Vinnie Viola helps win Florida Panthers’ first-ever Stanley Cup

“The team has struggled with attendance, certainly because of the lack of wins,” Florida Panthers president and CEO Matt Caldwell said Friday on the TV show’s “Last Call.” CNBC. “Vinnie… was committed from day one to investing in the team.”

Upon purchasing the last-place Panthers, Viola made his intentions clear during his first official team press conference in 2013.

“My family and I are honored to take the helm of the Florida Panthers organization with the number one goal of putting a winning team on the ice year after year and bringing a Stanley Cup to our incredible fans here in the South Florida,” Viola said. .

After more than half a decade of inconsistent performance on the ice, a change in tone for the franchise occurred in September 2020, when former player agent Bill Zito was hired as the Panthers’ new general manager .

Zito’s courageous moves – like bringing in tenacious forward Matthew Tkachuk in a blockbuster trade with the Calgary Flames – proved to be crucial building blocks for the team.

“He completely reshaped our hockey operations,” Caldwell said. “We’ve had a lot of consistency over the last two years. Making it to the Stanley Cup Final back-to-back was a dream.”

The South Florida market has taken notice of the Panthers’ success on the ice – and it has translated into impressive revenue growth.

Since the 2021-22 season, attendance has jumped 25.7%, ticket revenue has soared 50% and corporate sponsorship revenue has skyrocketed 123.8%, according to the team.

“It’s been a long slog,” Caldwell said. “I think we’ve always had confidence and Vinnie has been great in leading the charge and setting a vision.”