Help wanted. Must have thick skin: Charlotte FC adds high-level job with fans in mind
Charlotte FC is on the hunt, not only for its first head coach but also to fill a new position that will likely come with the same level of public acclaim and criticism from fans.
The new Major League Soccer club announced Wednesday its search for a “chief fan officer,” a role designed to serve as a liaison between the team and its fan base.
The job description outlines the candidate’s ability to “be the voice of the fans” and communicate ideas between Charlotte FC leadership and individuals supporting the club. Charlotte FC president Nick Kelly called it a delicate job.
“We need somebody who has thick skin, who can go out there and take it,” Kelly said, “and constructively provide feedback.”
Kelly said the position is unique to MLS and aligns with Charlotte FC’s goal to be the “progressive, collective and ambitious club” it identifies as. While other sports teams have launched similar roles (Kelly cited the New York Rangers) and other MLS clubs have fan-facing positions, the role is unique in that the individual hired will wield a considerable amount of influence within the organization’s business operations.
It will be a full-time, executive-level position with a competitive salary and expense account. The chief fan officer will report to Kelly and billionaire team owner David Tepper, sit in on business meetings with club leadership and be encouraged to voice concerns and solutions, according to Kelly.
The reason Charlotte’s MLS team, which is set to begin play in 2022, is adamant about the influence of the position is because leadership has seen how the soccer fan base is able to impact a club’s decisions and direction. Kelly cited the quick dissolution of Europe’s Super League in response to fan protests in April as being a wake-up call for Charlotte FC to make the role more than honorary.
More recently within MLS, backlash from Columbus (Ohio) supporters groups led to the changes of that team’s name and logo in May. Earlier this month, FIFA penalized the Mexican Football Federation by requiring the team to play its first two home World Cup qualifiers in an empty stadium in response to homophobic chants by fans.
Originally, Kelly said the plan was to hire a “gameday fan engagement coordinator” in an entry-level position, but the club backed out upon seeing certain situations in MLS and with the Super League.
“With the ability of the fans to make that big of an impact on a billion-dollar decision, it really came back to us, like, maybe we’re undervaluing this position,” he said.
President of Gilt Edge Soccer Marketing and former Chicago Fire executive John Guppy confirmed the deep influence of the soccer fan base, telling Charlotte Business Journal that “the fans’ contribution to the entertainment experience in soccer is so much more pronounced. ... That is something that’s a little bit unique and different than perhaps what we see in the other established American sports.”
Charlotte FC has not been free of fan criticism either. The club received backlash from supporters’ groups upon releasing its season ticket prices in February. That move included personal seat licenses to make season tickets for non-supporters seating among the most expensive in the league. Some fans have also questioned the switch from grass to artificial turf at Bank of America Stadium in Uptown, where the first team will play. Much of the criticism has come via comments on social media.
Kelly said he hopes the new role can provide an avenue for more seamless communication between leadership and its fans in a post-pandemic era, especially as Charlotte FC sets out to produce sellout crowds in its first year. The stadium is undergoing a $50 million renovation project to update the 25-year-old NFL stadium with soccer-friendly enhancements that include a new locker room, Charlotte FC match day signage and additional food and beverage areas. Kelly said upgrades are on schedule to be completed just before first kick, while the artificial turf is on pace to be fully installed by August for the Carolina Panthers.
Renovations, player scouting — defender Adam Armour was signed by the team this week — and a continued culling of a short list for a future head coach continue as a new item is added ahead of Charlotte FC’s first season in the aims of making it a success.
Applications will be accepted for the chief fan officer position through July 30, and a decision is expected in September after consultation between Charlotte FC leadership with input from sponsor Ally Bank.
