After a nearly 40-year career, longtime Tucson sports icon Mike Feder stepped down as executive director for the Sugar Skulls on Thursday to focus on his ongoing business operations and β more importantly β his family.
βIβm 67 years old; itβs time to do things at my pace, and obviously the most important thing is being a grandpa for the first time,β Feder said. βThe franchise is in great shape.β
Federβs son, Nate, and daughter-in-law are expecting their first baby in mid-July.
The 1998 Pima County Sports Hall of Fame inductee joined the front office staff of Tucsonβs professional indoor football team before its inaugural season in 2019. The Sugar Skulls finished the season 7-8 and made history when they became the first expansion team to qualify for the IFL playoffs.
β(Sugar Skulls owners) Kevin and Cathy Guy have been great and if they ever need some consulting, Iβd be glad to do it,β Feder said. βIβm going to all the games and I love indoor football. The team is just scratching the surface, and itβs going to keep getting bigger and bigger.β
Feder has worked with sports franchises nationally and in Tucson. From 1989-2001, he served as the general manager for the Triple-A baseball Tucson Toros and Sidewinders. Feder was the general manager for the Tucson Padres, the Triple-A affiliate for San Diego, from 2011-13, and he was named the Pacific Coast League executive of the year in 2013.
Federβs recent accolades donβt compare to the first, which was a championship ring.
βThe Toros years were special,β Feder said. βIn 1991 when the Toros won the championship, quite honestly, thatβs the highlight of my sports career. When the Toros won their first PCL championship ever, that was a special moment.β
Feder left Tucson in 2001 and joined the New Orleans Saintsβ front office until 2005. He was also the executive director of the Arena Football Leagueβs New Orleans VooDoo, and eventually the Austin Wranglers until 2006.
He was the executive director of the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl for the gameβs first four years, but stepped down this year.
βIβve worked in the NFL for five years and doing things in Tucson were more enjoyable,β he said.
Feder isnβt officially retiring, though. Along with operating the Lute Olson Fantasy Basketball Camp and Mexican Baseball Fiesta, which is entering its ninth year, Feder hopes to be more involved with local charity groups.
βI love the Mexican Baseball Fiesta and the fantasy camp,β Feder said. βI love Tucson. Thatβs why Iβm not going away and thatβs why Iβm going to continue to be involved.β
Federβs next chapter will have a little bit more time for grandpa duties and being a sports fanatic, which has been a passion for his entire life.
βIβll have to manage my two fantasy baseball teams better. Iβve done a poor job there,β Feder said. βI live a very simple life and Iβm looking forward to U of A football season and being with the people in the Sands Club. ... I will never have a full-time job again and I just want to do what I want to do, and thatβs enough.β