CHICAGO
(March 29, 2018) –
The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced today that long-time Major League Soccer (MLS) and Soccer United Marketing (SUM) executive Sean Dennison has been named Senior Vice President, Communications & Media. He will begin his new role on April 2 and report to President and General Manager Nelson Rodríguez.
Dennison, who will also work closely with new Chief Operating Officer John Urban, will manage all Club communications functions, including soccer communications, public relations, broadcast, social media and digital media.
“Sean’s experience, relationships and creativity are well-recognized throughout our League and the sports industry,” said Rodríguez. “His arrival is another example that the Fire is a club of choice for top professionals and we’re sure that Sean will help develop innovative and exciting ways to connect our Club with our fans and partners.”
Most recently, as vice president of communications at MLS/SUM, Dennison oversaw all business and non-sports communications for the League and its commercial arm. He worked closely with all 23 MLS clubs, as well as all prospective expansion groups, to support growth in each local market.
“I’m excited to bring my years of experience and passion for Major League Soccer to a first-class organization,” said Dennison. “I’m honored to join Andrew Hauptman, Nelson Rodríguez, John Urban, and the rest of the team at the Chicago Fire Soccer Club. I’m looking forward to contributing to the organization’s goal of winning championships for our world-class city.”
During his 13 years at MLS/SUM, Dennison worked on a variety of properties including MLS, U.S. Soccer, the Mexican National Team’s annual U.S. Tour, CONCACAF Gold Cup and the historic 2016 Copa America Centenario. He contributed to the success of MLS marquee events including MLS SuperDraft, MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup. He also helped launch MLS WORKS, MLS’ community outreach initiative.
Dennison regularly worked with MLS media partners including ESPN, FOX Sports and Univision, and with MLS and SUM corporate partners, including current Fire partners adidas, Allstate, Continental Tire, Heineken and Kellogg’s.
During his tenure, MLS was named 2008 and 2016 Sports League of the Year by Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal and was recently announced as a finalist for the 2018 award.
A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Dennison earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from McGill University and a Master of Science in Sports Business from New York University. Prior to joining MLS, he held positions with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and IMG.
Dennison and his fiancée, Michele, live on Chicago’s North Side.
