COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Columbus Crew have hired Kristin Bernert as president of business operations, the latest woman to move into a prominent executive role in Major League Soccer.
Haslam Sports Group announced Bernert's addition on Tuesday. She previously spent 10 years with Madison Square Garden Sports, leading initiatives for the New York Knicks and Rangers before co-founding KB2 Sports, a sports business consulting firm.
Among her duties with the Crew, Bernert will oversee all the team's business endeavors, including fan engagement and marketing; facility management; ticket sales and services, and organizational administration.
Bernert began with MSGS in 2011 as vice president of business operations for the WNBA's New York Liberty. She's also worked in the front office for the Los Angeles Sparks and as a vice president of team marketing and business operations for the NBA.
The MLS has been at the forefront of gender inclusion in senior executive positions. Last year, Shari Ballard became the league's second female CEO when she took on that role with Minnesota United FC, and Lucy Rushton was hired as GM of D.C. United, just the second woman in Major League Soccer history to be a full-time general manager, after Lynne Meterparel with the San José Clash in 1999.
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