Skip to main content

VP, New Stadium Premium Hospitality

Job Details

1 North Dearborn - Chicago, IL
Full Time

Description

Chicago Fire Football Club is a Major League Soccer team that was founded in 1997. Under new ownership, the Club recently announced plans to build a $650M+ privately financed downtown stadium in Chicago in 2028. The stadium will anchor Chicago’s newest neighborhood, the 78, a 62-acre development and entertainment district located along the Chicago River just south of Roosevelt Road. For more information on our bold plans, visit DearChicago.com.  

 

Additionally, the club recently opened the state-of-the-art Endeavor Health Performance Center in March 2025 that has set the standard for North American training facilities. With tremendous growth and expansion, the Club is laying the foundation for an audacious and ambitious vision that will transform the brand and the company in the coming years.  

 

At Chicago Fire Football Club, we’re on a mission to entertain, serve, and unite Chicago by delivering excellence on and off the pitch to ensure a world-class experience. As a club we let our values guide everything we do: we uphold uncompromising integrity, show respect for all at all times, never settle for less, constantly innovate, and hold ourselves relentlessly accountable.  

 

Position Overview:  

Chicago Fire FC is seeking a strategic and driven Vice President, New Stadium Premium Hospitality to lead all premium and ticketing revenue efforts ahead of the Club’s new downtown stadium opening in 2028. Reporting to the Chief Ticketing Officer and serving on the executive team, this leader will oversee a high-performing department of 2 Directors and an elite in-house sales team, responsible for driving significant annual revenue and contractually obligated income from suites, loges, club seats and season tickets. The ideal candidate brings deep premium sales expertise, proven success leading B2B teams, and strong business acumen, while serving as a visible executive presence in client meetings, negotiations, and the community. This is a rare opportunity to build and lead a transformational sales campaign in one of North America’s most ambitious stadium projects. 

 

Job Responsibilities: 

Reporting to the Chief Ticketing Officer, responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to: 

  • Lead all premium hospitality and ticketing revenue strategy for the new stadium including suites, loges/living room boxes, club seating, season tickets, with direct accountability to multi-year revenue goals. 

  • Relocate current premium clients and season ticket members, convert new stadium deposit holders, and drive significant new business outreach through a phased sales campaign to sell-out seating inventory for the new stadium opening in 2028. 

  • Recruit, onboard, and develop a best-in-class team of Directors, Managers, and sales representatives focused on premium seating, and season tickets for new stadium.

  • Represent Chicago Fire FC at home matches, local networking, community, and corporate events to generate awareness, excitement, and sales leads throughout Chicagoland. 

  • Serve as a visible, client-facing executive, leading presentations, attending key sales appointments, and assisting with high-value negotiations to close transformational deals. 

  • Drive an elite culture of discipline, accountability, and innovation, using best-in-class tools, CRM systems, training programs, and performance metrics. 

  • Develop and execute sophisticated outbound sales strategies, including market segmentation, targeting C-level executives, local business influencers, and high-net-worth individuals. 

  • Work closely with Marketing, Business Analytics, Partnerships, and Premium Service teams to drive awareness and generate qualified leads through local activations, networking, and partnerships. 

  • Leverage the upcoming New Stadium Preview Center (opening Winter 2025-26) to deliver unforgettable sales presentations and immersive prospect experiences. 

  • Collaborate with internal and external partners to inform product design, pricing strategy, packaging, and service models. 

  • Provide timely forecasts, pipeline reporting, and revenue pacing updates to executive leadership. 

  • Serve as a key ambassador for the Chicago Fire FC brand at high-profile community, corporate, and matchday events. 

  • Completion of other duties as assigned with a team-player mindset.  

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:  

  • Minimum 10+ years of progressive experience in sports or entertainment premium sales, including extensive leadership of teams selling suites, club seats, and premium inventory. 

  • Proven track record of closing large-scale corporate partnerships and premium hospitality deals, including six- and seven-figure agreements. 

  • Prior experience building, mentoring, and managing high-performance sales teams, with emphasis on recruiting talent and developing leadership. 

  • Strong executive presence and communication skills, with the ability to influence key stakeholders across internal departments and external organizations. 

  • Deep understanding of B2B sales strategy, corporate relationship management, and the premium hospitality landscape. 

  • Knowledge of the Chicagoland business community is preferred; national network and relationships in relevant sectors are a plus. 

  • Demonstrated ability to operate with grit, ambition, and growth mindset in fast-paced, evolving environments. 

  • Must be able to work collaboratively across all departments and possess an optimistic team-first mentality. 

  • Due to the nature of this role, the candidate must be willing to work non-traditional hours, weekends, and holidays. 

 

Preferred Qualifications:  

  • Bachelor's degree in business, Sports Management, or a related field. 

  • Experience leading teams through complex venue transitions or large-scale relocation campaigns. 

  • Experience with the opening of a new stadium or arena, including selling multi-year lease products. 

  • Experience with corporate sales in the Chicagoland area. 

  • Background working cross-functionally in collaborative executive environments with a commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. 

 

Compensation: 

  • This role offers a salary range of $150,000 - $200,000 with a generous bonus plan based on individual and club-wide goals 

  • Final salary is determined by carefully considering the applicant's background, experience, and qualifications. Base pay may vary significantly based on geographic location, job-specific knowledge, skills, and overall experience. This role is classified as Full-time, exempt 

 

Please note: 

  • Chicago Fire FC is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Our diversity initiatives start with the recruitment and selection process; therefore, we’d like to welcome all diverse candidates to apply to opportunities within our Club.  

  • CFFC is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and maintaining a workplace for employees and applicants for employment that is free from discrimination.   The Company does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, age, veteran or military status, disability, sexual orientation, sexual orientation or expression, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.   

  • If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the People and Culture Department at peopleandculture@chicagofirefc.com to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.     

 

MLS Privacy Policy:  

  • By clicking apply, you agree to the terms of the MLS Privacy Policy.  

 

Apply