The Team Behind The Team: The Seattle Kraken’s Off-Ice Stars

The Seattle Kraken organization is on the rise and thriving on and off the ice. Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to visit the Kraken Community Iceplex in Northgate to look behind the scenes and meet four employees at the top of their fields. De’Aira Anderson, Lamont Buford, LJ Lugo and Kyle Boyd all play critical roles in the functioning of the organization and the fan experience.

 “There’s a lot going on at the Iceplex,” Boyd, who oversees the Kraken’s fan growth initiatives, said. “One thing we discovered early on was that it’s important to build that connection between the team and the community. We decided to build a lot of our programming around kids and the community.”

That connection with the fans extends to the live experience as well, where Lamont Buford works to ensure every fan has a memorable experience.

“Especially with hockey, there are so many traditions,” Buford, who leads a team to provide content and entertainment to fans, said. “We had to really look and see what makes Seattle so special and what traditions fit here. I still don’t think I’ve ever really gone to work - I just get to go have fun.”

LJ Lugo came to the Kraken after a career with the Army, connecting with the Kraken through a fellow veteran. She uses skills acquired in the army to ensure both employees and fans have a smooth experience when it comes to technology.

“I’m your go-to for anything IT related,” LJ, who is the Kraken’s IT specialist, said. “The energy here is so special, and if the energy is good then that’s somewhere I want to be.”

For Anderson, who works across departments to tell meaningful stories that challenge the status quo in hockey and beyond, getting into hockey took the urging of a friend to attend a Carolina Hurricanes game.

“It was something I had never experienced in a professional sporting environment,” Anderson said. “After that, I became a hockey fan.

After a stint in the tech world working in PR, Anderson came to the Kraken and has made an immediate impact.

You can watch the full video to hear more from Anderson, Lugo, Buford, and Boyd, and make sure to tune in to #Back2Besa at 10:30 pm on FOX 13 Seattle and stream the replay at 10 am on Sunday on FOX 13+ for more great stories.