MAR 13, 2012 PROGRAM:
The State of Hockey
He oversees the day-to-day business operations of the organization and also serves as the team’s Governor at NHL Board of Governors’ meetings. The NHL’s Board of Governors officially apĀproved Leipold’s purchase of MSE on April 10, 2008.
Under Leipold’s ownership, the Wild is dedicated to building a Stanley Cup contending franchise, playing an important role in the community through service initiatives, providing a fun and entertaining game-night experience and building strong relationships with its fans and corporate partners.
A resident of Racine, Wis., Leipold completed the sale of the Nashville Predators to a local ownership group on December 7, 2007, a team he owned since the expansion franchise was awarded to Nashville in 1997.
During his time as an NHL owner, Leipold has been a tireless advocate for the professional hockey industry. Appointed by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Leipold serves on both the League’s Executive committee and Audit committee.
Steadfast in his belief that a new collective-bargaining agreement needed to give smaller markets like Nashville a chance to succeed economically and on the ice, he was a member of the League committee that negotiated the CBA with the NHL Players’ Association in 2005. He is also a strong advocate for the new, more “fan-friendly” NHL, including the rule changes to promote a more entertaining competition and increased fan access to the product.