Number of employees in an NHL organization

[Arto Kilponen]

I was wondering that how many people works full-time for a given NHL team, say, St. Louis Blues? I mean, players are pretty self-clarity, but I mean everyone - ticket sellers, fan shop keepers, travelling coordinators and absolutely everyone who gets up in the morning, goes to work and gets their paycheck from Blues (or whatever NHL team happens to be the one that you know the answer for).

 

[powerstuck]

I was wondering that how many people works full-time for a given NHL team, say, St. Louis Blues? I mean, players are pretty self-clarity, but I mean everyone - ticket sellers, fan shop keepers, travelling coordinators and absolutely everyone who gets up in the morning, goes to work and gets their paycheck from Blues (or whatever NHL team happens to be the one that you know the answer for).

I would say that it will highly depend on team by team basics. If you consider a concession worked to be full-time employee (which I doubt is the case) it will vary a lot because arenas vary in size and thus concession numbers.

I honestly am not even sure such a number can be obtained.

 

[LadyStanley]

Hockey ops? Business Ops? Administration? Great differences.

Hockey ops: GM, staff, coaches, trainers, equipment guys, and a little admin. Plus scouts. (Plus AHL level folks if they own team, and/or ECHL team.)


Sharks have often included a list of dozens of folks in their annual media guide. (Like about 60+)

 

[Thrive]

The number will also depend on if the team owns or rents the arena.

 

[kdb209]

I would say that it will highly depend on team by team basics. If you consider a concession worked to be full-time employee (which I doubt is the case) it will vary a lot because arenas vary in size and thus concession numbers.

I honestly am not even sure such a number can be obtained.

Concession workers are generally not employees of the team or the arena manager - they are employees of the concession company (Aramark, Centerplate, etc).

 

[Arto Kilponen]

Well, I'd be interested to hear either of the number, with or without the arena workers.

I don't know how it goes for the others, but at least for Avalanche the team doesn't own the Pepsi Center, but team and Pepsi Center are owned by the same enterprises (KSE) => Arena workers are not team employees.

Also, I don't consider people that gets a dollar or two out of the team to be real workers, I mean that kind of workers who reasonably wouldn't need to work anywhere else (sure, the limit is very loose, I can easily see someone argumenting that an NHL player has to work in commercials too, otherwise he doesn't survive).

 

[sh724]

Well, I'd be interested to hear either of the number, with or without the arena workers.

I don't know how it goes for the others, but at least for Avalanche the team doesn't own the Pepsi Center, but team and Pepsi Center are owned by the same enterprises (KSE) => Arena workers are not team employees.

Also, I don't consider people that gets a dollar or two out of the team to be real workers, I mean that kind of workers who reasonably wouldn't need to work anywhere else (sure, the limit is very loose, I can easily see someone argumenting that an NHL player has to work in commercials too, otherwise he doesn't survive).

NHL players do not need to do commercials or any other kind of extra work to survive. The minimum is currently 525,000. The average salary in the US is about $49,900. If an NHL player needs to do work on the side they are horrible with their money and need to hire a new agent and/or accountant.

 

[ES]

This is some figures which NHL Guide tells:

Owners/Chairman/Governor: 4 persons
Executive staff (President of Hockey Operations, Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, GM, Executive Assistants etc.): 20 persons
Hockey operations (Director of Player personnel, Assistant GM, Scouts, Coaching staff etc.): 14 persons
Scouting: 14 persons
Trainers, Massage Therapist, Equipment staff: 6 persons
Medical personnel: 11 persons
Broadcasting people: 8 persons (not sure if they are employed by team itself)
Marketing: 6 persons
Sponsorship: 4 persons
Ticket sales: 7 persons
Finance: 5 persons
Retail: 2 persons

That gives 101.

 

[Arto Kilponen]

NHL players do not need to do commercials or any other kind of extra work to survive. The minimum is currently 525,000. The average salary in the US is about $49,900. If an NHL player needs to do work on the side they are horrible with their money and need to hire a new agent and/or accountant.

By common sense, no. But have you seen some Allen Iverson (although he is/was an NBA player, it still applies) who splashes millions in jewelry etc. he "has" to work outside playing too, otherwise he just can't afford it.

But yes, I agree with you that the limit should be somewhere around minimum salary, which is paid from 150 hours or so per month.

 

[Arto Kilponen]

This is some figures which NHL Guide tells:

Owners/Chairman/Governor: 4 persons
Executive staff (President of Hockey Operations, Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, GM, Executive Assistants etc.): 20 persons
Hockey operations (Director of Player personnel, Assistant GM, Scouts, Coaching staff etc.): 14 persons
Scouting: 14 persons
Trainers, Massage Therapist, Equipment staff: 6 persons
Medical personnel: 11 persons
Broadcasting people: 8 persons (not sure if they are employed by team itself)
Marketing: 6 persons
Sponsorship: 4 persons
Ticket sales: 7 persons
Finance: 5 persons
Retail: 2 persons

That gives 101.

I got to admit that this is easily the best answer so far. I can say that this is not Avalanche-personnel, they don't have anyone in marketing (or at least they do absolutely nothing there).

 

[NYR89]

Having interned with an NHL team, and currently working the the sports business industry, I'd say it ranges from 75-150 or so. You'll see a difference that will swing because of a sales staff. I'd be willing to bed the Habs, Leafs, Pens, Rangers etc. have a relatively small sales staff, if any at all. On the other hand, Phoenix, Dallas, Florida etc. probably have a relatively large sales staff. The team I currently work for is around 150 or so, with a sales staff of 20.

 

[NYR89]

This is some figures which NHL Guide tells:

Owners/Chairman/Governor: 4 persons
Executive staff (President of Hockey Operations, Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, GM, Executive Assistants etc.): 20 persons
Hockey operations (Director of Player personnel, Assistant GM, Scouts, Coaching staff etc.): 14 persons
Scouting: 14 persons
Trainers, Massage Therapist, Equipment staff: 6 persons
Medical personnel: 11 persons
Broadcasting people: 8 persons (not sure if they are employed by team itself)
Marketing: 6 persons
Sponsorship: 4 persons
Ticket sales: 7 persons
Finance: 5 persons
Retail: 2 persons

That gives 101.

This is a relatively good breakdown. Like I said in my prior post, the size definitely fluctuates per team, but I would put this on the smaller end. Most teams probably get closer to 125-150.

 

[rojac]

The size of an NHL organization is also going to depend on whether the team is part of a larger organization that owns other teams. For example, I don't think the Leafs have much staff, if any, that deals with business-related aspects of the team. Those aspects would be handled by parts of MLSE that also handle them for the Marlies, Raptors, and Toronto FC.