Nashville Soccer Club, an incoming expansion franchise to the United Soccer League in 2018, has hired Soccer United Marketing executive Court Jeske as its first president.
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Jeske
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Jeske, 38, was vice president of international business for SUM and MLS, leading all of the organization’s international business, as well as acting as a conduit between MLS club leadership and international deals. He previously was director of marketing and events for USA Rugby.
Nashville SC, owned by three Nashville-based investors, was awarded a USL expansion franchise in May. It will be the first professional soccer team in the city, previously acquiring the assets of a popular community-led club. The club has not yet secured a stadium in which to play.
Jeske, who will start in mid-November, said he got acquainted with the city and the organization during the past year while working for SUM on the upcoming Mexico-New Zealand match at Nissan Stadium, as well as speaking with the ownership group. He said his first task will be to build out the club’s management team as well as meeting and interacting with local community and business leaders.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber has stated that the league will award four new expansion franchises, bringing the total to 28. In August, a group of Nashville executives formed a committee to show the city’s interest, although Nashville SC was not involved with that effort.
“Our goal is that we are professional soccer for Nashville, and we’re going to compete at the highest level that we can compete,” he said. “Who knows how big that will be in the future?”
