Sports stats



USHL United States Hockey League

USHL President and Commissioner Bill Robertson Not Seeking Contract Renewal

March 3, 2023 - United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release


ORLAND PARK, ILL. - USHL President and Commissioner Bill Robertson has informed the USHL Board of Directors that he will not seek renewal of his two-year employment contract when it expires on June 30, 2023.

Robertson, who has spent over 30-plus years working in the sports administration world at all levels, communicated his desire to pursue the next chapter in his career - consulting with sports and entertainment properties.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time over the past two years as President and Commissioner of the historic United States Hockey League," said Robertson. "The USHL is the highest developmental league in the United States with so much talent on and off the ice. I will miss the outstanding and supportive staff of the USHL who have done such great work and made me feel so welcome from the start. I also appreciated the efforts of the USHL Executive Committee and the Board of Directors who have been so helpful to me in my role as Commissioner. The league is in a solid position, and I wish the USHL nothing but success going forward!"

Robertson joined the USHL in July 2021 after serving as President and Men's League Commissioner of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Prior to his experience in the WCHA, Robertson was part of the inception of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (NHL) (he also worked an executive with the Anaheim Angels (MLB) during this time while working for the Walt Disney Company), Minnesota Wild (NHL), Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA) and Minnesota Swarm (MLL) as well as four different sporting venues including the Xcel Energy Center, Target Center, Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim and Edison International Field.

As President and Commissioner of the USHL, Robertson oversaw the league's return to normalcy during the 2021-2022 season as the USHL completed all 496 scheduled games and a full playoff slate.

The league matched its record with 57 total selections with USHL ties taken in the 2022 NHL Draft. There are 354 current USHL players that have committed to play NCAA Division I college hockey at 50 different DI universities and former USHL players continue to excel at the NCAA level with 49 former USHL players nominated for the 2023 Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

Robertson has helped solidify the league's partnerships with USA Hockey and the National Hockey League through a tri-partite partnership that has enhanced player development throughout the USHL through strategic funding initiatives aimed at enhancing player mental wellness, academic tutoring, video and analytics, staff development, officiating and player safety.

"We are grateful to Bill for his many contributions to our league over the last two seasons," said USHL Vice President/Chairman Dan Lehv. "He has represented our league with integrity and prioritized the development of our athletes on and off the ice in every decision that he's made. Bill is universally well-liked, and we wish him the very best in his next chapter."

The USHL has created and grown several events during Robertson's time with the league including the introduction of the USHL American Cup Powered by Wegman's in Rochester, N.Y., in 2021. The league also solidified a long-term agreement with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the continuation of the Dick's Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic in Cranberry Township, Pa.

Robertson has overseen the league's transition to new streaming partner FloHockey and new website provider SIDEARM, including a recent overhaul of USHL.com. He also led the committee responsible for the USHL's new vision statement and an updated "Our Stars Rise" tagline positioning the USHL as the top stop in the development model for junior hockey.

Over the past two seasons, Robertson has played a key role in renewing league partnerships including Bauer, the USHL's exclusive equipment provider, and introducing new licensees such as FanSaves, VOZZI and Athletica Sport Systems.

"I am so proud of our business and hockey-related accomplishments that we have packaged together including new league-wide branding, media, and promotional opportunities," said Robertson. "I look forward to finishing my USHL agreement at the end of June and the race to the USHL Clark Cup Championship."

Robertson will remain in his role until the expiration of his contract and will assist the league in its transition to his successor.

The USHL has formed a search committee to identify its next President and Commissioner. The committee is comprised of three team directors from each conference and includes Murry Gunty (Youngstown), Jon Kram (Fargo), Brad Kwong (Dubuque), Lloyd Ney (Sioux City), Brian Schoenborn (Sioux Falls), and Lehv (Chicago).

Check out the United States Hockey League Statistics

• Discuss this story on the United States Hockey League message board...

United States Hockey League Stories from March 3, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central