Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) announced Monday that two-time Major League Soccer Executive of the Year, Bill Manning, has been named President of Toronto FC. Manning will oversee all team and business operations for the club and begins in his new role on Friday, October 16.
Manning, 50, joins Toronto FC after spending the previous eight seasons as president of both Real Salt Lake (RSL) and Rio Tinto Stadium. During his time with RSL, Manning transformed the club into a winner, leading the organization to a 2009 MLS Cup championship, as well as a model franchise off the pitch where both season tickets and sponsorships more than tripled. The club also won the Eastern Conference title (2009), Western Conference title (2013) and were MLS Cup runners-up (2013) and CONCACAF Champions League runners-up (2011). Manning was the recipient of the Major League Soccer Doug Hamilton Executive of the Year award in both 2012 and 2014. In addition, he helped establish, open and sold naming rights to Rio Tinto Stadium, home to Real Salt Lake.
“Just as we have worked to add star talent on the pitch to help build Toronto FC into a consistent contender in Major League Soccer, today we are thrilled to add an equally as important and impressive executive in Bill Manning to lead the club,” said Larry Tanenbaum, Chairman of the MLSE Board of Directors. “Our ambition is to bring MLS Championships to our fans in Toronto and adding a leader of Bill’s calibre is another important part of that process and vision.”
Manning brings a wealth of sports management experience to Toronto FC from his twenty-two year career in executive positions in the National Football League with the Philadelphia Eagles, the National Basketball Association’s Houston Rockets and Real Salt Lake of MLS.
“In its first nine years, Toronto FC has established itself as one of the most important franchises in Major League Soccer and I am greatly honoured for the opportunity to lead this club,” said Manning. “TFC has made important strides this season, as the club pushes for its first-ever playoff berth in a premier, newly-renovated stadium, in front of some of the very best supporters in the league. I look forward to working with Tim Bezbatchenko, Greg Vanney and the TFC staff at this exciting time and I am grateful to Mr. Tanenbaum and the MLSE ownership for this opportunity to come to a world-class city, and club, to help make its championship vision a reality.”
A native of Massapequa, New York, Manning was a nationally-recognized collegiate soccer player at the University of Bridgeport where, as a sophomore, he helped the Purple Knights to a NCAA quarterfinal berth, and as a senior in 1986 he led his team to a final four appearance while earning first-team All-America honors. Manning continued his playing career after college and won a U.S. Open Cup with the Brooklyn Italians in 1991, and played professionally in the United Soccer League (USL) with the Penn-Jersey Spirit (1991), Valley Golden Eagles (1993) and New York Fever (1994-95). Manning also holds a U.S. Soccer National “A” Coaching License.
Manning began his career in sports management with the Continental Indoor Soccer League during its inaugural season in 1993. After his last season with the Fever, he went on to leadership roles in the United Soccer League with the Long Island Rough Riders and then the Minnesota Thunder where he was named USL Executive of the Year in 1999 following their championship season. Manning got his start in MLS in 2000 with the Tampa Bay Mutiny as President and General Manager and was named 2000 MLS Executive of the Year by the Washington Post.
Manning received his Bachelor of Science degree (1987) and Masters in Business Administration (1989) from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut where he was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2006.
Manning and his wife, Jennifer, will reside in Toronto with their sons John and Will.
