Take advantage of mentors' wisdom, sports executive advises

Photos by Ralph Freso

Peter Luukko realized more than 45 years ago at the University of Massachusetts that he wasn’t talented enough to fulfill his dream of playing for the Boston Bruins’ hockey team.

A college advisor who served as one of his first mentors also told him that families owned most sports teams.

“I know it’s going to be hard to get a job,” Luukko was told.

But he knew cities and teams were building sports facilities all over the country, which seemed like a much more attractive option than returning to Ronnie’s Seafood in Charlton, Massachusetts.

Luukko eventually landed an internship at the New Haven Coliseum and gained valuable experience in booking events.

That ended up being the springboard he needed to vault into a storied sports management career, something he shared with students at the Grand Canyon University Colangelo College of Business lobby as part of the T.W. Lewis Speaker Series.

Luukko serves as co-chairman of Oak View Group Stadium and Arena Alliances, a venue management company specializing in sports, entertainment and convention facilities throughout the world.

Luukko previously served as executive chairman of the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and president of the Philadelphia Flyers, and he has managed many facilities, such as the Los Angeles Coliseum and Sports Arena.

Luukko’s resume was nearly as impressive as his willingness to help students in the same manner he was mentored by the likes of former Flyers owner Ed Snider, White Sox and Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, recording artist management titan Irving Azoff, Oak View CEO Tim Leiweke and Jerry Colangelo. Colangelo, eponym of the GCU business college, gave advice to Luukko as owner of the NBA Phoenix Suns when Luukko was an executive with the 76ers.

Also, Colangelo College of Business Dean John Kaites, who moderated the event, was hired by Luukko’s group, which overcame odds to earn the contract to operate State Farm Stadium in Glendale when it opened in 2006.

“Peter knows a lot about a lot of things,” Kaites said. “(Stadium) operations, bookings, how to get access, control what’s happening in buildings, to finance, construction, vertical growth of each project.”

And Luukko was more than willing to share his wisdom.

“There is a great future for all of you in this room today if you’re willing to put in the work and take advantage of contacts,” Luukko said. “I can go on and on and on. I will tell you, people like myself and John, Jerry Colangelo and others – you don’t know their names – we all started at the bottom.

“We were you. We were sitting there. We all had mentors. … We can never repay our mentors back. You just can’t. The way to repay them is to help you. And how are we going to help you and help you get where you’re going? So you’re sitting in a room some day and doing one of these interviews and, ‘I had John Kaites and Peter Luukko help me' and whoever. We all want to help you.

“I was you, and I wasn’t born in this age or in this position. I was fighting for a job.”

Luukko took the time to talk individually with more than a dozen students following his 50-minute discussion.

Among his tips:

“The frauds in the industry do (turn you down) because they don’t know what to tell you. They haven’t done it, but we’ve done it. I was you. If you made a mistake, I’ve done that 10 times over.”

Kaites interjected with timely wisdom.

“You don’t have to know the answers,” Kaites told students. “You don’t have to be the smartest one in the room. Just be the most intentional and teachable person in the room. You will find the answers if you’re intentional and teachable.”

Luukko said he benefitted from constructive criticism and positive reinforcement from Ed Snider while running the Flyers in his mid-30s. That feedback changed his life.

“He brought me in and said, ‘Peter, you remind me of when I was your age,’” Luukko said. “‘I think you’re the best operator. You’re outstanding. But you can’t be in on every decision.’”

Snider emphasized the importance of letting people make their own decisions, even when they don't align with your beliefs.

“He was somewhat critical, but when I left the office, my feet didn’t touch the ground,” Luukko said.

Luukko admired Snider and the late Al Davis, maverick owner of the NFL Raiders, for earning wealth through sports.

“Al Davis, by the way, was a super great man,” said Luukko, who dealt with Davis when the Raiders played home games at the Coliseum.

Logan Farley, a business administration major with a dual minor in marketing and sports entertainment management, said he felt inspired by Luukko’s talk.

“One thing that stood out was when he was talking about partnerships and making sure it’s mutual for all the people involved,” Farley said. “It was definitely insightful because, usually in business, you want to think pretty much for yourself rather than everyone.”

Farley has a strong interest in talent representation, so he connected immediately when Luukko identified Azoff as one of his mentors.

Azoff’s Global Music Rights company has represented the catalogs of Bruce Springsteen, Harry Styles, Bruno Mars, Metallica, John Lennon, Pearl Jam, Bad Bunny and Drake.

Part of Luukko’s willingness to help others was sculpted by his faith, he said. His mother was Quaker and his father was Lutheran, as were many from his Scandinavian heritage.

“We believe in going to church,” Luukko said. “Our church had a lot of programs in the neighborhood. I saw my parents merge their faith in God.”

GCU News senior writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]

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