From BGSU OFFICE OF MARKETING & BRAND STRATEGY
As the Toledo Walleye continue their hunt in the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals, one Bowling Green State University alumnus is leveraging his degree to help the celebrated hockey team connect with fans in meaningful ways.
As the director of business and fan intelligence for the Toledo Walleye and Toledo Mud Hens, 2001 BGSU alum Brian Perkins uses data and analytics in his key front office role to help both teams engage with fans during and outside of competition.
The Walleye, in the midst of one of their most successful seasons, have done just that.
The team sold out every one of its home games in 2024-25 – a full-season sellout in which more than 289,000 fans attended a game – and broke a team attendance record for the second year in a row. Founded in 2009, the Walleye are now on the precipice of their first championship.
“What was really unique with the Walleye is that I had the chance to take a team that was non-existent and build it from the ground up,” Perkins said. “That was such a unique experience I had the chance to have that not many people get to do. This role and this department did not exist, so I had the chance to build this from scratch.”
During his career, Perkins has been at the epicenter of creation.
When he first began an internship with the Mud Hens as a sport management student at BGSU, the analytics-focused department he now oversees did not exist, the baseball club’s downtown home at Fifth Third Field had yet to be built, the Huntington Center was not even a discussion and the beloved Walleye franchise was years from being founded.
Sport management students now must complete two internships as part of their degree program, and interning for the Mud Hens as a college sophomore gave Perkins a crash course into minor-league sports.
“I did everything from promotions to ticket sales to crowd control, and I even got in a mascot costume for a sponsor when kids ran the bases,” he said. “What I think I really enjoyed, and still do, was being around people – not just our staff, but the community – and seeing how coming to the ballpark or the arena made a difference for them.”
During his time at BGSU, Perkins also played on the men’s club hockey team, and a role on its executive board gave him a taste of how an organization operates.
Combined with his internship, Perkins graduated having done a bit of everything.
“I played club hockey when I was student at BGSU and became the vice president, so I was getting some of that marketing, budgeting and promotion background,” he said. “It wasn’t a lot, but as a club sport, you get the chance to do everything. Along with my internship, that really helped me.”
Perkins parlayed his internship with the Mud Hens into a full-time role upon graduating and has been with the organization, which also operates the Walleye, ever since.
Though the wins and losses certainly matter, minor league organizations prioritize fan experience – and the chance to create something people enjoy connected with Perkins.
In his current role, Perkins uses data from various sources to help the club make efficient business decisions that also correlate to fan enjoyment.
“Our level is about entertainment, fun and making memories,” he said. “I get to go to a ballpark or a rink every day; I’m not at an office. For someone who has always had a love of sports, this is a way to stay in the game.”
Twenty-six years after accepting his internship, Perkins said the chance to play a part in the local sports scene has been rewarding.
“It’s been a joy that I’ve been able to work for the home teams,” Perkins said. “I’ve met so many great people through this career, and having my kids grow up in the ballpark or arena environment has been a really cool experience. I had never planned on that, but it was a really cool thing to have.
“I really wouldn’t have traded anything in the world for this.”
