199 Mark Washo on 30 Years of U.S. Soccer, Ticket Sales and Building Team Revenue

Mark Washo has spent more than 30 years helping build the business of American soccer. An original D.C. United employee during the launch of MLS, he went on to leadership roles with the MetroStars, Chicago Fire, Washington Freedom, Washington Spirit and Rochester Rhinos.Today, Mark is the founding partner of Freedom Sports and Entertainment, working with professional teams and college athletic departments on ticket sales, sponsorships, recruiting and training. He is also a co-founder and minority owner of Flower City Union and the author of Break Into Sports Through Ticket Sales.Mark joins the Sports Business Leaders Podcast to discuss how investment, soccer-specific stadiums and younger fans have helped transform U.S. soccer. He explains why personal relationships still drive ticket sales, what makes a strong sales team and how companies can earn a team’s business by proving their value. He also shares advice on finding mentors, developing leaders and building a career across the many opportunities in sports.