As the Seattle Sounders and Reign FC continue their growth as soccer organizations, the hope is to broaden their horizons, extending to the wider sports and entertainment industry.
In doing so, the two clubs have focused on assembling a senior leadership team capable of guiding the enterprise through a period of immense opportunity.
Announced during the weeks of Oct. 27 and Nov. 17, Sounders FC and Reign FC added Chief Marketing Officer Ro Vega and Chief Financial Officer Sean Coury to their front office staff, with the expectation of rising to new heights, despite already being two successful clubs. They join other high-profile additions to the executive leadership team like Chief Revenue Officer Courtney Carter and Chief Legal Officer Chris Masse.
With the leadership team now in place, the enterprise is poised to accelerate its growth in the coming years, fueled by generational opportunities on the global stage like the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the potential hosting of the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup in North America.
“The opportunity to have an impact on both the men's and women's team is one of the main selling points coming to Seattle,” said Vega. “It’s a unique scenario in terms of the enterprise and the opportunity to impact both teams on an organizational level and also the sport of soccer on a global scale in an upcoming men’s World Cup year.”
2 MATCH PACK (vs. Colorado Rapids & Portland Timbers)
Start the 2026 season strong with the Sounders’ 2-Match Pack! Get tickets to the Home Opener and the can’t-miss clash with the Portland Timbers. Lock in your seats now and bring the energy to two of the biggest matches of the year.
Home Opener Kickoff at 6 p.m. PT on February 22. Portland Kickoff at 7:30 p.m. PT on July 16.
These two specific hires come with an abundance of experience, bringing in fresh perspectives and new ideas to the two clubs.
Vega has a vast resume as both a global brand leader at Nike and Beats by Dre, helping architect significant and culturally resonant campaigns for FIFA World Cups, Olympic Games, and NBA All-Star Weekend, to name a few. The addition of Vega allows the organizations to prioritize engaging, meaningful content and storytelling that elevates the enterprise’s creative marketing, brand recognition, fan experience and cultural engagement.
“I’ve worked at some of the biggest brands and companies in the world, what I’ve been able to take away from those experiences is operational excellence and world-class creative,” said Vega. “And those are two different things that I plan on bringing to the Sounders and the Reign, elevating what the standard of excellence looks like for both.”
Coury served as the former CFO of Bezos Academy, in addition to financial leadership positions at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Apptio. His extensive background is vital for the Sounders and Reign to expand efficiently with the help of a seasoned financial professional to back them in the process.
“What I bring is financial rigor, structure and framework to help us achieve our goals, and be very clear on what our building blocks are to optimize and be able to capture new opportunities, " said Coury.
MLS - FIFA Calendar Alignment
The MLS Board of Governors has approved a shift to a summer-to-spring schedule, aligning MLS with the world’s top leagues. This transition opens the door to greater competitive opportunities, fewer conflicts with international windows, and improved access to elite talent in the global transfer market.
The expectation is for both Coury and Vega to leverage their diverse, unique experiences to strengthen the Sounders and Reign while maintaining each club’s individual identities and the overall ethos they have built since their inception.
“I think the challenge is in respecting the past and the heritage but also building towards the future,” said Vega. “I think there's a willingness to take big swings and evolve the brands into the next stage of their evolution, but we can’t forget where we come from and who we serve.”
Coury and Vega’s knowledge of finance and marketing will benefit the Reign and Sounders in more ways than one. And the two new hires are eager to showcase how they can leverage their extensive backgrounds with the generational opportunities ahead.
“There’s a distinct quality of the Sounders and the Reign, a combination of sustained success, deep community connection, and a relentless push towards excellence,” said Coury. “That, along with the recent changes in the management, signaled an ambitious new chapter, and I knew I wanted to be a part of the momentum these clubs are building.”
Back on October 30, Sounders FC announced plans to pursue a strategic capital raise to help drive strategic initiatives ahead of a period of unprecedented growth potential in North American soccer. With the enterprise’s executive leadership team fully in place – headlined by industry-leading experts across every facet of the business – both clubs are poised to harness the energy for soccer in the PNW and set both clubs up for sustained success for decades to come.
