Predators' Jeff Cogen to Rays; Sean Henry new CEO

Jeff Cogen is leaving his position as the chief executive officer of the Nashville Predators.

Tom Cigarran, chairman of the ownership group Predators Holdings LLC, told The Tennessean that Cogen is joining Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays front office.

Cigarran said that Sean Henry, 48, will become CEO and president of the hockey team on Dec. 1. Henry is currently the chief operating officer and president of the franchise.

Cogen, 58, will remain with the Predators full time through Nov. 30. He will then work part time with the Preds and Rays until Feb. 1.

“Jeff has full responsibility of the All-Star Game until Feb. 1,” Cigarran said. “Jeff will also be available for consulting and help.”

The Predators are hosting the NHL All-Star Weekend Jan. 29-31 in Nashville. The All-Star Game will be held at Bridgestone Arena on Jan. 31.

Cigarran said the transition of moving Henry into the CEO role was part of the management plan since hiring both of them in 2010. When the duo were hired, it was understood that Cogen would step aside in June 2016.

“We are ahead of schedule,” Cogen said. “We had a five-year plan, but we are ahead of schedule. When the call came (from Tampa), I went to Tom (Cigarran) and talked about the opportunity with the Rays. There was no guarantee that the same opportunity would be available next June.

“I found a perfect fit with the Rays,” Cogen said. “It’s Florida; I started in St. Pete with the Ringling Bros. Circus. It’s baseball, which is my true love. It’s time.”

“When Tampa called, it upset our (June 2016) timetable,” Cigarran said.

Cigarran said Cogen exceeded his and the ownership group’s expectations. When Cogen arrived in Nashville, the team had some success on the ice, but it was struggling on the business and marketing side.

“I have never seen a marketing person who is as thorough and organized and as systematic as Jeff,” Cigarran said. “That is now part of the DNA of the whole sales team. He can tell you every little thing that we sell, how is it trending. I’ve seen a lot of good marketing people … but I’ve never seen anyone as good as Jeff.”

Under Cogen and Henry, the Predators have set numerous franchise attendance records. The 2014-15 team averaged 16,900 fans, the highest in franchise history. The Predators sold out 30 of 42 regular-season home games, including the final 12.

“The reality of the situation is we (Henry and Cogen) both sat in booking meetings, we both sat in on ticketing meetings,” Cogen said. “We were a two-headed monster addressing everything.”

Henry was out of the state and not available for comment.

“The Predators’ success has not been because of any one person, including Jeff Cogen,” Cigarran said. “It’s been because of Jeff, Sean and a team of people who have worked wonders with this franchise, our building.”

Since arriving to Nashville in August 2010, Cogen has been responsible for running the business operations of the Predators, Bridgestone Arena and the Ford Ice Center in Antioch. He began giving up some of those duties to Henry in the past 18 months.

“On the Predators business side, we are so far ahead of where we were five years ago,” Cigarran said. “We are light years different from where we were. Jeff started turning things over to Sean, who has been running the team for the past year with a couple of exceptions."

Reach Dave Ammenheuser at 615-259-8352 and on Twitter @NashSportsEd.

JEFF COGEN

Prior to his arrival in Nashville, Jeff Cogen served as the president of the Dallas Stars (2007-10) in the National Hockey League and as president of the Texas Rangers (2004-07) in Major League Baseball.

He was also the COO of the Florida Panthers (2001-03) of the National Hockey League. He was also with the Hicks Sports Group from 1993-2003 when he had numerous roles with the Stars, including serving as vice president from 1993-99. Other stops in his professional career include working for Olympia Arenas, the management company for the Detroit Red Wings, Joe Louis Arena and Fox Theater from 1986-93; and with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey from 1979-83, managing the circus’ business operations.

A Newport News, Va., native, and Old Dominion University graduate, Cogen lives in Franklin with his wife. They have three children who are in college.

SEAN HENRY

Prior to joining the Predators, Sean Henry spent 11 years with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Palace Sports and Entertainment. He was the executive vice president and chief operating officer, overseeing the business operations for the Lightning, the St. Pete Times Forum and minor-league baseball team in Asheville, N.C.

He started his sports business career in 1983, working with concessionaire Volume Services, a job that had him work in Detroit, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. He left the company in 1997.

A Long Island, N.Y., native, and The State University of New York graduate, Henry lives in Franklin with his wife and four children.