Arizona Coyotes hire Nick Sakiewicz as club’s first CBO
Photo: Candice Ward
It didn’t take long for former National Lacrosse League Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz to find a new gig.
Earlier today, the National Hockey League’s Arizona Coyotes announced the addition of Sakiewicz as the team’s first Chief Business Officer.
Sakiewicz departed as lacrosse’s league leader on February 23rd. “My decision to leave now is a personal one,” he said on the day of his somewhat unexpected mid-season exit. “The goals I had set out when I came to the NLL from soccer have been met, and it is time for me to pursue a new, exciting and different global opportunity as my next challenge.”
As reported on last week, Sakiewicz had been linked to the Coyotes just says after departing as the NLL’s commish. His services were surely in demand due to his past success in facilitating stadium builds in New Jersey & Philadelphia while serving in executive roles within Major League Soccer.
Why?
The Coyotes are currently in a sticky situation while attempting to get a new arena approved and built in Tempe, Arizona. The NHL club will be playing at least their next few seasons at Arizona State University’s new multi-purpose area, sized to seat just 5,000 fans, while their hopeful new home gets addressed and assembled.
"Whether he is overseeing sports franchises, developing financing plans or supervising the construction of world-class stadiums, Nick Sakiewicz is a uniquely talented individual with a diverse set of skills that make him perfectly suited to take the Coyotes to the next level," said Xavier A. Gutierrez, the Coyotes' President & CEO, in today’s announcement.
“Tempe is a fantastic location at the very heart of Maricopa County, and I could not be more thrilled to join them at this exciting moment,” Sakiewicz said. “I cannot wait to play my part in trying to make that vision a reality.”
The NLL had confirmed that Sakiewicz would continue with the league in an advisory role until June 30th of this year. NLL Deputy Commissioner, Jessica Berman, has taken over Sakiewicz’s duties while the league searches for their next leader.
The Coyotes once owned an NLL franchise, the Arizona Sting, who were active from 2004 to 2007. While the team had significant success on the floor, the Sting regularly struggled to attract fans, ultimately leaving the league to further focus on improving the crumbling Coyotes franchise. Nearly 15 years later, the NHL club will now look to a former NLL leader to solve their endless search for stability.