Bucks’ Feigin committed to community, downtown development, business editor recalls

For 12 NBA seasons, Peter Feigin has served the front office of the Milwaukee Bucks as president. 

Now, the tenured leader is stepping down from business operations in a ‘surprising’ move, according to Jim Nelson of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The business editor has long followed Feigin’s accomplishments in Milwaukee. He spoke to WPR’s “Morning Edition” about the Jan. 5 announcement from the Bucks.

“It was kind of a weird way for him to depart,” Nelson said. 

Nelson remembers the lack of downtown developments surrounding the Bradley Center, the former home to Bucks, until Feigin’s arrival in 2014. 

From there, the New Yorker secured $524 million in public and private dollars to open the  Fiserv Forum arena in 2018 in Milwaukee. Now the area, known as the Deer District, is home to several  restaurants, bars and apartments. It was a gathering space for the city during the team’s 2021 NBA Championship run and win. In the coming months, the Landmark Credit Union Theatre is set to open next door. 

Nelson said that Feigin’s business feats stem from his personality and ability to build relationships.

“He worked (with) the state house and city hall,” Nelson said. “ Most importantly, he worked (with) community groups and the Bucks were more involved in the community than they’ve ever been.”

Over the next two months, Feigin will hand over the Milwaukee franchise to Wisconsin native Josh Glessing.

The following interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Alex Crowe:  What does Josh Glessing bring to the table?

Jim Nelson: Feigin’s going to be a hard act to follow. Josh, at least community wise and civic wise, has not introduced himself yet.

He’s an Indiana University graduate and is an executive with the Haslam Sports Group. They own the Cleveland Browns and the Columbus Crew, a major league soccer team in Ohio. He brings a different dimension to the table. It’s probably the right time for that in terms of how the ownership is looking at the business side.

The Bucks, largely the arena and the Deer District, has been built out. I think this is the Haslam team bringing in their own guy. It’s giving him different marching orders to run more revenue through that facility. Instead of building, they’re going to be more focused on making more money.

AC: So, you expect they’ll focus more on revenue. What could that look like for the Bucks and the surrounding area?

JN: The plaza in between the arena and the various bars and restaurants has been off and on with events. But that’s kind of a big empty space. There’s a couple of development parcels that have yet to be built upon. There’s the new hotel next to the arena that’s starting construction.

I think events are a key part to making more money.  I don’t know if this is in Josh’s wheelhouse but I do know delivering that revenue is going to be really important.

AC: Trade rumors have floated throughout the year regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo. The team is also floating near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Is that going to challenge Glessing?

JN: Peter Feigin’s role was largely on the business side. But if the team is struggling, that president’s role might have more to do on the court with the product. And, they’ve had a rough year so far. 

As we know, Antetokounmpo has been hurt a bit. I just don’t know if the new guys’ marching orders are going to be involving the basketball part of the organization. I think that’s TBD.