When the Vegas Golden Knights burst onto the NHL stage in 2017, they didn’t behave like an expansion team. They performed like a franchise impatient for relevance, both on and off the ice. Nine seasons later, with a Stanley Cup secured and a fiercely loyal fan base in place, the Golden Knights are no longer the league’s audacious newcomer. They are a pillar in a city that has rapidly become one of the most intriguing sports markets in North America.
Into that moment steps Rich Wang. The Golden Knights’ new Chief Operating Officer arrives at an organization that has already succeeded at the hardest part: winning hearts. What remains is more nuanced. Wang’s charge is to refine the machinery behind that loyalty and help position a proven winner for its next phase.
“What stood out immediately was the foundation,” Wang said. “Great fan base, great market, a strong product on the ice, and committed leadership and ownership.”
Wang’s story begins far from neon and desert. Born in China and raised in Queens, he grew up in an environment that rewarded alertness and adaptability. The collisions of culture, pace, and personality in New York sparked a curiosity about how people move through spaces and why they respond the way they do. At Manhattan College, where he studied marketing, he gravitated toward the behavioral sciences, slowly forming the lens that would later shape his approach to sports.
It was there he began to see sports not simply as entertainment, but as a community-building force governed by psychology, data, and human connection.
Before entering professional sports, Wang spent time in classrooms and nonprofit organizations, experiences that reinforced the value of service and still anchor his leadership philosophy. His first role in the industry came with the Minnesota Timberwolves, arriving during the early wave of digital transformation. The lesson was immediate and enduring: fans notice when systems work, and they remember when they don’t.
His career since has followed the industry’s evolution. Following his time with the Timberwolves, Wang joined the San Francisco 49ers where he became the franchise’s first full-time data strategy lead during the transition to Levi’s Stadium, translating information into experience at scale. He later helped the Minnesota Vikings become the NFL’s first franchise to go fully digital with ticketing, prioritizing access and efficiency over convention. At SoFi Stadium, he navigated the unprecedented operational demands of a 300-acre development.
Most recently, he helped architect San Diego FC’s operating model ahead of its MLS debut, contributing to record-setting ticket sales and fan engagement that saw the club set attendance benchmarks and establish a deeply engaged supporter base in its inaugural season.
Each stop reinforced the same belief: success on the field creates opportunity, but the experience around it determines longevity.
When the Golden Knights opportunity surfaced, Wang saw a franchise that had already done the heavy lifting. “You don’t disrupt what’s already working,” he said. “You make it better. More efficient. And you empower people to grow.”
The move also reunited him with Golden Knights President of Business Operations, John Penhollow, whom Wang calls a one-of-one leader. The two previously worked together on the Vikings’ shift to digital ticketing, and when Penhollow joined the Golden Knights this summer, bringing Wang into the fold became a priority. Penhollow’s vision for the role reflects the ambition to provide the operational horsepower for meaningful growth while elevating the experience for anyone who touches the brand.
Living in Las Vegas quickly reshaped Wang’s expectations. “It’s far more diverse, more community-based, and more culturally rich than I expected,” he said. “The hockey fan base here is passionate. I didn’t realize how many lifelong hockey fans existed here even before the Golden Knights arrived.”
City National Arena confirmed it. Ice time is booked from early morning through late evening, youth hockey is thriving, and the energy inside the building rivals that of traditional markets. Wang also found himself drawn to the sport’s rhythm.
“It’s nonstop action,” he said. “There’s no stoppage except for intermission, which you need after 20 minutes of hockey. Especially the way the Golden Knights play, the brand of hockey and leadership we have on the ice, it’s hard to take your eyes off.”
Looking ahead, Wang sees an opportunity to borrow from a distinct Vegas playbook. The city’s hospitality industry has set a global standard for understanding customers at a granular level, and Wang believes that same precision can elevate the sports experience. This fall, the organization launched the VGK Locals Menu at T-Mobile Arena, offering several items priced at $5.50, a tangible commitment to accessibility that Wang and his colleagues expect to build upon. Better predictive data, fewer frustrations, and a smoother game day journey are the focus. Parking, concessions, ticketing, and accessibility can move from functional to seamless.
“Vegas is the global standard for guest experience,” Wang said. “Casinos and hotels here understand their customers on a deeper level than almost anywhere else. If we can remove those frictions, we can elevate the experience to something fans remember and want to come back to. We want five stars.”
Wang’s leadership philosophy mirrors that same intentionality. He views the role as one rooted in service and collective progress rather than individual achievement. His focus is on empowering staff, reinforcing internal systems, and building a culture capable of supporting long-term ambition.
“I always think of the wolf pack,” he said. “The strongest wolves push from the back. Leadership isn’t about getting there first. It’s about getting everyone there together.”
Las Vegas has added three major professional teams in less than a decade, with more on the way. The Golden Knights were the first, and that position carries weight. Wang sees the franchise not just as a participant in the city’s sports ecosystem, but as a leader of the community that helped build it.
“We have a certain responsibility because we were first,” Wang said. “Now it’s about celebrating the fans. What can we give back to the community? What does the next ten years of the Vegas Golden Knights look like?”
The task ahead differs from earlier chapters in Wang’s career. This time, he isn’t building from the ground up. He is evolving a winner, refining an organization that has already proven itself while positioning it for a more sophisticated future.
“The next decade of the Golden Knights isn’t just about sustaining success,” Wang said. “It’s about defining what Vegas sports fandom looks like moving forward.”
That challenge is what excites him most. Shaped by two decades of experience and sharpened by a city that demands excellence, Wang’s vision is not about reinvention. It’s about discipline, precision, and preparing a champion for what comes next.
