Tom Anastos, recognized by The Hockey News in each of the past five years on the list of the 100 most influential and powerful people in the sport (No. 88 in 2010), is in his 13th season as the Commissioner of the CCHA, having been named to the post on March 18, 1998. His unrequited passion for the game and savvy blend of administrative, business and communication skills, combined with a Who’s Who list of connections, provide progressive vision and dynamic leadership for college hockey.
In April 2010, the CCHA played host to the record-breaking 2010 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four at Ford Field in Detroit, the first Frozen Four to be held in a non-traditional hockey venue. A crowd of 34,954 watched the semifinal games and 37,592 attended the title game between Boston College and Wisconsin. The individual day attendance marks and the three-game total of 72,546 easily shattered the Frozen Four records, and the title-game attendance mark stands as the North American record for an indoor hockey game.
In preparation for the 2010 Men’s Frozen Four, Anastos was influencial in retaining the services of two of Detroit’s most prominent civic leaders, William Clay Ford Jr., and Christopher Ilitch, as co-chairmen for the event. Ford and Ilitch were crucial in amassing community support for the championship’s ancillary events, such as the popular College Hockey Fan Fest in the GM Wintergarden at the Renaissance Center. All told, the economic impact of the 2010 Men’s Frozen Four on the city of Detroit was approximately $10 million.
Anastos serves as President of the Hockey Commissioner’s Association (HCA), a group comprised of the five commissioners from NCAA Division I Hockey. This past season, he was key in the procuring of a grant from the National Hockey League through USA Hockey. The funding was used by the Anastos-led HCA to create College Hockey Inc., an educational and promotional entity charged with raising the profile and help foster the growth of college hockey. In its first year, College Hockey Inc. hired its first Executive Director and established an office in Newton, Mass.
The national leadership provided by Anastos was fully evident two seasons ago when, in his capacity as President of the HCA, he spearheaded a college hockey delegation that traveled to Florida to meet with the 30 general managers of NHL teams.
The HCA addresses common issues and concerns at a national level. The group’s efforts include ongoing discussions with the NHL’s corporate office in New York, sponsorship of the annual Warrior Ice Breaker Tournament and the College Hockey All-Access radio show on NHL Home Ice XM 204, Sirius 208.
The CCHA Commissioner’s commitment to growing the sport has resulted in an annual statewide celebration known as ‘Hockey Day in Michigan’. The grass roots initiative, which includes the live broadcast of two CCHA games on FOX Sports Detroit, has been successfully imitated by USA Hockey to encourage fans, players, coaches and officials to unite in their passion for their sport and help introduce others to the game.
Television has been a focal point for the CCHA under Anastos. The CCHA was the first hockey conference to sign television agreements with CBS College Sports (formerly CSTV), Toronto, Canada-based Leafs TV, and the NHL Network. Expanded media coverage under his watch includes a weekly show, CCHA All-Access, on FOX Sports Detroit, and a radio show, Inside the CCHA, that is widely distributed in league markets.
Anastos has also transformed the annual CCHA Awards Banquet into a glamorous affair staged at Detroit’s historic Fox Theatre and has overseen the evolution of the CCHA Championship Weekend into a festive event that’s added numerous entertainment options to the championship hockey that’s played.
Prior to his appointment, Anastos served as president of the North American Hockey League, a Tier II junior league, for four seasons. During that time, the NAHL attracted strong ownership groups and developed into one of the top leagues for college-bound players in the United States.
An active member of USA Hockey, Anastos is one of two NCAA representatives on the organization’s board of directors. He is also a member of USA Hockey’s Junior Council, which guides the direction of junior hockey, as well as the International Council, which oversees U.S. international programs.
Anastos also serves on the board of directors for One Goal, a nonprofit organization comprised of hockey’s North American industry leaders seeking to improve awareness and understanding of hockey so parents can make informed decisions about involving their families in the game.
Anastos was a four-year letterwinner at Michigan State (1981-85) and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in construction management. His Spartans won four CCHA Championships and made four NCAA Tournament appearances. As a senior, he earned second-team all-conference honors and was named to the all-tournament teams at the CCHA Tournament and Great Lakes Invitational.
Anastos, a 2000 inductee into his hometown Dearborn, Mich., Sports Hall of Fame, played junior hockey for the Paddock Pools Saints of the NAHL and was the first player ever drafted from the league by an NHL team when the Montreal Canadiens selected him in 1981. After a season in the Canadiens organization, he joined the coaching staff at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and served as head coach from 1987-90, compiling a 68-37-7 record. Anastos returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach to Ron Mason from 1990-92.
Anastos, 46, lives in Farmington Hills, Mich., with his wife, Lisa. They have five children — daughters Lauren, Jenna, Alyssa, and Andrea, and son Drew.