PAWTUCKET, RI – Days after unveiling a team name and crest, Rhode Island FC announced it has hired Brett Luy (LOO-ee) as the club’s president. Luy previously served as executive vice president of league operations for USL where he oversaw the competition and operations of all USL properties. Luy is one of the most experienced soccer executives in the U.S. and has been with USL since 2014. During his tenure at USL, its professional properties experienced unprecedented expansion.

“I have known Brett Luy for nearly a decade and am certain that he will build Rhode Island FC into a crown jewel franchise for USL. As a senior executive with USL, he has played a direct role in the league’s growth. He is the rare sports executive who understands both the business and competition side of the industry,” said Brett Johnson, co-founder of Rhode Island FC. “When we set out to hire a president, we wanted someone who shared our passion for connecting the club with the community and someone who can build a competitive franchise immediately. As a top executive at USL, Brett pushed clubs to build authentic connections with their fans and the communities they call home. Brett’s experience with the game and his well-earned reputation amongst his peer executives in American soccer is unrivaled. Brett Luy will quickly establish himself in Rhode Island as one of the state’s most energetic, most accessible, and most successful chief executives.”

Luy directly worked on multiple initiatives that were the first of their kind in the American soccer landscape, including the first-ever competitive match to utilize “video assistant referee” (or VAR) during the 2016 season and the implementation of concussion substitutions for increased player safety. He also served as one of the lead negotiators on behalf of the USL Championship and USL League One clubs as they ratified their first-ever collective bargaining agreements with the USL Players Association. He served as a member of US Soccer’s Head Injury and COVID Task Forces and was a member of US Soccer’s US Open Cup Committee.

“I am thrilled to be joining the incredible soccer community in Rhode Island,” said Rhode Island FC president Brett Luy. “The opportunity to build a club and compete immediately for championships is a dream come true. I’m looking forward to getting to work and capitalizing on the local market’s enthusiasm for soccer. In the months to come, we will hire a coach, begin building our team, and put all the pieces in place to provide fans with a first-rate experience cheering on a team for all Rhode Island.”

Rhode Island FC will compete in USL Championship beginning in the 2024 season. The club will host its matches in a state-of-the-art soccer stadium currently under construction along the Pawtucket waterfront. Season ticket deposits for the inaugural Rhode Island FC season went on sale yesterday at 10:00 a.m. The club sold more than 1,000 deposits in the first hour of sales. Fans can still visit www.RhodeIslandFC.com to make deposits.

“We are committed to bringing championships to Rhode Island, and there is no one better positioned to lead that effort than Brett Luy,” said Rhode Island FC co-founder Michael Parkhurst. “Brett is widely respected in US Soccer and has a clear understanding of what a successful franchise looks like. He will undoubtedly hit the ground running and build quickly on the excitement and enthusiasm our fans have shown the last several days. Brett is going to put a world-class team on the pitch and build a world-class fan experience for every Rhode Islander.”

As president of the club, Luy will be responsible for all aspects of the club’s success and he will have oversight over the operations of the organization, the development and competitiveness of the team, and the stadium experience. Luy prioritizes community engagement and shares the club’s co-founders focus on making Rhode Island FC a team for all Rhode Island.

Brett Luy played college soccer for Illinois Wesleyan University and has a masters degree in sports management from Florida State University. Luy currently lives in the Tampa area, where USL is headquartered. He will move to Rhode Island in the coming weeks with his wife Kelsey and two month old daughter Mila.

Brett Luy, President, Rhode Island FC A high resolution version of Brett Luy’s headshot is available for download here. MEDIA CONTACT (For Rhode Island FC) Mike Raia, Half Street Strategic Consulting mikeraia@halfstreetconsulting.com | 401.340.9425