Panthers’ Matthew Caldwell accepts CEO post with Timberwolves and Lynx
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Matthew Caldwell is leaving the Florida Panthers after more than a decade to become chief executive officer of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx under a 10-year agreement announced Wednesday.
Caldwell, currently president of business operations for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, will assume his new post on Sept. 2. His responsibilities will cover day-to-day business operations and long-range strategy for the Timberwolves, the Lynx and the G League’s Iowa Wolves.
The hire is one of the first major front-office moves by Timberwolves and Lynx majority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, who completed their purchase of both franchises earlier this summer.
“I love the NHL, but the NBA is a much bigger global platform,” Caldwell said in a statement. “I believe in Marc and Alex and what they’re trying to build. They want Minnesota to be best in class.”
Caldwell joined the Panthers in 2014 as chief operating officer and was promoted to CEO two years later. During his tenure, the club extended its operating agreement with Broward County through 2033, opened a new practice facility at Fort Lauderdale’s War Memorial and created a waiting list for season tickets. The Panthers will also stage their first outdoor game this season at the Miami Marlins’ ballpark.
In a joint release, Lore and Rodriguez called Caldwell “the leader needed” to achieve their goal of setting “a new standard of excellence in pro sports.”
Caldwell’s résumé includes service in the U.S. Army, a degree from West Point, MBA and law degrees from Northwestern University and a stint at Goldman Sachs on Wall Street.
Panthers owner Vincent Viola described the move as “tremendously bittersweet,” adding, “There are very few opportunities I would advise him to pursue, but working with Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore on a global platform like the NBA is at the top of that list.”
Source: ESPN
