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Tod Leiweke (born January 12, 1960, in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American sports executive who is currently part-owner, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Seattle Kraken.

Career

In the early 1980s, Leiweke was vice president of the New York Arrows indoor soccer team.^[1]

In 1993, he was hired to serve as team president of the Houston Rockets. In January of 1994, he resigned to take a position with the Golden State Warriors.^[2] Despite his short tenure with Houston, the Rockets would later win the 1994 NBA Finals due in part to some of the moves he made earlier in that season.

Leiweke was the chief executive officer of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League, owned by Paul Allen, and the Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer. Leiweke also was the CEO of Vulcan Sports and Entertainment (VSE), a management company also owned by Allen which oversees Allen's sports-related properties.^[3] Prior to his employment with Allen, Leiweke had served as president of the Minnesota Wild, was the first executive director of The First Tee and previously held executive positions with the PGA Tour, the Vancouver Canucks, and the Golden State Warriors.

Leiweke joined the Seahawks in 2003. In 2005, the team advanced to Super Bowl XL, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In 2007, he became acting president of the Portland Trail Blazers, replacing Steve Patterson. Vulcan Sports and Entertainment was created at that time.^[4] Leiweke served as acting president until June 20 of that year, when the team named Larry Miller to be its president.

Leiweke was the key deciding factor in the firing of former Seahawks coach Jim L. Mora in January 2010,^[5] and was also the main benefactor in the hiring of USC coach Pete Carroll.

Leiweke was hired on July 26, 2010, to become the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Minority Owner of Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment including the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Tampa Bay Storm, Tampa Bay Times Forum, and the combined Cascade and TBSE Real Estate Project. On July 24, 2015, it was announced that Leiweke would resign from his projects in Tampa Bay to join the NFL as their new chief operating officer. He became the first NFL COO since commissioner Roger Goodell took over in 2003. On March 13, 2018, Leiweke resigned as COO of the NFL.^[6]

The ownership group of the Seattle Kraken, Seattle's National Hockey League expansion team, announced on April 11, 2018, that Leiweke would become the president and CEO of the team.^[7] He is also a minority owner of the Kraken.

Personal life

Tod is the younger brother of Tim Leiweke,^[8] president and CEO of Oak View Group. He and his wife Tara became part-owners of the Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer in 2020.^[9] They have two children, Tyler and Tori.

References

^ Rhoden, William C. (1983-01-13). "ARROWS ARE SEEKING TO AMERICANIZE SOCCER". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Houston Rockets President Resigns". The New York Times. 1994-01-21. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
^ "Seattle Seahawks Management Profile: Tod Leiweke". Seattle Seahawks. Archived from the original on 2007-10-29. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
^ "Tod Leiweke to Assume Management Oversight for the Portland Trail Blazers". Portland Trail Blazers. March 1, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
^ "Archived". Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
^ "NFL COO Tod Leiweke departs, will reportedly team up with brother to lead Seattle's NHL franchise". Geek Wire. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
^ "BREAKING: Tod Leiweke to be announced as Seattle Hockey Partners Team President". Sonics Rising. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
^ "New Lightning CEO Tod Leiweke makes good on promise to buy season tickets". Archived from the original on 2011-01-31. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
^ Bakers, Geoff (October 5, 2020). "Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke and his wife, Tara, join Sounders ownership group". The Seattle Times. Retrieved October 6, 2020.

Sporting positions
Preceded by Position Established	Seattle Kraken CEO 2018–present	Succeeded by Current
Preceded by Steve Patterson	Portland Trail Blazers President 2007 (interim)	Succeeded by Larry Miller
Preceded by Steve Patterson	Portland Trail Blazers General Manager 2007 (interim)	Succeeded by Kevin Pritchard