#002 Neil Neukam - Toledo Walleye

Executive Vice President & General Manager of the Toledo Walleye Neil Neukam joins host Brad Rieger to discuss his time with the organization, the success of the Walleye, and a more how the team focuses on the fan experience.

Transcript

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Brad Rieger 0:12

Welcome everyone. I'm Brad Rieger, and this is Holy Tweedle Sports Edition. And this is where we take you behind the scenes and highlight people who make it happen for the Twedo Walleye and Twido Mudhead. And today we are going to speak to and get to know the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Twitter Walleye, Neil Newcomb. Neil, thank you for joining us here. Brad, thanks for having me. So you've been doing this, uh, you've been leading the walleye since 2015. Uh, twice you were selected uh the executive of the year for the ECHL, a really tremendous honor. But you started here 30 years ago as an intern with the Mudheads. How did that road, what road brought you to the Mudheads?

Neil Neukam 0:58

Um, it was an interesting path uh to say the least. I was uh undergrad uh doing studies at the University of Toledo, and um at the time really wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do, and I was kind of all over the path and uh um just unsure. And at one moment in time I was looking to maybe be an accountant and go into accounting and and and business and things of that nature, and then uh realized that maybe that wasn't something for me, and uh ended up where it kind of took some time to reflect and you know, what is it that I enjoy doing? And uh and part of that was sports, you know. I always grew up uh, you know, whether it was playing sports, especially as a kid, to you know, collecting the baseball cards and the sports cards, like probably a lot of kids do uh today.

Brad Rieger 1:51

Do you still have your cards? I still do have them.

Neil Neukam 1:53

I I still have a lot of them, yes. And um, and I always liked eating, you know, but I'm like, at the time there was no Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut at the time. There was no major league eating that was happening. So I I thought maybe this sports thing might be something that that would that would work for me. And um, so I remember um uh talking, you know, with my parents, and my dad at the time thought maybe I was a little crazy, um, that nobody's gonna get a job in sports unless you're a you know legitimate former athlete. And that was his mindset. And, you know, I think at that age, probably like any other kid or young person where you know you had to prove your parents wrong, you know, it's like no, there he doesn't know what he's talking about. And so I um I really started to um pursue opportunities that that were in the region. Uh for me uh at that point in my life, the reality was um really Toledo uh bowling green in this area through here in Northwest Ohio. Uh I didn't I wasn't gonna have the luxury to just get up and and go anywhere in the United States. So I tried to take advantage of that uh and and at that time. So um I did an internship with the uh Toledo Storm, which was the uh you know the hockey team previous, previous to the walleye at the old sports arena. So I spent a season over there, um, didn't really know much about hockey. Um, I don't think at that moment in time the the storm management really knew a whole lot about hockey either, but it wasn't about that. It was about just getting my feet wet, get my foot in the door, network, meet some people. And then probably after about eight, nine months of doing that, um, ended up going to Raceway Park, which was the harness racing uh facility over the sports arena to Raceway Park. Yeah, it just gets better and better. And uh was over at Raceway Park, didn't know a lick about horse racing, um, learned a lot um about it, and um but just wasn't it wasn't my cup of tea. Um, but at the end of the day, once again, it was about building the resume, it was about meeting people, networking, getting that experience. So I became a senior um at Toledo, and in my mind, I had one more opportunity before graduation. And to me, that was the the the granddaddy of them all type of thing, at least in our region, and that was the Mudheads. And turns out that uh gentleman at the storm who I worked with, his brother was the media relations director for the Toledo Mudheads. So I'd asked him, would he put a good word in for me with his brother at the Mudheads? Realizing at the end of the day, I still had to go sell myself. You know, I didn't expect that I was just gonna be able to walk in and just do this. So I remember going in, um, it was November of 92, and I walk in, and I'm in a freezing box office at Skeldon Stadium there in Maumee. And I sat down with a gentleman across the table from me, and he holds up a picture of Muddy the Mudhead, and he goes, Do you know who this is? And I'm like, Absolutely, as Muddy the Mudhead. Now, keeping in mind, Muddy the Mud Hen at that time was a different version than what we're accustomed to today. And so he asked me, he goes, Neil, would you dress up as Muddy the Mudhead? And I knew I had really two options, yes or no. Um, didn't necessarily want to say yes, but I also knew it was in my best interest to say yes. So I was like, Yes, I would dress up as Muddy the Mud Hen. And he stood up, he shook my hand, he said, Neil, that's all I needed to hear. Um, because so-and-so put in a good word for you. Um, you come highly recommended, but I just wanted to hear that part of it to know that you're a team player, basically, and we will see you come the new year in January of '93. And I was like, great. And I started right after the new year in January of '93, uh, selling tickets, just trying to convince people to come to Mudheads games at Skelton Stadium. I thought that was going to be an easy thing. And I learned quickly that it wasn't as easy as I thought, because I just assumed everybody loved baseball and the Mudheads as much as I did at the time. Um, but that wasn't the case. And then on a side note, I was muddy probably three or four weeks later, my first appearance at a uh a fast food restaurant over on uh uh on the east side, and then uh a pizzeria that no longer exists over in the room. So the resume is complete. Yeah, yeah. So um so quickly I was I was muddy at that time. That's awesome.

