Outgoing WHL Commissioner Ron Robison, left, hands over a WHL hockey jersey to Dan Near after he was announced as the new WHL Commissioner in Calgary on Thursday, November 30, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Todd Korol)

By Logan Lehmann

New leader

Dan Near appointed as next WHL commissioner

Nov 30, 2023 | 5:03 PM

The Western Hockey League (WHL) announced on Thursday the appointment of Dan Near as the league’s next commissioner.

The 43-year-old will be the ninth commissioner in league history and the successor to current commissioner Ron Robison, who’s held the position since 2000.

“It’s a tremendous honour to have been selected as the next Commissioner of the Western Hockey League,” Near said in a release. “I look forward to engaging with our Clubs, players, alumni, business partners and our fans to ensure we’re building an ecosystem that’s best-in-class and gives players and their families the confidence to choose the WHL for their hockey development journey.”

Near spent more than a decade in the NHL’s marketing department before moving to Adidas, where he most recently served as the company’s global head of hockey. The Markham, Ont., native’s resume at the sports apparel giant included spearheading the NHL’s popular “Reverse Retro” jerseys.

Additionally, Near was named to The Hockey News’ list of ‘100 People of Power and Influence’ in 2021 and 2023.

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“On behalf of the WHL Board of Governors, it is my pleasure to welcome Dan Near to the Western Hockey League,” said Bruce Hamilton, Chairman of the WHL Board of Governors. “We set out to find an individual with a great business mind, someone forward thinking who has the ability to help grow the Western Hockey League brand and build upon the existing foundation. As we worked through the process, it became clear that Dan stood above the rest. We believe Dan’s experience with adidas Hockey and the National Hockey League makes him the perfect fit to build a strategy which will generate more growth for the WHL while we continue to be the world’s finest development league for junior-age players.”

Near will begin his WHL work on Jan. 1 before taking over the commissioner’s office on Feb. 15.

– with files from The Canadian Press.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com