FLORIDA PANTHERS 2020-21 TRAINING CAMP GUIDE PANTHERS PR 2020-21 MEDIA ACCESS POLICIES & PROCEDURES MEDIA AVAILABILTIES Media can expect Head Coach and player availabilities at all practices, training camp sessions and on game days. All media will be held digitally on Zoom. Panthers PR will provide a link to join daily. Recordings will be available at FloridaPanthers.com/Pressbox (case-sensitive username & password: press). CREDENTIAL PROCESS Access to BB&T Center will be broken down into Groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Media will be categorized as Group 3 or 4. Group 3 and 4 Rightsholders and broadcasters will be credentialed on a season basis. Group 4 media will be credentialed on a game-by-game basis with the breakdown below. Group 4 will be broken down into 2 access areas: • Group 4: Press Box Access • Group 4: Photography All media availabilities will be held on ZOOM. Media do not need to be on site or in the daily RSVP group to attend virtual availabilities. MEDIA BY RSVP Group 4 wanting to attend in person will be asked to RSVP on a per-practice, per-game basis at the start of each month. Each month media will be asked to submit the below form. RSVP Form can be found at FloridaPanthers.com/Pressbox: Panthers PR will then create a schedule to accommodate a capacity of 10 media per Training Camp, Morning Skate or Practice session and approximately a 30% press box capacity. Each media will be fairly accommodated. RSVPs can be done monthly or 48 hours prior to a game or practice. Please contact Adelyn (Bieden- [email protected]) for changes to RSVP requests or with any questions. Groups 3 and 4 will be required to remain in groups and locations assigned to them. MEDIA HEALTH SCREENING Media will be asked to submit a daily health screening form prior to their arrival at the facility. Please submit on each day that you plan on being at the facility approximately 1-2 hours prior to arrival. Health Screening Form can be found at FloridaPanthers.com/Pressbox: PRACTICE/TRAINING CAMP/MORNING SKATE PROTOCO On each day, media will be asked to park in the MEDIA PRODUCTION LOT or on the HILL (Parking Passes will be provided to ALL Group 3 and Group 4 media on a season basis) and enter through the VIP entrance. Media will undergo a temperature check prior to admittance to the facility. Doors will open to media one hour before practices begin. Media are permitted to watch zoom interviews from Club Lexus on their personal devices. GAME DAY PROTOCOL Doors will open to Group 4 Press Box Access media one hour prior to game time. Media will park in the media production lot or hill lot and enter through the VIP entrance. Media will undergo a temperature check prior to admittance to the facility. Boxed food will be served. LIVE SHOTS PROTOCOL Live shots will be permitted in the ‘bowl’ of BB&T Center prior to 3 hours before puck drop. Between 3 hours prior to puck drop and the end of the game, all live shots must take place outside of BB&T Center. Post end of the game, BOWL is permitted again. Please RSVP to coordinate any live shots with Chrissy (ParenteC@ FloridaPanthers.com). SENIOR DIRECTOR MANAGER, HOCKEY COMMUNICATIONS COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR OF COMMUNICATIONS COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Thomas Harding Adelyn Biedenbach Chrissy Parente Mike Lewis (954-835-7215) (954-249-4817) (954-224-5257) (954-240-7839) [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 1 FLORIDA PANTHERS FRONT OFFICE PRESIDENT & CEO Matt Caldwell Matthew Caldwell was named the President & CEO of the Florida Panthers Hockey Club on April 9, 2016. Caldwell joined the Panthers in 2014 as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining the Panthers, Caldwell worked as a Vice President at Goldman Sachs in their Investment Management Division where he helped families and institutions invest their capital. Before transitioning into the finance industry, Caldwell served five years in the U.S. Army as a military officer, where he con- ducted combat operations in Iraq, peacekeeping operations in Kosovo, and spent time in Germany training soldiers as they prepared to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan. During the course of his Army career, Caldwell was awarded a Bronze Star Medal, an Iraq Campaign Medal and a NATO Kosovo Military Medal. Caldwell currently sits on the Orange Bowl Committee, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance CEO Council, the Broward Workshop Executive Committee and has been appointed to the Broward College District Board of Trustees. Caldwell received his JD from Northwestern University School of Law, his MBA from Northwestern Kellogg School of Management, and his Bachelor of Science from West Point. Caldwell resides in Fort Lauderdale with his wife, Fernanda and their daughter, Flora. