Courtesy of US Club Soccer RICHMOND, VA - (Tuesday, April 29, 2008) – US Club Soccer recently announced the appointment of Richmond Kickers former Vice President and General Manager, Curt Johnson, as Senior Vice President of Marketing. Johnson will work with US Club Soccer Executive Director Bill Sage to develop and execute marketing programs for the various competitions and events held throughout the calendar year, as well as other membership initiatives and club development programs.
“With Curt’s strong background in professional sports, he brings a wealth of experience and fresh ideas to our organization,” said Sage. “He has proven his ability to develop brands, lead marketing initiatives, and form strategic alliances and we look forward to him utilizing those skills to strengthen US Club Soccer’s events, partnerships and positioning in the youth soccer landscape.”
Johnson served as the Vice President and General Manager of the Richmond Kickers, increasing ticket sales revenue by 100% and sponsorship revenue by 150% during his three years with the organization. He also worked closely with over a dozen youth soccer clubs in order to establish the Richmond Kickers Youth Soccer Club. In the early 1990’s, Johnson served as the account manager for the adidas marketing relationship with the U.S. Soccer Federation.
Within the soccer community, Johnson is well known as the former general manager of Major League Soccer’s Kansas City Wizards. During his seven years at the helm of the Wizards, Johnson oversaw a ticket sales staff that recorded five consecutive years of paid attendance growth in becoming the first MLS team to accomplish that feat. The Wizards were also MLS Champions in 2000 and Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Champions in 2004.
“After spending the past few years away from soccer, I am thrilled to be returning to the game I love,” said Johnson, “It is invigorating to be in a position which allows me to make a positive impact on youth development with a dynamic organization.”
Johnson most recently worked as the Director of Marketing for the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, where the team set a franchise record for ticket revenue during the 2007-2008 season, and increased television ratings 86% during that time.
Johnson played on North Carolina State University’s men’s soccer team from 1987 – 1990, and was captain of their 1990 ACC Championship team that also advanced to the Final Four. During the mid-90’s, he was also an assistant coach for the team.
Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from North Carolina State University and will be relocating to Charleston, S.C.
About US Club Soccer
US Club Soccer is a non-profit organization whose mission is to develop competitive club soccer in the United States. It has been a member of the United States Soccer Federation since July 2001, and has grown to over 2,300 member clubs and league teams in 48 states. In addition to sanctioning tournaments, leagues, and other competitions and conducting a range of programs for its members, it annually conducts the US Club Soccer National Cup and the Champions Cup and just launched a National Collegiate Showcase. US Club Soccer also conducts its own annual player identification and development program, id2. For more information, visit www.usclubsoccer.org.
