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USHL picks marketing expert as commissioner
New commissioner has Reebok-CCM marketing experience
By Tom Williams
The USHL has turned to a marketing expert for its new commissioner.
Monday, the junior hockey league that includes the Youngstown Phantoms named Bob Fallen as its new president and commissioner.
Fallen replaces Skip Prince, who served for six years for the league for players ages 16-20.
“I am thrilled with the opportunity to lead the finest junior hockey league in the world,” Fallen said in a teleconference.
Fallen comes to the USHL from Reebok-CCM Hockey, the world’s largest hockey equipment manufacturing company. He managed the U.S. trade marketing efforts with such leagues as the NHL and AHL.
Fallen has ties to the USHL. His son, Thomas, played for the Cedar Rapis Roughriders.
Fallen called himself a “typical Minnesota hockey parent.” His daughter Kelley played four seasons for the University of St. Thomasin St. Paul, Minn.
His son has played three seasons for Yale and was a member of the 2013 team that won the NCAA Frozen Four Tournament at Pittsburgh’s Consol Energy Center.
Fallen’s work background — sports marketing, publishing, sales, media relations — suggests he’s more than a typical hockey parent.
His selection was unanimous, according to Brad Kwong, managing partner of the Dubuque Fighting Saints and interim chairman of the USHL Board of Directors.
“Skip Prince did a tremendous job elevating the USHL to where it is today and Bob is inheriting a strong league that is on an upswing,” Kwong said.
“But the USHL still has much untapped potential, and we are extremely excited that we’ve been able to attract Bob to be the leader that will help us achieve even bigger and better things during our next phase of growth.”
The Phantoms joined the USHL as an expansion team in 2009.
Expansion and franchise stability are issues that await Fallen. The USHL is adding the Madison Capitols in the fall, but the defending champion Indiana Ice will be dormant for the upcoming season.
Fallen said the Indiana Ice issue will be addressed by the USHL directors later this week.