The Man Who Ran U.S. Soccer Leaves At The End of the Month
For better or worse, Jay Berhalter has been well recognized as running U.S. Soccer. What will the next chapter be like post-jay?
U.S. Soccer is the governing body of soccer in the United States. While it has a president, Carlos Cordeiro, from the point of view of many, Jay Berhalter ran the business of soccer in America. Referred to as “one of the most powerful and controversial men in the United States Soccer Federation” by NBC Sports, Jay had fans as well as people who were less enamored with his style.
It is big news that Jay Berhalter is leaving the job of U.S. Soccer Chief Commercial Officer
Jay is the older brother of our country’s Men’s National team coach, Gregg Berhalter.
This announcement was made earlier today:
“Jay has played an invaluable role in the growth of our Federation and the evolution of the game in our country,” said U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro. “His deep understanding of all the technical, commercial, and business aspects of the sport will have a lasting impact on the game across America.”
“Having been involved in the sport since the 1994 World Cup and the start of Major League Soccer, working towards the mission of making soccer the preeminent sport in the U.S. has been a fantastic opportunity throughout my career,” Jay Berhalter said in a statement. “I am fortunate to have worked with so many passionate teammates and proud of what we have been able to accomplish together at all levels of the game. My decision to leave U.S. Soccer was not an easy one to make, but it’s the right one for my family and me at this time. Looking to the future, it is exciting to imagine the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Jay has been a part of the fabric of American soccer for so many years. An advocate for the women’s game and a fan of the player development, Jay has his fingerprint on the majority of programs. Under consideration for replacing Dan Flynn as the CEO, he has made the federation a ton of money, but it had become clear that he was not going to get the promotion.
While there has been an ongoing controversy at U.S. Soccer’s Soccer House — the hope is new leadership will come in soon and forge a powerful path to make the world’s favorite sport even more popular … and slightly better organized in the USA.
📰 | Jay Berhalter has stepped down as CCO of @ussoccer.
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) February 7, 2020
We are deeply grateful to Jay for his many years of service and contribution to the growth of the sport in the United States.
The CEO search is still ongoing and it is doubtful that the candidate will be an internal choice.
After a multi-year stint at U.S. Soccer — Jay was with U.S. Soccer in the earlier days from 2000 to 2009, and then came back in 2014 — the question is, what will the organization look like after he is gone?
