John Moag is a Nationally Recognized Sports

Finance Expert

John Moag is a nationally recognized lawyer, sports finance expert and former chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority. He has extensive experience in venue and franchise financing, industry research and analysis, and mergers and acquisitions.

During his years at Patton Boggs, he led the firm’s National Sports Finance Group. He represented a diverse range of sporting interests on a national level and in the United States Congress and regulatory bodies.

Early Life and Education

John Moag is the former chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority, credited with brokering the deal that brought the NFL back to Baltimore. He has also served as chairman of the Chestertown waterfront task force.

He has also been the head of Patton Boggs’ Baltimore office, and is a partner in the firm’s sports industry group. He has been named to the Washington Business Journal’s list of the 100 most influential people in the city and has appeared on television, radio and in newspapers around the country.

Professional Career

John Moag had built a national practice, including an important Baltimore office, at the Washington-based law firm Patton Boggs & Blow, where he was the youngest partner in the history of the firm. He had represented sports interests, non-profit institutions and political campaigns on a national level.

When he was appointed pro bono chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority in 1995, Moag saw a chance to bring professional football back to Baltimore. He believed that cities who made teams an economic priority would get and keep them; those that failed to do so would lose them.

During the next six months, Moag placed calls to team owners. He listened intently to their stories, gauging their sincerity and their interest in moving to Baltimore.

Achievements and Honors

John Moag, who has a knack for the big picture and small details, is a name to know in Baltimore’s sports business community. A former chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority, he was responsible for bringing an NFL team to town and overseeing construction of a state-of-the-art sports complex.

Currently, he is managing director of Legg Mason Wood Walker Inc. where he leads a multi-disciplinary financial team devoted to the sports industry. A true professional, he also holds a law degree from the University of Maryland and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He lives in the city of Baltimore with his wife, Joan. The most important part of his career has been his family – five children and five grandchildren. The best news is that they are all alive and well.

Personal Life

John Moag had a long career as a lawyer. He was a partner at the powerful law firm of Patton Boggs, where he had several clients in sports.

He had also launched a sports investment banking practice in Baltimore. He worked with teams in the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball.

During his career, he was known for his ability to get the right people to the right place at the right time. That skill helped him in his pursuit of the Cleveland Browns’ move to Baltimore.

On the day of the meeting, Moag walked into Lerner’s suite in New York City, cigar boxes tucked under his arm. He introduced himself to Lerner and asked him to take the offer back to Modell.

Net Worth

Having left his pro-bono position at the stadium authority and his law practice at Patton Boggs for the world of high finance, Moag is now juggling the demands of a new business. He was recently named managing director of Legg Mason Inc.’s sports industry group, and is tasked with introducing the Baltimore-based investment firm to this lucrative segment of the economy.

On a recent day, Moag heads out to his forest-green Lexus, where little chocolate footballs are sprinkled over the seats. He twists one in his hand and pops it, before hurriedly sliding into the driver’s seat. He is confident that Lerner will soon be reading his words. But he has his work cut out for him. State legislators are threatening to revoke financing set aside for a new football stadium in Baltimore.