On Tuesday, Feb. 14, Comcast Spectacor announced that Daniel J. Hilferty has joined the company as its new CEO.

In his new role, Hilferty will partner with Chairman Dave Scott and Valerie Camillo, President & CEO of Spectacor Sports & Entertainment, on managing its portfolio and driving its growth. 

“It’s an honor to have this opportunity to be a part of Comcast Spectacor,” said Hilferty in a statement.

He comes to Comcast Spectacor after leading Philadelphia’s successful bid to be a host city for the FIFA World Cup in 2026. He also continues to serve as Chairman of the Board of Philadelphia Soccer 2026.

Hilferty is so stranger to Philadelphia, having deep roots in the city as a highly distinguished CEO. 

In 2010, he was named CEO of Independence Blue Cross — one of the nation’s leading health insurers — a role he held for a decade until retiring at the end of 2020. 

During his tenure with Independence Health Group, Hilferty established himself as one of the city’s leading innovative minds. 

His innovation was so highly touted that 11 months after his retirement, Independence Blue Cross renamed its state-of-the-art Center for Innovation the Daniel J. Hilferty Center for Innovation. 

He has also held many other leadership positions throughout his career, including serving as President and CEO of AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies, and as Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at Mercy Health Corporation.

The team currently has a 22-23-10 record and stands 7th in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race. 

In addition to these newer roles, Hilferty also serves as lead Independent Director of Essential Utilities and Chair of Healthpilot and Philadelphia Soccer 2026, and is also on the Board of FS Investments Credit Income Fund.

He graduated from Saint Joseph’s University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting before earning a master’s degree in public administration from American University.