The ownership group bringing an NHL team to the city of Seattle will be hosting a press conference tomorrow morning where they will announce that former Chief Operating Officer of the National Football league Tod Leiweke is set to take a position as Seattle Hockey Partners Team President.
Over the last 20 years, he has made a large impact in the hockey world and boasts a resume that also includes the Vancouver Canucks, Minnesota Wild, and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Leiweke, whose brother Tim has played a major role in bringing a team to the region, had previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of Tampa Bay Sports and Entertainment at Lightning Hockey LP — managing all business operations. During his tenure, the team progressed from non-contender to Stanley Cup Finalist in his final year.
“The 2015 ESPN Ultimate Sports Standings ranked the Lightning 3rd for Overall Best Franchise of all 127 professional teams in North America,” reads his Sloan Sports Conference bio, an industry forum dedicated to increasing the role of analytics in the sports industry. “It also ranked the Lightning 1st among NHL teams.”
Residents of the Pacific Northwest may recognize the name from his time spent as the Chief Executive Officer of the Seattle Sounders FC — where he redefined the MLS model — and Seattle Seahawks, the main backer in hiring coach Pete Carroll.
“He is quite simply the most successful sports executive that this city has ever known,” wrote Danny O’Neil, Seahawks Insider for 710 ESPN Seattle. “In fact, anyone interested in hockey should be doing cartwheels because there’s no one in Seattle sports history whose touch has been as golden as Leiweke when it comes to building successful franchises.”
Leiweke will present his vision for the franchise tomorrow morning at 10:30.
Comments
Hopefully that vision includes a team name/contest reveal.
By FlannelBacon on 04.10.18 6:06pm
i doubt we'll know before the team is officially granted by the NHL
By gstommylee on 04.10.18 6:30pm
I know, I just wish it would happen at some point this year so we can move on to more constructive topics.
By FlannelBacon on 04.10.18 10:19pm
maybe this summer
is when they’ll (the NHL) make the announcement. My guess is they might put it off until next year, do whatever due diligence they need to do. No real rush from the NHL side as it’s going to be awhile before the building is ready.
By Todd Little on 04.11.18 5:49am
why wait that long
The longer the wait from the NHL the less time Seattle has to get the team rooted into the market.
If they wait till next year then its summer of 2019. What’s left for them in regards to due diligence? They know the arena is going to be sold out. We are not running on the same timeline as Vegas.
By gstommylee on 04.11.18 7:23am
I'd say *likely* this summer and far less likely summer of 2019.
There may be no "real rush," but you know the NHL wants to keep the momentum and excitement going here and having a formal team granted rewards the process that just broke records. It allows planning, building, decisions, etc. I’d say they’ll announce by this summer and would be very surprised it it took until next summer.
By Throbert Bedford on 04.11.18 10:12am
And there you have it. Bonderman just said they expect an "announcement" in June, and then another in September.
By Throbert Bedford on 04.11.18 10:49am
Board meeting in June gives "conditional approval" and September governor meeting for "final decision."
-Bonderman
By Throbert Bedford on 04.11.18 11:01am
I still see this nothing more than a formality
i can see september being the 650m payment has been made and 20-21 is the year the team begins playing.
By gstommylee on 04.11.18 11:16am
Huh? I agree it's a formality.
Still, the league needs to meet and vote. I was simply relaying what Bonderman said this morning. They expect conditional approval in June, contrary to some people who think it won’t happen until 2019.
By Throbert Bedford on 04.11.18 11:40am
faster the better
but the NHL tends to move slow sometimes is all I was trying to say. Final approval in September sounds good to me. Make it 32!
By Todd Little on 04.12.18 7:32am
I think the final EIS approval is probably in play
what is the projection date?
By Jeff - j1012 on 04.12.18 7:55am
...September...
By Taylor Bartle on 04.12.18 8:29am
which make complete sense for NHL final approval
By Jeff - j1012 on 04.12.18 10:40am
Yup...
The NHL isn’t going to grant final approval until the city approves the arena.
By ksmith1984 on 04.12.18 3:48pm
Technically the city already as
its just waiting till OVG has the permits in order to start construction that the league is waiting for.
By gstommylee on 04.12.18 3:56pm
Kraken
Because.
Kraken.
By Chris Meirose on 04.10.18 7:28pm
Flagged
Because. Kracken…. hahaha
By hughc5 on 04.10.18 8:12pm
because not
PILOTS
By Jeff - j1012 on 04.11.18 10:09am
10000x better
Pilots
Mammoths
By Throbert Bedford on 04.11.18 10:17am
Please please please no Kraken
Are you guys writing that in sarcastic font? The joke has gone on long enough, I can’t tell if people are serious. I’d be pretty apprehensive to follow a team displaying a giant squid as they go up against all of the storied franchises of the NHL.
By 206er on 04.11.18 10:33am
I hate the name. I never support it. Pilots/Mammoths
By Throbert Bedford on 04.11.18 10:50am
I dig Pilots also
Tactfully, a modernized Metropolitans seems like best option. Hang a banner for 1917 and use that awesome "S" logo. Just awesome.
Other than that, I think Pilots is as good a name as any. (Also like: Totems & Sockeyes)
By 206er on 04.11.18 11:07am
Yep, banner and S logo sounds great.
Highly unlikely they’ll be named Metropolitans, though. I heard that from someone senior enough that I’d be thoroughly surprised if that’s the name.
By Throbert Bedford on 04.11.18 11:39am
That's too bad
Meh, lots of other good options (Totems, Pilots, Steelheads). Sounds like we won’t know until September.
By 206er on 04.11.18 12:36pm