Brad Rieger 6:52

Yeah. Uh give us an idea, your current duties, uh, what those responsibilities are.

Neil Neukam 6:58

So really, I mean, as in my role, it's it's it's really about more on the business side than it is, say, the player side of things. Uh yeah, I think minor league sports in general is that way. So people do have maybe a misconception that they think, oh, you're the general manager of the of the hockey team or the baseball team or anything of that nature. They think we're involved with all the day-to-day responsibilities as it is around the locker room. And that's not necessarily the case. So, you know, we're really more in involved on the business side of, you know, keeping the doors open, you know, to uh uh keep people employed um and really from the business perspective. So in that regard, you know, we always talk about the, you know, just like any other business, you know, we're here to generate revenue and and to uh pay our bills and to pay people who work here. So we really focus on uh those areas. So ticket sales is obviously the top dog of it all. I mean, everything evolves around ticket sales. Um uh so ticket sales to merchandise sales to sponsorships to food and beverage. Though those are our four key areas that we tend to focus on. So I try to put all you know most of my attention towards that.

Brad Rieger 8:16

What's the most enjoyable part of your job, Neil?

Neil Neukam 8:19

Um, the most enjoyable part, I would say I probably find the most joy for me is probably on game nights and and and actually being able to see all the effort that so many people put into that experience and and to put on a walleye game or even a mudheens game to see that all come together and then really to see how the community rallies around both teams. And um, and I think the beauty of sports, and and whether that's walleye or the mud hens or any other team, um, it's really a neat to me, it's really a neat thing to be able to see the community and people come together for two, three hours. Um, and for that that moment in time, we're we're we're all like one. You know, we're all regardless of what's going on outside the ballpark or outside the hockey arena, for that two to three hour window, we're all fans. We're all and it makes no difference about anything else. We're just we're all there to root on the walleye, we're all there to root on the mud hens. Uh, and there's something really neat about that, and something beautiful about that when you really think about it.

Brad Rieger 9:32

Headaches are all part of every job. What's a what's a challenge you face?

