Larry Needle

Larry is now in his 32nd year as executive director of PHL Sports, a division of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), which attracts major sporting events to the region. Larry’s primary role is to pursue bids for future sporting events and to facilitate their implementation in Philadelphia.

Under Larry’s leadership, PHL Sports -- working in partnership with the City and area pro teams, universities and venues -- has attracted many premier events to Philadelphia. These include WrestleMania, the NFL Draft, multiple NCAA Championships, the ESPN X Games, the NBA, MLB and NHL All-Star Games and the Army-Navy Game.

In 2026, the city has hosted an incredible slate of events including the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, PGA Championship, FIFA World Cup and the Major League Baseball All-Star Game against the backdrop of the nation’s 250th birthday celebration.

In 2013, Larry authored a children’s book, Homecourt, based on the life of Red Klotz and the legendary Philadelphia SPHAS basketball team.

Larry is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a B.A. in Journalism. He currently resides in Merion Station, PA with his wife, Amy, and they have two sons, Eli and Seth.