Senior sporting searches, led by someone who has held the seat.
Executive search, interim leadership, and sporting advisory for professional clubs and ownership groups.
3 SENIOR SEARCHES LED
Across club-side and retained mandates
2 USG PLACEMENTS
President/GM and Head Coach
BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE
Club executive and external search partner
HOW WE WORK
USG partners with ownership and senior club leadership across three areas: executive search, interim and transition leadership, and sporting strategy and operating design.
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Senior sporting searches for General Managers, Sporting Directors, Technical Directors, Heads of Recruitment, Head Coaches, and other leadership roles.
We define the profile with ownership and club leadership, map the active and passive market, engage candidates directly, and assess fit against the club's sporting model, structure, and objectives. Our experience operating inside professional clubs allows us to evaluate not only who can get the job, but who can succeed in the environment they're entering.
Principal-led from mandate through placement, with a 12-month replacement guarantee.
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Senior operating support when a club needs stability before permanent leadership is in place.
USG has twice been retained to provide interim General Manager leadership during NWSL transitions. We step into the sporting operation, establish immediate priorities, stabilize people and processes, and create the conditions for permanent leadership to succeed.
Where appropriate, the mandate can continue through executive search, placement, onboarding, and handoff.
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Advisory support for ownership and club leadership building or reshaping the sporting organization.
Our work includes organizational structure and decision rights, sporting strategy, roster and cap planning, recruitment systems, talent identification, transfer strategy, and the operating rhythms connecting ownership, the front office, technical leadership, and coaching staff.
The objective is straightforward: a sporting operation where people know what they own, decisions are made with clarity, and strategy carries through to execution.
SELECTED WORK
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Situation
An NWSL club without permanent sporting leadership, navigating ownership and executive transition.
Our Role
Retained to provide interim GM support and executive search during the transition. Stabilized sporting operations while leading parallel President/GM and Head Coach searches, defining leadership needs with ownership, mapping and engaging the market, assessing candidates, and managing both searches through appointment.
The broader mandate included support across roster strategy, recruitment, and key player decisions during the transition.
Outcome
President/GM and Head Coach placed. Structured handoff to permanent leadership, with USG continuing as sporting advisor.
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Situation
A club emerging from a full organizational reset without permanent sporting leadership.
Our Role
Retained as interim General Manager. Stabilized the sporting operation, rebuilt player and staff trust, built a three-year roster and cap runway, recommended elevating Seb Hines from interim to permanent Head Coach, and onboarded the incoming permanent General Manager.
What Followed
Eighteen months after the handoff, the club won the NWSL Shield and Championship.
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Situation
The founder of a boutique soccer agency was approached by a leading global sports agency about an acquisition.
Our Role
Three months of advisory from initial conversations through closing, covering deal structure, valuation, and integration considerations, with continued support as the founder transitioned into his new role.
Outcome
Successful sale. The founder was appointed to a senior leadership role at the acquiring agency, with the advisory relationship continuing after the transaction.
“Erik’s strategic approach to building our roster and establishing a three-year timeline for success was instrumental in our achievements. His expertise and vision not only helped us meet our goals ahead of schedule but also positioned us at the top of the standings in excellent form. Erik’s ability to identify and recruit top talent, coupled with his emotional intelligence and growth mindset, has been a game-changer for Orlando Pride. He understands how to build strong relationships and foster a culture of continuous improvement within the team.”
“We retained Erik to lead the searches for our President of Soccer Operations and head coach. He brought real rigor to how we defined the roles and assessed candidates, managed a confidential process well, and provided clear, thoughtful guidance throughout. He understands both the football and business sides of a club and is straightforward and collaborative to work with. I’d recommend him to any club navigating a senior sporting hire.”
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
“Erik is an outstanding partner in the sports world—always honest, forthcoming, and creative.”
“Erik is one of the most trusted and forward-thinking leaders I’ve worked with in global football.”
When the decisions matter, the conversation is worth having.
If you're hiring a senior sporting leader, navigating a leadership transition, or rethinking how your sporting operation is built, let's talk.