Super Bowl win means to the city of Philadelphia. Now, he’s trying to build a passionate fan base here who will pack the building in hopes of bringing San Diego a championship.