April 10 – Kathy Carter is to leave her position as president of Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the commercial marketing arm of soccer in the United States, driving sales for the MLS and the U.S. Soccer Federation.
Carter ran for the presidency of the US Soccer Federation in February this year but lost the election in the third ballot to Carlos Cordeiro. She had been the preferred candidate of outgoing USSF president Sunil Gulati and MLS commissioner Don Garber, until the election the two most powerful individuals in US Soccer.
Carter has been running the SUM business since 2010, playing a key role in building the $150 million surplus the US Soccer Federation currently enjoys.
During her time in charge the value of SUM has more than tripled. In 2012 SUM sold a 25% stake to private equity firm Providence Equity Partners for a reported $150 million. Providence sold its stake back to SUM in 2017 in a deal said to be worth $400 million, valuing SUM at more than $1.5 billion.
The relationship between the USSF and SUM has been a continuing point of contention because of the potential conflict of interest within the overlap its board has within the MLS.
USSF decisions like the failure to grant the NASL Division 2 status – which materially favours MSL commercial interests – have been referred to US anti-trust regulators, and an unbundling of the uncomfortable and non-transparent commercial ownership and ties between the two organisations regarding SUM would in the long term seem to be inevitable.
“My time with Soccer United Marketing and Major League Soccer has been deeply meaningful – building and expanding the game has been my profession and my passion,” said Carter.
MLS commissioner and SUM CEO Don Garber. “Kathy played a critical role in the development of our league and the growth of soccer in North America for many years. Her energy, leadership and strong relationships helped establish SUM as one of the leading commercial soccer companies in the world.”
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