Pete Guelli has been appointed as the Chief Operating Officer for both the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres, coming back to Western New York from his previous role with the New York Giants. He had previously worked with the Bills for over a decade in various roles, including Executive Vice President. Guelli’s return comes at a time of instability within the Bills’ front office, with changes in the COO position over the past year. He will be heavily involved in the financial aspects of the teams, especially with the construction of the Bills’ new stadium. One key focus for Guelli will be selling personal seat licenses, with upcoming events designed to inform season ticket holders about pricing. Despite the recent decision to separate the Bills and Sabres under new leadership, Guelli will be one of the few leaders overseeing both organizations.
Guelli’s prior NBA success undoubtedly played a part in his rise to prominence in the NFL front office. Guelli left the Bills and moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he joined the Charlotte Hornets and rose through the ranks from EVP to Chief Marketing and Sales Officer to Chief Operating Officer.
The Hornets were able to reverse their fortunes thanks to Guelli’s guidance as COO. The foundation for a successful turnaround that saw the faltering Charlotte Bobcats franchise successfully rebrand as the revived Charlotte Hornets was built by a strong cooperation with then-new owner Michael Jordan.
Guelli will begin work with the Sabres on reestablishing the season-ticket base for the consistently underperforming franchise. His supervision and influence for the Key Bank Centre roof replacement project, as well as future remodelling and additions that are rumoured to include a new scoreboard, new seats, and other things, will also be significant.
