San Diego MLS, the newest team in Major League Soccer, has named sports industry veteran and San Diego local Ricardo Campos as Executive Vice President, Club Operations beginning Sept. 18. In his leadership role Campos will be responsible for overseeing and directing the operations of various departments critical to the success and growth of the club.
Campos is a trilingual sports executive with over seventeen years of experience in the U.S. soccer industry. He has expertly led the operations and management of professional and club soccer teams ensuring all departments worked cross-functionally to reach team and business goals effortlessly. In his new role, Campos will provide line management direction and support for the leaders within the departments of Brand, Community and Communication, Facilities and Retail Operations, and the IT/Technology. He will be part of the club’s executive management team helping to play a pivotal role in shaping SDFC’s overall success, fostering a strong club identity, and enhancing fan engagement.
“I am thrilled to welcome Ricardo [Campos] as our Executive Vice President of Club Operations,” said Tom Penn, CEO, San Diego MLS. “Ricardo’s wealth of experience, strong ties to the San Diego community and leadership qualities make him the ideal choice for this crucial role. His guidance will be instrumental in driving our brand, community, communication, facilities, retail operations, and technology departments towards excellence. Ricardo’s inclusion in our leadership team will be pivotal in defining our success, building a distinctive club identity, and engaging with our audience the San Diego way.”
“It is an absolute honor to join the team at San Diego MLS,” said Campos. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to join the team and be a part of building a football club that is a reflection of this uniquely diverse community in San Diego. The ability to help shape a club is something very unique, even more once I’ve gotten to know about the club vision and the ownership group. I am excited about the future of football in San Diego and what we will accomplish together.”
Campos recently served as President of San Diego Loyal Soccer Club, where he is a founding member and first employee of the organization. He guided the club’s growth and scaled their business by way of strategic partnership development and creating a strong personal and club presence throughout the greater San Diego community. Previously, Campos gained much of his expertise in Major League Soccer as the New York Red Bulls Technical Director. During his time with the team, he successfully executed recruiting and contract negotiations and complex multi-player trades that brought the team to new levels of competition. He was also part of the leadership team that built Red Bull Arena, Red Bull Training Facility and acquired top-level talent such as Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez, and Bradley Wright-Phillips.
Soccer fans can still reserve their place on the priority selection list for season tickets to San Diego’s inaugural MLS season by paying $18 at SanDiegoFC.com. All proceeds will be donated to San Diego Foundation to fund non-profits investing in the development of youth soccer across San Diego County. For the latest news and club updates, follow @SanDiegoFC on social media across all platforms and use the hashtag #SanDiegoMLS.