Neil Neukam 9:36

Uh the challenge challenges, I don't know if they're necessarily challenges as much sometimes as things that you you tend to think about a lot. So on the hockey side, um yeah, I can pull in for a game night and I pull into the park, and one of the first things I'm that hits me or I'm worried about is the visiting team there, you know. And uh uh, you know, if I can pull in and see that visiting bus in the back of the park, you know, the back of the arena, I'm feeling pretty good, you know, at least to start the night, because uh uh without the other team, you don't play, right? To have a game. Yeah, and then to have you know 8,000 people on a given night, they're all waiting to watch this game. You really cross your fingers that that bus is there and the referees are there and everybody can show up. Uh it's not always easy to reschedule those games uh on the hockey side just based on the schedule. So those are things like that that that kind of concern me. Um, you know, I just you go to a hockey game, you you're just hoping for a good outcome. Uh, you don't want to see players get hurt, players get injured, whether home or away. Uh, you know, you worry about those type of things. Uh uh, you worry about people just having a good time. You you want folks to behave, you want people to come out and have fun, um but but do it you know responsibly. Um I would say probably the other challenge sometimes is um I think social media, which is something I didn't have 30 years ago. Um, when we go back to Skeldon days, um you just wish a lot of times people who want to share their thoughts and opinions, you wish many times they'd just come and talk to you about certain things. We're all human and we all make mistakes. Um, and when we make mistakes, yeah, call us out on it. But sometimes I wish they'd just come and actually speak to me or speak to folks on our staff, as opposed to just sitting behind their keyboard and typing their messages, and it just ignites and and you know, it's gaslighting things, and it's just a lot of times we can take care of certain issues if we just talk about it.

Brad Rieger 11:59

Sure, yeah. Neil, uh the walleye are part of a feeder system. Can you just generally explain how that works? How the walleye fit in with the griffins and the red wings?

Neil Neukam 12:09

Yeah, so as I assume a lot of people know, the the wing uh the the walleye are the double-A affiliate for the Red Wings. So um, just as the Mudhens are triple A affiliate for the Tigers, um the walleye are just two steps away. So players that are here in Toledo, uh, their next step if they advance in their playing is to go to Grand Rapids, which would be the equivalent to say the Mudhens, uh kind of the AAA, uh, but they are the American Hockey League, the AHL. And then if they continue to progress and they go to Detroit, you know, hopefully, uh, or the NHL, you know, maybe it's not Detroit, but it could be another NHL club. So our affiliation there in that regards, um, it's kind of two-pronged. So we do have players that will get assigned to us from Detroit. We kind of call it Detroit slash Grand Rapids. Um, so we'll get players who get assigned to us from those two teams. Uh, that can vary from year to year, um, just depends on the needs and the players that perhaps Detroit and Grand Rapids maybe might still be grooming, or players they want to maybe play a little bit more that maybe they're not gonna get the playing time um in Grand Rapids.

Brad Rieger 13:29

So they want them to develop coach the coach level, or is it a is a level between the coach and you that's no, it's it's typically good typically gonna be from the coaching staff in that regard.

Neil Neukam 13:40

And then um, so we again that number could vary from year to year. Um, and then any balance of players uh on the roster that are not contracted players from Detroit and Grand Rapids, then they are walleye contracted players. Okay so uh in this case, uh Coach Mikish and his staff will go out and recruit players and will sign players to contracts to balance that roster um based around the players that are assigned to us. Right.

Brad Rieger 14:11

And they're given a budget and they know how to how to manage that.

Neil Neukam 14:15

Yes, so the ECHL does have a uh a weekly budget that all teams uh are to abide to. Uh the ECHL is basically um, as they call themselves, a developmental league. So this is all about developing players, perhaps giving guys an opportunity that may have gotten passed over, um, maybe could have gotten injured, maybe there's something there that maybe didn't get them, you know, a first look. Right. So it gives these guys an opportunity there to to maybe kind of hang on or give another opportunity for them to be able to achieve that dream of playing at the AHL, the NHL level.

Brad Rieger 14:54

Let's let's touch upon something that's near and dear to your heart, and that's the fan experience. Yes. And then for you and for everyone on the walleye team, um what what is really important about that customer experience? What goes into it to make sure it's a fun experience for the fans?

Neil Neukam 15:11

Well, I think we I think we do a good job of realizing um internally that whether it's you, Brad, or anybody who could be watching or listening to this, that there are so many different opportunities for people to spend their time and to spend their money. And uh, but why why the need to go to a Mudheens game or a walleye game in this case? Um because you have so many different things and so many different places to go and and and things to do. So for us, it's very important to create that experience that we can't control what goes on the ice, you know, we can't control necessarily the outcome and the wins and losses, um, but we can control all the other stuff, you know, that that goes on that creates that experience for you. So we really try to work hard to whether that's promotions to giveaways to um just the atmosphere to the music to um, you know, just any of your touch points that you have when you come to the arena uh to watch a game. And it's important for us to to hit all cylinders on those. And uh and again, like I said earlier, we realize that we may not always do it right and we may stumble here and there. And when we do, we we try to recover and fix those those mistakes that that can happen. Um, but it's it's so important for us because at the end of the day, people could go do so many other things in our community.

