Position Summary
The Director of Events leads the creative vision, execution strategy, and operational oversight of all One Knoxville-hosted events, with a primary focus on matchday atmosphere, brand amplification, and fan engagement.
This role transforms home matches into premium live entertainment experiences. The Director oversees event production, experiential marketing integration, and event logistics through direct management of the Events Manager and Events Coordinator.
This position balances creative leadership with disciplined execution, ensuring entertainment excellence while maintaining operational integrity. In the USL environment, where differentiation drives growth, this leader ensures that every home match feels like a must-attend cultural event — not just a soccer game. The role blends live production, fan engagement strategy, stadium operations oversight, and revenue optimization to elevate brand recognition and deepen community connection.
Direct Reports
- Events Manager
- Events Coordinator
- Part-time Event Staff (indirect oversight)
- Game Presentation & Entertainment Contractors (dotted line)
Core Mandate
Elevate matchday into a signature entertainment product while ensuring consistent, scalable event execution across all stadium programming.
Primary Responsibilities
1. Strategic Event & Entertainment Leadership
- Develop and implement the club’s annual matchday entertainment strategy.
- Create a cohesive in-stadium brand experience aligned with marketing and ticketing campaigns.
- Establish entertainment standards, production templates, and programming guidelines.
- Approve all event concepts, theme nights, and large-scale activations.
2. Oversight of Event Execution
- Supervise the Events Manager in planning and executing all home matches and third-party events.
- Provide direction and oversight of the Events Coordinator's performance in logistics, timelines, and vendor management.
- Review run-of-show documents and production timelines for all major events.
- Lead post-event evaluations and continuous improvement planning.
3. Matchday Production & Atmosphere
- Own overall show flow including:
- Pre-match build-up
- In-game entertainment elements
- Halftime programming
- Sponsor activations
- Post-match engagement
- Ensure ESPN+ broadcast integration aligns with entertainment execution.
- Curate supporter group collaboration to enhance organic stadium energy.
4. Sponsorship & Revenue Integration
- Partner with Corporate Partnerships to design high-impact sponsor activations.
- Ensure premium hospitality areas reflect elevated brand standards.
- Develop experiential assets that increase partner value and retention.
- Support Ticketing with fan-first engagement initiatives that drive renewals and group sales.
5. Stadium Programming & Community Events
- Oversee execution of non-stadium events including:
- Festivals
- International friendlies
- Watch parties
- Community activations
6. Budget & Resource Management
- Develop and manage the annual events and entertainment budget.
- Approve vendor contracts and entertainment expenditures.
- Ensure match-by-match cost discipline while maximizing perceived event value.
- Forecast labor and production costs in collaboration with the Events Manager.
7. Cross-Functional Leadership
- Collaborate with:
- Marketing (promotions & storytelling)
- Ticketing (retention & attendance growth)
- Partnerships (activation execution)
- Operations (safety & compliance)
- Serve as senior matchday decision-maker for live-event entertainment issues.
Qualifications
Required
- 6+ years of progressive experience in sports entertainment, live event production, venue programming, or experiential marketing.
- Prior supervisory experience managing event professionals.
- Demonstrated success developing fan engagement strategies in mid-size venues (5,000–15,000 seats).
- Strong financial management and vendor negotiation background.
- Ability to operate effectively in live-event, high-pressure environments.
Preferred
- Experience in USL, MLS, or professional soccer.
- Background in live show-calling, concert production, or large-scale community events.
- Familiarity with LED systems, broadcast integration, and show control software.
Key Performance Indicators
- Fan satisfaction / NPS scores
- Attendance growth & ticket retention
- Sponsorship activation performance
- Event profitability & budget adherence
- Stadium utilization (non-matchday events)
- Social media engagement tied to matchday atmosphere
Leadership Profile
This role requires a leader who is:
- Creative but disciplined
- Energetic but detail-oriented
- Strategic but execution-focused
- Comfortable directing live environments
- Capable of building a high-performance events team
Organizational Impact
Within a USL club structure, this role materially influences brand perception, revenue growth, and supporter culture. By leading both the Events Manager and Events Coordinator, the Director establishes scalable systems that elevate matchday production quality while driving long-term fan loyalty and community relevance.
