The Business of Soccer
Amanda built her soccer/football business career across men's and women's professional soccer. She was recognized as a Sports Business Journal Game Changer in 2016. A key part of the explosive growth across the league’s digital and media properties, Amanda's work was instrumental in MLS winning Sports Business Journal’s 2018 Best in Social Media Award and Cynopsis Sports Media Awards Best Social Media Campaign in 2014.
2021 - present | As USL Super League President, Amanda Vandervort leads all aspects of USL’s distinct youth-to-professional women’s soccer pathway, creating thousands of opportunities for players, fans, coaches and staff in the women’s game. Vandervort works with communities, players, clubs, owners and partners to build the USL Super League into a financially sustainable, globally recognized sports entity.
In January 2022, the USL unveiled Step Up: The Bold Next Phase of the USL Women's Soccer Strategy, an evolution of the USL’s ongoing women’s soccer strategy that is designed to take the women’s game in America to the next level by maximizing player potential, delivering a world-class fan experience, and growing the business of USL clubs.
In January 2022, the USL unveiled Step Up: The Bold Next Phase of the USL Women's Soccer Strategy, an evolution of the USL’s ongoing women’s soccer strategy that is designed to take the women’s game in America to the next level by maximizing player potential, delivering a world-class fan experience, and growing the business of USL clubs.
STEP UP
STEP UP: THE BOLD NEXT PHASE IN THE USL'S WOMEN'S SOCCER STRATEGY / LINK - January 2023
Step Up provides a blueprint for the USL to build, operate, and grow the most comprehensive and powerful ecosystem in women’s soccer. It lays out a clear pathway from youth to professional, including the launch of the professional USL Super League, continued expansion of the pre-professional USL W League, and the establishment and growth of the USL Academy for girls.
Step Up provides a blueprint for the USL to build, operate, and grow the most comprehensive and powerful ecosystem in women’s soccer. It lays out a clear pathway from youth to professional, including the launch of the professional USL Super League, continued expansion of the pre-professional USL W League, and the establishment and growth of the USL Academy for girls.
2019 - 2021 | In October 2019, Amanda was hired as the first-ever Chief Women's Football Officer at FIFPRO, the global football players' union. During her time, FIFPRO expanded women’s football engagement with its members, leveraged technology in innovative ways to bring women’s football representatives around the world even closer together, and expanded its educational programming for unions and staff around issues like gender equity, inclusion and abuse.
FIFPRO launched multiple reports about the women's football industry, including Raising Our Game, a forward-thinking report about about the growing women’s football economy, working conditions, and a player-centric path toward professionalization. This report put women’s professional football that put players at the heart of the planned development and growth of the game. In 2020, FIFPRO helped to develop FIFA’s first Pregnancy and Maternity Policy for professional female players. FIFPRO partnered with Women in Football to host their first-ever event outside the UK and launch Ready to Board, program to prepare women for executive roles in professional football.
FIFPRO launched multiple reports about the women's football industry, including Raising Our Game, a forward-thinking report about about the growing women’s football economy, working conditions, and a player-centric path toward professionalization. This report put women’s professional football that put players at the heart of the planned development and growth of the game. In 2020, FIFPRO helped to develop FIFA’s first Pregnancy and Maternity Policy for professional female players. FIFPRO partnered with Women in Football to host their first-ever event outside the UK and launch Ready to Board, program to prepare women for executive roles in professional football.
PUBLICations
FIFPRO RAISING OUR GAME WOMEN'S FOOTBALL REPORT / LINK - April 2020
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COVID-19: IMPLICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S FOOTBALL / LINK - April 2020
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FIFPRO PLAYER UNIONS REVEAL ONGOING IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON WOMEN'S FOOTBALL / LINK - October 2020
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PLAYER PREGNANCY AND PARENTAL MANAGEMENT POLICY GUIDE / LINK - November 2020
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2008-2010 | Amanda joined Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) founding franchise Chicago Red Stars as Director of Marketing and Camps in 2008. With a leadership team committed to innovation and transparency, social media became core to the business strategy, allowing for enhanced content distribution and direct-to-fan communications. In her role, Amanda determined the strategic direction and long-term vision for online marketing and social media programs, designed websites, developed creative online marketing campaigns, educated front office staff about the uses and benefits of social media, and designed digital and printed materials.
Amanda moved to the League Office in 2009 to maintain and manage womensprosoccer.com as the leading resource for women's soccer news and information in the world. She drove social as a core pillar of their media strategy and was the primary league contact for Clubs on all things related to digital marketing. Within six months, @womensprosoccer had over 250,000 Twitter followers and an active community across multiple platforms like Facebook and Ning. WPS was the first sports league to live tweet a national event, the 2008 U.S. Women's National Team player allocation. Amanda also leaned on her coaching background to direct league-wide video analysis operations, assist in the design and execution of marketing programs and develop comprehensive WPS Camps curriculum.
Amanda moved to the League Office in 2009 to maintain and manage womensprosoccer.com as the leading resource for women's soccer news and information in the world. She drove social as a core pillar of their media strategy and was the primary league contact for Clubs on all things related to digital marketing. Within six months, @womensprosoccer had over 250,000 Twitter followers and an active community across multiple platforms like Facebook and Ning. WPS was the first sports league to live tweet a national event, the 2008 U.S. Women's National Team player allocation. Amanda also leaned on her coaching background to direct league-wide video analysis operations, assist in the design and execution of marketing programs and develop comprehensive WPS Camps curriculum.
2010-2019 | Amanda worked for Major League Soccer for nearly a decade. She helped develop the league's initial social media strategy as a consultant in 2010. Two years later, she relocated to New York City to accept the role as Director of Social Media and bring MLS closer to the fans it serves through social media marketing and community engagement. Since then, the League has one of the highest growth and engagement rates across all major professional sports and an active fan base across Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Facebook.
Amanda was promoted to Vice President of CRM and Social Media, and oversaw all organic direct-to-consumer marketing channels adding email marketing and mobile alerts to her portfolio. She's become a champion of consumer data and insights, driving a company-wide understanding of fan interests and behaviors that allow marketing professionals to deliver authentic, personalized experiences that lead to higher engagement.
In 2017, Amanda shifted her focus as Vice President of Fan Engagement, from League-level work to Club-focused business, helping MLS staff, players and executives drive connections with fans on a local level.
Amanda was promoted to Vice President of CRM and Social Media, and oversaw all organic direct-to-consumer marketing channels adding email marketing and mobile alerts to her portfolio. She's become a champion of consumer data and insights, driving a company-wide understanding of fan interests and behaviors that allow marketing professionals to deliver authentic, personalized experiences that lead to higher engagement.
In 2017, Amanda shifted her focus as Vice President of Fan Engagement, from League-level work to Club-focused business, helping MLS staff, players and executives drive connections with fans on a local level.
MLS LEAGUE MEETINGS / 2019 - Chicago
2011 - 2016 | Amanda consulted as a Marketing and Communications Instructor for FIFA Women's Football, leading Com-Unity Seminars in Asia, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe. She delivered communication and marketing workshops to help member associations, helping them promote and the many positive benefits of women's football while also attracting partners and sponsors. The Com-Unity workshops were designed to advocate improved cooperation and communication between FIFA member associations (MAs), their governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in the countries, other partners and the media. Amanda also served as a mentor for FIFA Women’s Leadership Development Program and a Panel Moderator at the 2011 and 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Symposiums.