Brad Rieger 16:38

And the Huntington Center is just a first class facility. The design aspects were really thought out. What part of the Huntington Center really resonates with you?

Neil Neukam 16:50

Oh, that's a great question. Um what part really resonates with me? I would say um there's probably two things. One, uh, well, maybe a few. I think one is something that you know fans don't necessarily get to see. And it's the layout of the locker room area. I I think is uh uh we owe a lot of that to Nick Fatusi, who was the you know original coach of the of the walleye, uh who came over from the storm days. And Nick was really helpful in designing the locker room in a way um that really works well um for the team. And um and you'd have to go in to see it to understand and appreciate it. But uh that's an area I think is um is to me, I think is a neat, neat setup. Um, I think upstairs on the club level, uh, you know, we we left the one end open, which was I to me was kind of a nod, even to the ballpark, um, the way it's set up um with the press box area at fifth third, where um you know you have open views of the ballpark and the field. So we opened that area up on the club level as well to kind of mimic that, to be able to look down on the ice. So we we have a lot of party space up there where a lot of the old venues and facilities and and barns, as people like to call the the old hockey venues, they weren't thought of that way, you know, 30, 40, 50 years ago. Um, so we can entertain and do a lot of things like that with you know companies and groups and outings of that nature. Um, the fact that, you know, we actually have two uh stores um for merchandise, again, something that wasn't thought of 40, 50 years ago. So you go into some of those venues that are still standing and still being used today, and a lot of times they're selling merchandise over an eight-foot table. Right. You know, here you can actually go in and experience uh that shop, have that shopping experience and touch the merchandise and you know, and get up close to it. Um, but then I think one other aspect I think is really neat and unique for Toledo is probably the horn, you know, at the games. Um, a lot of venues, you know, a lot of that stuff is piped in, you know, electronically, and it's just a sound effect that is point and click on your computer, and that's it. And in this case, there if you haven't noticed it or you you don't think about it, there is a horn that's up in the rafters that came from the uh the Willisby Boyer uh that was donated to us, and we refabricated it. And that when there is a goal, I mean that baby reverberates throughout the building. You hear it outside the building. I mean, I've been outside the arena when the goal is scored, and and you know what just happened.

Brad Rieger 19:44

So that that to me is probably a signature piece to our Great Lakes, right? Yeah, absolutely to the Great Lakes. Absolutely for sure. Yeah, all right. Last one here, Neil. This is gonna be a hard one for you. Your most memorable walleye game for you personally.

Neil Neukam 20:02

Um most memorable, but with the least desired outcome, to be honest, is the playoffs. And forgive me, the I don't remember the exact year. I'd have to go back and look at the years, they all kind of run together. But we made it to uh to the finals there, I'm sorry, the uh conference finals that year against South Carolina and um game seven, and game seven's in Toledo and uh triple overtime and the game was scoreless until South Carolina unfortunately got the the winning goal with the electricity and the excitement throughout that entire game. I I I honestly I don't think I'll ever forget that. Again, it wasn't the outcome that we wanted, but what a neat atmosphere that was. I mean, every shot on goal was just like you know, and it was just it was just a very memorable game. A lot of memorable players and and personalities over the years, but from an actual game, uh, that is probably the one that I just just remember. It's the first one that comes to mind. I mean, I'm no, I know there's others, but that's the one that kind of comes to me right away.

Brad Rieger 21:22

Well, Neil, this has been great. Really appreciate you sharing kind of a glimpse behind the scenes of your role and your perspective on the on the walleye. And thank you for your leadership and your team's leadership and making it a great experience for players, coaches, fans, and the community. You're really a great asset to our community. So thank you for being here. Come back and see us again. Thanks, Brad. Thanks for having me. Thank you for joining us, and we'll see you next time.