In our continuing series, SportsBusiness Daily/SportsBusiness Journal asks top sports personalities for their thoughts, ideas, aspirations and likes. Today, NHL Kings President of Business Operations LUC ROBITAILLE.
What I Like...
An influential person in my career: TIM LEIWEKE.
Who I like: DAVID O'CONNOR of CAA.
A timeless idea: The customer always comes first.
A business deal: The naming-rights deal for Farmers Field before ground was broken.
A sports facility: The Olympic ski facility -- Utah Olympic Park -- in Park City, Utah.
A strategy: The vision of downtown Los Angeles.
A hire: JOHN COLLINS as NHL chief operating officer.
A brand: Four Seasons.
An innovation: Internet access on airplanes.
A story that bears watching: NBA lockout.
An idea or invention I wish I had thought of: Composite hockey stick.
A fantasy job: Hiking guide in Hawaii.
What I Like About… My job: Feeling the passion of the people who work around me every day.
Sports: It is the greatest form of reality TV.
Sports media: The ability to get instant information.
Sports technology: Skycam, the robotic camera that runs on a cable used for national TV broadcasts.
Competing: I liked it as a player and now, in my role today, I still love the thrill of competition.
The future (or direction) of sports business: The quest to find new, incremental streams of revenue.
Sports fans: Unwavering loyalty and passion for their team.
What I Would Like To … Change: Negativity on the whole.
See more of in sports: That the general public could have a better understanding of what a professional athlete goes through on a daily basis.
See more of in sports business: Clubs working together for the good of the league.
See less of in sports: Head injuries.
See less of in sports business: Egos.
Eliminate: Conversations on e-mail -- pick up the phone.
What I Don’t Like...
Pet peeve: People who don’t offer solutions.
In business: Dishonesty.
About sports fans: The potential for “unsportsmanlike conduct” in the stands.
What I Like…
People: Honesty.
That would surprise those who know me: I am a cycling enthusiast.
Above all else: My family.
Heroes: JOHN WOODEN, MAURICE “ROCKET” RICHARD and JOE MONTANA.
Players: WAYNE GRETZKY, JOE SAKIC, STEVE YZERMAN and ROB BLAKE
Teams: Kings (obviously) and the New York Yankees.
Cities: Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.
Possession: My 2002 Stanley Cup ring.
Memento: Hand-written letters from Maurice Richard and PHIL ESPOSITO.
Time of year (because): Winter -- it’s time for hockey.
Books: “Many Lives, Many Masters,” “Outliers,” and “Good to Great.”
Magazine: Forbes.
Websites: LAKings.com and TSN.ca.
Gadget: iPad.
IPad apps: Flipboard, MyFitnessPal.
Chores: Feeding my dogs.
Hobby: Hiking.
Trips: Traveling across the U.S. in a motor home/RV.
Movies: “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Goodfellas,” and the new movie called “The Help.”
TV: “The Vampire Diaries” (my son’s show).
Concerts: DAMIEN RICE.
Artists: DAVID GARIBALDI and AMEDEO MODIGLIANI
Food: Sushi.
Dessert: Sugar pie (popular in Quebec).
Drink: Venti coffee.
Scent: My wife’s perfume -- Chanel No. 5.
Vacation spots: Hawaii.
Singer: JESSARAE (my son).
Quote: “He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.” -- Chinese proverb.
