The Boston Bruins, the National Hockey League (NHL) team owned by Delaware North Chairman Jeremy Jacobs since 1975, on Jan. 15 hosted the 2025 Black & Gold Gala to benefit the Bruins Foundation and celebrate 50 years of Jacobs family ownership.
Mr. Jacobs was joined at the black-tie event by his sons, Jerry Jr. and Charlie – who serve as Delaware North CEOs and Boston Bruins alternate governors with their brother Lou – and Bruins players of past and present, including President Cam Neely, Captain Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins Foundation President Bob Sweeney and distinguished alumni Patrice Bergeron, Ray Bourque, Johnny Bucyk and Zdeno Chara. Michaela Johnson, Bruins in-arena host, and Judd Sirott, play-by-play announcer for the Bruins on New England Sports Network (NESN), served as emcees for the event.
The Boston Bruins Foundation, a nonprofit organization created in 2003, collaborates with charitable organizations that demonstrate a commitment to health and wellness, education and athletics. Since its inception, the Boston Bruins Foundation has raised more than $69 million to enrich the lives of youth and families in New England.
“In this next century, we will strive to continue growing the game of hockey for the next generation and making a positive, lasting impact in our local community,” Charlie Jacobs said. “This renewed promise and continued commitment would not be possible without my father, who has been the guiding force that has shaped the Boston Bruins organization into the storied franchise of today.”
Mr. Jacobs acquired the Boston Bruins in 1975 at just 35 years old and has been at the helm for half a century, becoming the longest-tenured, singular owner across North America’s four major professional sports. The Boston Bruins, which celebrated their centennial season in 2023-24, are the third-oldest active team in the NHL and the oldest in the United States.
At the time of the purchase, the NHL consisted of 18 teams and today has grown to 32 teams. Throughout his tenure, Mr. Jacobs has held numerous leadership roles in the NHL, most notably, being unanimously elected by his peers to be the chairman of the NHL Board of Governors in 2007 – a role that he still holds today.
Mr. Jacobs’ leadership, passion and vision have contributed to the Boston Bruins thriving on and off the ice. He was awarded the prestigious Lester Patrick Trophy from USA Hockey in 2015 and inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, hockey’s highest
honor, in 2017.
Chairman’s milestone celebrated in The Hockey News
The Hockey News, the most recognized and prestigious hockey publication in North America, also celebrated the chairman’s half-century of Boston Bruins ownership with a comprehensive feature story that included a lengthy interview in question-and-answer (Q&A) format.
The eight-page feature on Mr. Jacobs appeared in the publication’s free 2025 Money and Power issue, which includes a listing of “The Top 100 People of Power & Influence in Hockey.” He was ranked No. 4. Headlined, “50 Years on Top,” the introductory story by writer Ryan Kennedy begins by noting the ownership milestone in 2025 and that “during that span, the Hall of Fame ‘Builder’ has made a mark on the sports business world that few can match. Mr. Jacobs is chairman of the NHL board of governors and a trusted voice for commissioner Gary Bettman.”
The story chronicles the $10 million purchase of the team and famed Boston Garden in 1975 in the context of Mr. Jacobs being a relatively young CEO of the company started by his father and uncles in Buffalo that would later be known as Delaware North. It includes a summary of the company’s history prior to the Bruins acquisition, as well as the Jacobs family’s previous ownership of the Syracuse Stars – later becoming the Buffalo Bisons – of the American Hockey League.
The company’s growth is a key focus, especially how it blossomed under Mr. Jacobs’ leadership.
“But that initial foray into ballpark concessions snowballed into a mega-company that has sprawled over generations and the stewardship of one of sports’ most iconic franchises. While Jacobs isn’t done yet, he can comfortably know that, whenever he decides to step back entirely from his many ventures, he will undoubtedly have made a mark on the city of Boston and the sporting world as a whole. It’s a big year for the Bruins and, by extension, the man who has shepherded them through half of their NHL history,” the story ends.
The interview by Graeme Roustan, owner and publisher of The Hockey News, goes into more depth on Mr. Jacobs’ long history as owner of the Bruins and his working relationship with Bettman. He talks about his family’s pride in ownership of the team and the 1995 opening and ongoing investment in TD Garden.
Asked about what he would like Bruins fans to know, Mr. Jacobs said: “I think that when my son (Charlie Jacobs) got there, he saw a need. He saw a direction. He saw it, and he got it done. I think it has done everything to flatter the community, to flatter the game and to serve the pride of the people that live there. They’ve got a terrific arena and a terrific sport. It’s really attractive and a compliment to the community and to the fact that we’ve got people that we really appreciate. We love our fans. They’re great.”