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Sean McCaffrey Sean McCaffrey was named Chief Operating Officer of the Florida Panthers in April 2018 after serving as the organization’s Chief of Staff since June 2016. McCaffrey currently oversees the organization’s arena operations, human resources, food and beverage services, merchandise, public affairs and all special projects, including the War Memorial Auditorium restoration project in Fort Lauderdale. Prior to joining the Panthers, McCaffrey served as a Director with the global investment firm Morgan Stanley working in both the Baltimore and New York City offices. The native of Shelton, Conn., served five years in the United States Army as an Infantry Officer where he gained his Airborne and Ranger qualifications. He deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraq Freedom from 2006-2007 and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Army Accommodation Medal for Valor. A 2004 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point where he received his Bachelor of Science, McCaffrey earned his MBA from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University in 2014. Sean currently lives in Fort Lauderdale with his wife Lauren, daughter Adelynn and son Patrick. CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER Shawn Thornton Shawn Thornton joined the Florida Panthers executive staff on June 1, 2017, after playing three seasons with the club (2014-15 to 2016-17) over his 20-year professional hockey career. Thornton, 42, began his tenure in the Panthers front office as Vice President, Business Operations and has also served as the organization’s Senior Vice President before becoming Chief Commerical Officer in October 2020. In his role with the Panthers, Thornton oversees and works closely with the team’s Community Relations, Public Relations, Game Presentation, Marketing and Corporate Partnership departments. A proactive leader within the organization, Thornton has contributed greatly to many of the Panthers community efforts ranging from youth hockey to hurricane relief and played a major role in assisting Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and its hockey team following the tragic events at the school on February 14, 2018. He played in his final NHL game as a member of the Panthers on April 8, 2017, against the Buffalo Sabres. A two-time Stanley Cup champion (2007, 2011), the native of Oshawa, Ontario, appeared in 705 NHL games with the Panthers (2014-15 to 2016-17), Boston Bruins (2007-08 to 2013- 14), Anaheim Ducks (2006-07) and Chicago Blackhawks (2002-03 to 2005-06) recording 102 points (42-60-102). During his playing career with the Panthers, Thornton became the only player in professional hockey history to begin his career after expansion and play in over 700 NHL games and 600 American Hockey League games. He is the only player this century to record 10 fights, score 10 goals and win the Stanley Cup in the same season. He founded the Shawn Thornton Foundation (@ThorntonFDN) in 2013 and serves as the Foundation’s President and Director. The Shawn Thornton Foundation is dedicated to helping find cures for diseases close to his heart, specifically Parkinson’s and cancer. Through his foundation, Thornton holds an annual ‘Pucks and Punches for Parkinson’s’ golf event and does charitable work throughout Boston and South Florida. Thornton resides in Parkland with his wife Erin and their daughters Nora and Ainsley. 2 FLORIDA PANTHERS FRONT OFFICE CHIEF OF STAFF Jerome Burke Jerome Burke was named the Florida Panthers Chief of Staff in March 2018. Burke acts as an advisor to President & CEO Matthew Caldwell and the executive team of the Panthers. First joining the Panthers organization in May 2012 as a staff accountant, Burke has held several diverse positions for the club ranging from Financial Analyst, Team Services Manager and Director of Business Operations. Prior to his career with the Panthers, the native of Montreal, Quebec, served as a financial controller for the Montreal Junior Hockey Club (QMJHL). He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from McGill University in 2008 and earned his MBA in Sports Management from Florida Atlantic University. Burke resides in Fort Lauderdale with his wife, Amanda. 3 FLORIDA PANTHERS HOCKEY OPERATIONS GENERAL MANAGER Bill Zito Bill Zito was named General Manager of the Florida Panthers on September 2, 2020. Zito oversees the club’s hockey operations including all matters relating to player personnel, scouting department and minor league operations. Prior to joining the Panthers, Zito spent seven seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets organization (2013-14 to 2019-2020) holding the position of Assistant General Manager for six seasons before his promotion in 2019 to Vice President of Hockey Operations, Associate General Manager and Alternate Governor. In 2015-16, Zito was appointed the General Manager for Columbus’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters (then Lake Erie Monsters). During Zito’s first season with the Monsters, the club won its first-ever Calder Cup Championship.