David Proper

David Proper serves as the Executive Vice President of Media & International Strategy for the National Hockey League. In this capacity, Proper oversees all of the League’s TV rightsholder relationships including the NHL’s comprehensive broadcast agreements with NBC, Rogers Communications and MTG. In addition, he is charged with the development and execution of the NHL’s international media strategy as well as the League’s broadcast business affairs, footage and photo licensing, and scheduling.

Most recently, Proper has been a key figure in helping to accelerate the development of hockey in China, including securing media partnerships with CCTV and Tencent, as well as helping to establish the 2017 NHL China Games presented by O.R.G. Packaging – the first NHL games in China – in addition to a variety of initiatives that will inspire generations of Chinese players and fans.

In 2016, under Proper’s leadership, live coverage of the World Cup of Hockey 2016 (a two-week best-on-best international hockey championship featuring eight teams and 150 of the NHL’s best players, which helped the NHL relaunch its overall international strategy and commitment to growing the game globally) was broadcast on television networks serving more than 200 regions and territories across six continents. Several of these networks carried the tournament in countries for the first time, including China.

Prior to joining the NHL in 2011, Proper worked for Time Warner Cable as Vice President of Programming. Before this, he was Senior Media Counsel for the National Football League.

Proper earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science/Speech Communication from Macalester College and went on to earn his Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law.

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