Power Plays: Finance Insights from Florida Panther’s NHL CFO | James Suh

If you like sports, you might say James Suh has one of the coolest jobs in the world. After 11 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, James became CFO of the NHL’s Florida Panthers.. And what a first year he had, as the Panthers went from barely making the playoffs to the Stanley Cup finals! 

In this episode, James gives us an inside look at what goes into finance operations for a sports team, and what it was like to lead those operations for an underdog in a breakout year. His experiences offer valuable lessons in strategic planning, underscoring the importance of knowing your market, and prioritizing long-term growth and profitability over quick sales streams. 

Discussed in This Episode:

• Understanding the finances of a hockey franchise
• The many streams of revenue in an NHL franchise, and how those differ from team to team
• Scenario modeling in an industry and market that are both highly unpredictable
• The impact fan behavior has on budgeting and revenue forecasting
• How winning impacts work culture, revenues, and operations

Episode Resources

• How Professional Sports Teams Can Plan for More Profitable Fan Experiences
• The Most Valuable Sports Teams in North America and How They Plan for Profitability
• Richest Premier League Clubs and How They Plan for Profitability
• The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter (James Suh’s Book Recommendation)