Even early on, Ethan Casson knew.
OK, so maybe as a high school senior in Keene, N.H., he didn't know that he'd spend his 30s making "40 under 40 to watch'' lists from Minneapolis to San Francisco. Or that he would one day negotiate a 20-year, $220 million deal for the naming rights to Levi's Stadium while working for the San Francisco 49ers. Or that, one day, he would return to the Wolves, the team he cold-called into an entry-level job way back in 1998, this time as the organization's CEO.
But, way back in high school, he did know what he wanted.
"I remember being too young to have it all mapped out," said Casson, 42, who was hired by Glen Taylor to run the Timberwolves and Lynx in July.
But he knew he wanted to work in sports. Professional sports. And so, as a productive high school player getting notice from several small colleges, he chose Colby-Sawyer College in nearby New London. Not because of tradition — the men's basketball program was just two years old — but because the school offered a sports management degree.
"I felt it would lead me down that path,'' he said.
Months into his new position, Casson is elbows deep in the Target Center renovation process. In a competitive marketplace, the Wolves' corporate partnerships are up 15 percent. This week the organization announced five new founding partners. The Wolves are in the top half of the league in new season ticket sales, and the new premium seating level is 90 percent sold.
Of course, there is a lot left to be done. While full and partial season ticket sales are up, game-to-game attendance is still a work in progress, though Casson looks for post-holiday improvement.