Bossier City, LA - The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs of the Central Hockey League today announced the hiring of Ray Delia as their President and General Manager. Delia returns for his second stint in the Mudbugs' front office after serving as the team's President and GM during its first three seasons in the Western Professional Hockey League. He has served in the General Manager's role for four different franchises over the past 11 years.
Delia will be introduced to the local media at a press conference at 11:00 am on Tuesday morning in the Riverside Room at Boomtown Hotel & Casino in Bossier City.
"I am excited to have the opportunity to return to the Mudbugs family and lead this organization," Delia said. "I'm looking forward to working for John Madden and with Scott Muscutt and the rest of the staff; it's a moment that I have anxiously awaited, and I am confident the results will meet the aggressive expectations of our staff, sponsors, ticketholders, and community."
Delia returns to Bossier-Shreveport after serving as General Manager for the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League during the 2007-08 season. The Wildcats had the highest sponsorship numbers in the QMJHL last season and second largest season ticket base in the team's history (its largest ever in a non-Memorial Cup year) under Delia's guidance.
"I believe Ray has all the qualifications and credentials that we need for this position," said Mudbugs owner John Madden. "He has a vision and a direction that is going to make us all accountable. I don't think I really need to say much else about what he'll bring to the table, because Ray's work is going to speak for itself."
Before taking the post in Moncton, Delia worked for two seasons with the ECHL's Phoenix RoadRunners. He held the role of Chief Operating Officer for the 2005-06 season and added the GM tag for 2006-07. He was also the team's Governor on the ECHL Board and Chairman of the ECHL Rules Committee during his stay in Phoenix.
Delia spent the five years prior with the ECHL's Reading Royals, where he served as General Manager and Governor from the team's inception in 2000 up until 2005. While in Reading, he not only oversaw the team's business and hockey operations, but was Chairman of the Board for Royals Charities and Chairman of both the ECHL Marketing and Sales Committee and Salary Cap and Regulation Committee. Delia was twice nominated for the ECHL's Executive of the Year Award during his time in Reading and helped the franchise win league awards for Ticket Department of the Year and Ticket Executive of the Year in 2003 and Merchandiser of the Year in 2004.
In his first stint with the Mudbugs from 1997 to 2000, Delia helped build the organization into the most successful sports franchise in the region during its formative years. His guidance was a crucial part of the team's excellent attendance numbers, strong corporate partnerships and business operations. Delia won the WPHL's Executive of the Year Award in 2000 and was a part of the Mudbugs' first two President's Cup Championships (in 1999 and 2000). His influence also played a key role in the team's move from the Hirsch Coliseum to the CenturyTel Center in 2000.
"Ray was young when he was here the first time, but even then you could see his professionalism and understanding of the hockey business," said Head Coach Scott Muscutt, who played for the Mudbugs during Delia's first tour with the team. "Now we're getting the finished product of all that he has learned as an executive in the past eight years. People will be excited about how Ray Delia executes his vision for this franchise."
Delia arrived in Bossier-Shreveport last week and has already assumed his responsibilities in the Mudbugs front office.
"I am enthusiastic about the chance to reconnect with friends, colleagues, sponsors, and the most passionate season ticketholders in the CHL," Delia remarked. "I cannot wait to meet the challenges that lie ahead on the road to achieving our ultimate goal of another President's Cup."
