John Roth Named COO of PSE and The Sabres

[Sabres Fan in NS]

16 minutes ago, sabresparaavida said:

Chief operations officer. 

What exactly does a COO do ??

It seems like it's just made up to pad the executive levels of organizations.

[Porous Five Hole]

6 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

What exactly does a COO do ??

It seems like it's just made up to pad the executive levels of organizations.

Roth will report to ownership and assumes control of the Sabres’ day-to-day business operations after spending the past 24 years at Fidelity Investments.

“Over the past 12 years of knowing and working with John, he has continuously shown exemplary leadership traits and I am thrilled to officially welcome him to our organization,” Terry Pegula said in a statement. “He brings to the table a vast wealth of knowledge and business experience that will greatly benefit both PSE and the Sabres.”

He’s the new head honcho for anything not hockey department related. 

[JohninMinn.]

Sign Patrick Kane.

[That Aud Smell]

13 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

What exactly does a COO do ??

It seems like it's just made up to pad the executive levels of organizations.

COO roles vary widely. In my experience, the role tends to proceed from that person's strengths and background. New COO cut her teeth in sales? She's probably focused more on the sales side of things. New COO is a CPA? They may be spending a lot of time facilitating comms between the CFO and other operational directors. New COO is just a grinding worker bee? They may effectively be the "inside CEO" and thereby allow the actual CEO to be an external face of the company and brand. New COO is an expert with investments and finance? He may, as @Taro T noted, be focused on something like real estate development inside and around the existing arena.

That is not how it is, in my experience. Private for-profit ventures - being as concerned as they are with making money - do not, as a rule, accumulate meaningless C-level officers.

Edited January 18, 2023 by That Aud Smell

[LGR4GM]

13 hours ago, JohninMinn. said:

Sign Patrick Kane.

no

[inkman]

14 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

He looks awefully young to be that bald.

What in the blazes is a *COO* and why do the Sabres need one ??

I started shaving my head at 29. I wasn’t completely bald or even significantly.  I just didn’t want to look like George Costanza in my early 30s.  So I shaved it down to get ahead of the curve.  I’m guessing Roth followed a similar path.  Take control of your hair situation dudes! 

[msw2112]

Adams will run the hockey side.  Scouting and signing players, signing and managing coaches, draft prep, hockey analytics, etc.  I assume that Roth will run the business side.  Marketing, advertising, lease negotiations with the city and county, managing arena improvements, TV contracts (with MSG or other), food and merchandise vendors, HR, payroll, tax/finance, legal, IT, etc.  There are many aspects to running a business (including a professional sports business) that are separate from the hockey operations and it makes sense to separate them.  Problems arise when you have someone from the operations side participating on the hockey/sports side (see Brandon, Russ) and the guys on the hockey/sports side should focus on their side of the house.  Kevyn Adams does not and should not be spending his time negotiating with food vendors, making sure the marketing, IT, Legal, HR, tax/finance, etc. departments are running properly.

Edited January 18, 2023 by msw2112

[pi2000]

Ugh, a financial guy?   

Bad sign... typically they bring these guys in when they're preparing the team to be sold.   

Hope that's not the case here.

[Porous Five Hole]

2 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Ugh, a financial guy?   

Bad sign... typically they bring these guys in when they're preparing the team to be sold.   

Hope that's not the case here.

Or they need to have someone run the team since Kim isn’t well. I wouldn’t worry about a sale. Terry doesn’t need the money. 

[dudacek]

Oh my god, this thread is hilarious.

Kim’s illness has left a vaccuum at the top of the business side for an extended period.

This guy is filling the gap.

Why does it need to be anything more?

[Pimlach]

4 hours ago, pi2000 said:

Ugh, a financial guy?   

Bad sign... typically they bring these guys in when they're preparing the team to be sold.   

Hope that's not the case here.

Not always because of a sale.  Recall that Adams started as a coach under Lindy, got fired by Rolston, later got re-hired by Pegula as the Sr VP of Business Administration.  Adams we given GM duties when Boterill refused to follow Terry's plans for being "efficient and economic".    Since we are operating at the cap floor I am sure we are still being economic, still not convinced about the efficient part.  

Adams must have too much on his plate, especially with Kim out.  Let this guy take care of Business Operations.   Let the GM run the Hockey Operations.  

Edited January 18, 2023 by Pimlach

[LabattBlue]

6 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Not always because of a sale.  Recall that Adams started as a coach under Lindy, got fired by Rolston, later got re-hired by Pegula as the Sr VP of Business Administration.  Adams we given GM duties when Boterill refused to follow Terry's plans for being "efficient and economic".    Since we are operating at the cap floor I am sure we are still being economic, still not convinced about the efficient part.  

Adams must have to much on his plate, especially with Kim out.  Let this guy take care of Business Operations.   Let the GM run the Hockey Operations.  

IMO Adams had little to do with the business side of the house, even in Kim’s absence.   He is far to busy trying to solve a goaltending problem…even 3 years later. 

[Pimlach]

40 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

IMO Adams had little to do with the business side of the house, even in Kim’s absence.   He is far to busy trying to solve a goaltending problem…even 3 years later. 

Adams should have little to do with it, but it was his job in the past so who do you think is picking up slack? 

There is a reason they hired this COO.  Adams is buried with hockey stuff and Kim is not well.

[LGR4GM]

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

Oh my god, this thread is hilarious.

Kim’s illness has left a vaccuum at the top of the business side for an extended period.

This guy is filling the gap.

Why does it need to be anything more?

Because instead of using any type of logic, a host of posters like to freak out over every move and assume that lurking behind every corner is a new owner moving the team to Texas or Japan or some other random place. It is old and boring, yet again and again whenever they hire someone the same dumb conspiracy theories raise their heads and get spouted ad nauseum. 

[dudacek]

Answers found in this description of how Roth stocked his investment funds:

"He also considered established companies that are out of favor, look attractively valued, and might have a catalyst for improvement."

[Taro T]

22 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Answers found in this description of how Roth stocked his investment funds:

"He also considered established companies that are out of favor, look attractively valued, and might have a catalyst for improvement."

So he's cut his teeth identifying the Buffalo Sabres of the corporate world?

Seems a match made in heaven.  😉

[IKnowPhysics]

5 hours ago, dudacek said:

Oh my god, this thread is hilarious.

Kim’s illness has left a vaccuum at the top of the business side for an extended period.

This guy is filling the gap.

Why does it need to be anything more?

But what about ***** space aliens?