NHL COO John Collins, one of the "key catalysts in spearheading the swelling of NHL revenues" to about $4B per year, is leaving the league "to pursue a new business opportunity," according to Mike Zeisberger of the TORONTO SUN. Collins had been COO since August '08 after joining the league in November '06, and "under his guidance, he turned the Winter Classic into an annual must-watch event." He was somebody who "thought outside the box and was always kicking tires on new revenue streams." Collins "has been responsible for the NHL’s partnerships" with MLBAM, GoPro and adidas. He also "was a driving force in getting television megadeals done with Rogers in Canada and NBC in the U.S." His departure is a "significant blow for the league" (TORONTO SUN, 11/25). The GLOBE & MAIL's Eric Duhatschek cites sources as saying that Collins "informed the league of his decision this past Friday and will unveil his new venture this coming Monday, one that was characterized as staying in the general sphere of sports -- not necessarily hockey-related, but it could have a hockey component in it." His departure "leaves a significant void in the league hierarchy, but it was not completely unexpected, given his entrepreneurial bent and his desire to be his own boss" (GLOBE & MAIL, 11/25).
SIMPLY THE BEST: YAHOO SPORTS' Josh Cooper wrote Collins was a "vital part in the NHL’s upward business path" since the '04-05 lockout. He also "helped with the media side of the league, pushing for all-access shows" on HBO and Epix prior to the Winter Classic and Stadium Series games. Collins was an "important cog in the NHL’s push to restart the World Cup of Hockey as well as the league’s addition of 'enhanced' stats to its website." The league "did not immediately name a successor for Collins, but it will likely be an important hire for the NHL to continue the financial and brand growth it exhibited under Collins" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/24). SPORTSNET.ca's Chris Johnston wrote Collins' decision "leaves a massive hole in the industry," and it "will probably be a long while before it is patched over." Collins "was a progressive voice inside an organization that has been decidedly conservative for nearly 100 years." It is "hard to imagine anyone having the kind of impact on the NHL that Collins did." The game is a "little smaller without him in it -- at least right now." Collins "may not have been the biggest name in the industry, but no one cast a bigger shadow" (SPORTSNET.ca, 11/24).
