Team

Michael Dietz

President and Founder of Dietz Sports & Entertainment . He founded Dietz Sports in 2003 and directs the day to day business operations of the firm, including Account Services, Business Development, Sponsorship Evaluations, Sponsorship Sales, Event Activation, College AthleticsAthlete and Coach Representations 

Dietz received his law degree from Thomas Cooley Law School. He graduated from Western Michigan University (Business Administration, Cum Laude) where he was also captain of the WMU Basketball Team.  

Prior to starting Dietz Sports, Dietz worked for Ilitch Holdings’ Senior Management Team for 18 years. He worked with all Ilitch brands; Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers, Little Caesars, Olympia Entertainment, Fox Theater, Second City, Comerica Park, Family Shows, Rockers Soccer, Concerts and Joe Louis Arena in various marketing, advertising, corporate sales and ticket sales positions. Michael has helped execute many successful marketing projects with many corporate and media clients. The key to the success of all these projects is the ability to forge strong relationships with his colleagues, clients, vendors and media partners. Dietz currently serves as a Board Member on the Detroit Sports Organizing Corp as well as the Donor Team for the 2024 Detroit NFL Draft. He was the former President of Oakland Hills Country Club (2021) and currently serves as the Co-Chairman of Future Golf Championships.

Rick Chryst

Rick-Chryst

Joined Dietz Sports & Entertainment in 2011, as Senior Vice President/of Counsel, and is based in Cleveland, Ohio as part of Dietz Sports expanded offices. His primary area of concentration is in NCAA Division I Intercollegiate Athletics, focusing on a broad range of areas that include: Media Rights Analysis/Negotiation, Corporate Marketing Programs, Major Events (NCAA bowl games, post-season tournaments), Departmental strategic planning, particularly in relation to ongoing Conference realignments. He also heads up our Athletic Director and College Coach search projects.   

Rick received his law degree from Duke Law School. He graduated from Notre Dame University, where he was captain of the Notre Dame Baseball Team.  

Chryst came to Dietz Sports following two years in sports law, working with a Cleveland law firm. Chryst has over 20 years’ experience in NCAA Division I conference work, having been an Assistant Commissioner in both the Southwest Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference, before serving for a decade as the Commissioner of the Mid- American Conference. While at the MAC, Chryst also was appointed both Chair of the Division I-A conferences commissioners, as well as President of the Collegiate Commissioners Association.

Howard Krugel

Howard-Krugel

Joined Dietz Sports & Entertainment in 2004 and currently serves as Chief Operating Officer. He has been providing Marketing, Promotions, Activation and Event Execution services to sports and entertainment related clients for over 25 years. Helping create standard operating procedures for each event has been the key to all his successful projects. His primary focus is helping clients evaluate sponsorship agreements and helps them to integrate sports marketing programs into their overall advertising budget.

Howard received his degree from the University of Michigan.  

Krugel has worked at Midnight Oil Creative, Little Caesars (Director of Marketing), Detroit Tigers (Marketing Manager), Detroit Red Wings and PASS Sports (Marketing Coordinator).

Elle Hassell

Elle Hassell serves as the Director of Client Services for Dietz Sports & Entertainment. Hassell is responsible for the Sponsorship Activation, Event & Hospitality Management, as well as Athlete, Coach, & Celebrity Endorsements divisions of the firm. Hassell works on the day to day operations of Dietz Sports, with a primary focus on the planning and execution of client activation events and assists the Donor Team for the 2024 Detroit NFL Draft.

Hassell holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan (2013).