Tepper Sports CEO Nick Kelly stepping down from role he took on in February
Nick Kelly is stepping down as Tepper Sports & Entertainment’s chief executive officer after three months on the job, marking the latest in a string of high-level staff turnover at the organization in the last six months.
Kelly’s departure was announced Wednesday, and it comes two weeks after Tepper Sports & Entertainment stopped construction on the Carolina Panthers headquarters in Rock Hill, South Carolina due to a disagreement between the city and the company.
Kelly was appointed the CEO position at TSE, the ownership group of the Panthers and Major League Soccer’s expansion team Charlotte FC, in February amid a shakeup of leadership across the organizations.
A press release issued by both TSE-owned teams said that Kelly “has chosen to step down from his role as chief executive officer.” A company spokesperson declined to provide additional details about the change.
“Nick played an integral role in laying the groundwork for Charlotte FC’s inaugural season, and was a key contributor to Tepper Sports & Entertainment,” owner David Tepper said in the release. “We appreciate his efforts and wish him and his family the best as they move forward.”
It’s unclear when Kelly will formally leave the organization and who will replace him in the role. Kelly did not immediately respond to The Observer’s requests for comment.
His departure is an abrupt one. In an interview with The Charlotte Observer last week, Kelly spoke for the organization about several long-term projects he was supposed to be deeply involved in, including a massive renovation of Bank of America Stadium, where the Panthers and Charlotte FC play, to make the venue last for at least another decade. He’s also been involved in recent soccer-related projects, such finalizing details on a permanent training facility for Charlotte FC’s first team and delayed plans to build the club’s Academy headquarters at the former Eastland Mall site in Charlotte.
Kelly was named Charlotte FC team president in December 2020 and helped launch the team before its inaugural season this year. Prior to joining Charlotte FC and Tepper Sports, Kelly’s background was working in sports marketing for Anheuser-Busch since 2014. He also served as a communications manager for NASCAR from 2011-14.
Kelly joined Charlotte FC under then-Tepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE) president Tom Glick, who abruptly left his role amid the executive leadership changes announced in February after three years with the organization. Kristi Coleman was named the president of the Panthers and Joe LaBue was named president of Charlotte FC at the time, while Kelly stepped into the newly created role of Tepper Sports CEO.
“I want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Tepper, as well as the entire Tepper Sports & Entertainment organization, for giving me the opportunity to build a club, culture, and fanbase from the ground up at Charlotte FC,” Kelly said in a statement. “It has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and for that, I will be forever grateful and a fan.”
The Rock Hill project was among various topics billionaire team owner Tepper was asked about during a Panthers-focused press conference last week in which he deflected many of those questions. Tepper was also asked about Kelly’s performance as TSE CEO and offered praise.
“I think he’s done a really good job in that role,” Tepper said at the time. “There’s always a little bit of getting used to something, but I think he’s made a fast adaptation.”
Kelly’s departure is the latest in a list of top employees leaving TSE in recent months, including Glick; former Charlotte FC technical director Marc Nicholls, who left the club in January for a similar role as technical director of the Columbus Crew; and Jessica O’Neill, Charlotte FC’s former director of marketing and communications who left the position in February to become president of the National Women’s Soccer League’s Houston Dash.
Those changes occurred shortly before Charlotte FC opened its inaugural season in late-February. The club’s record is 3-6-1 after its first 10 matches in Major League Soccer and it sits 10th of 14 teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Panthers finished last season at the bottom of the NFC South with a 5-12 record.
This story was originally published May 4, 2022 at 11:06 AM.
