By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
A key business executive of the Vegas Golden Knights who began his VGK stint in Season 1 in 2017 as part of the original business team has taken a new job with the Tampa Bay Lightning in owner Jeff Vinik’s sports organization.
Jim Frevola, who was the Golden Knights senior vice president/chief sales officer, said Tuesday that he has accepted the chief commercial officer (CCO) job for the Lightning. Team owner Vinik, who is also developing the area around the Lightning’s arena in downtown Tampa, has received high grades for his ownership role in the Tampa Bay market.
“It’s been an absolute honor to be an original member of the VGK family,” Frevola told LVSportsBiz.com Tuesday evening.
“Thank you to (Golden Knights owner) Bill Foley and (team president) Kerry Bubolz for allowing me to be part of a historic franchise launch,” Frevola said. “From my very first day, the magical connection between the team and the community was evident. I am proud to say I will be forever Vegas Born.”
Frevola has ties to Tampa because he was the chief partnership officer for the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2014-17 before he took over the corporate sales and business partnerships job for the Golden Knights in 2017.
Frevola was a driving force behind the Golden Knights piling up sponsorship deals with everyone from hotel-casino companies to smaller, independent businesses. Frevola helped the Golden Knights reach the number three position in the NHL for partnership revenue.
Frevola was instrumental in recruiting his former Buccaneers business contact, Brian Killingsworth, to serve as chief marketing officer for the Golden Knights in VGK Year 1 before Killingsworth took a job with Legends in Dallas in December 2021. Frevola and Killingsworth are good friends who worked together on the business team at the Golden Knights. Here are some pictures of them during their VGK stints.
Frevola had ties to Las Vegas, too, when he took the business job with the Golden Knights.
From 2011-14, he had served as vice president for global marketing partnerships for Las Vegas-based UFC, the MMA fight show promoter and media company headquartered off the 215 in the southwest valley.
Frevola also had a humorous side, too, when he played the role of a guy named ‘Phil’ in a mean tweets video on the VGK mascot, Chance, in Year 1.
As the Lightning’s CCO, Frevola reports directly to Lightning Chief Operating Officer Mark Pitts and serves on Vinik Sports Group’s senior leadership team.
Frevola will oversee all aspects of the company’s sales strategies and plans, and will be responsible for developing, designing and implementing VSG’s commercial vision. Frevola will lead multiple departments for the organization, including membership sales and service, groups sales, executive suite sales and service, partnerships, strategy and analytics, as well as the ticket office.
“The Lightning and VSG are very excited to welcome Jim to the organization today,” Pitts said in a release. “He brings a wealth of experience and expertise in multiple facets of the business to the VSG family. Jim’s familiarity with the market, as well as his history of leveraging brands to expand relationships and increase revenue, will be a valuable asset to our team.”
Frevola also has ties to Miami. He served as Associate Athletic Director for External Operations at his alma mater, the University of Miami. While with Hurricanes athletics he was responsible for ticket sales, ticket operations, sports information, marketing, corporate sponsorships, broadcasting and internet/new media. He also worked as Senior Director of Business Development and Marketing Partnerships for the Miami Dolphins of the NFL from 2001-2005.
Earning a B.A. in communications and politics from University of Miami, he has also worked with the Florida Marlins, in minor league baseball and as a sports television producer.
The Golden Knights were shut out in Winnipeg Tuesday night, 4-0, just one day after getting shut out in Minnesota, 3-0. The Knights return to T-Mobile Arena Thursday for a game against the Nashville Predators. LVSportsBiz.com will be there with photographer Tyge O’Donnell.
PSA