Advisory Board Bio – Richard Ensor

Richard J. Ensor, Esq., founded Boardwalk Sports Management in 2023 after a distinguished 35-year tenure as Commissioner of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). His leadership significantly enhanced the visibility of MAAC's basketball championships, hosting them in notable venues like Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, MVP Arena in Albany, and KeyBank Center in Buffalo.

 

Ensor played a pivotal role in elevating intercollegiate sports by securing events like the NCAA Wrestling and Frozen Four Championships, and he was instrumental in arranging for the MAAC to host the NCAA Division I Basketball Championships. His strategic partnerships included an 8-year deal with ESPN to broadcast over 700 MAAC events and international initiatives like the Belfast Classic in Northern Ireland.

 

His business acumen extended into managing basketball events with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), where he organized the inaugural WBCA Showcase at Walt Disney World Resort in 2024, featuring teams like Georgia, Marshall, Penn State, and Tulsa.

 

Ensor has held numerous influential roles within the sports governance landscape, including past president of the Collegiate Commissioners Association, and has been involved with various boards like the Sports Lawyers Association and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. His contributions earned him the 2024 Betty F. Jaynes Lifetime Achievement Award for his support of women's basketball, and the MAAC’s Commissioner’s Cup was renamed in his honor.

 

His career achievements also include awards like the VanderZwaag Distinguished Alumnus Award, the NACWA "Good Guy" honor, a Mousecar award from Walt Disney World, and recognition from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2024, he received the Career Achievement Award from the MET Basketball Writers.

 

Originally from Saint Peter's University, where he graduated in 1975, Ensor has held multiple administrative roles in sports and also earned a Master's in sports management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a law degree from Seton Hall University. His legal education led him to teach sports management and law, contributing further to the field through education. In 2023, Saint Peter's University honored him with an Honorary Doctor of Humanities.