Kyle Sheldon installed as new Senior VP, Marketing at Chicago Fire

By Sean McCaffery, November 19, 2018

Having previously worked with the Seattle Sounders and DC United, Kyle brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his new position in the windy city, reporting to COO, John Urban as he presides over the whole of the club's marketing, advertising, creative services & brand identity. Uban informed, "Kyle is an important hire for our club. Our club wants to grow our presence in Chicagoland and Kyle will lead those efforts for us." A VP of Marketing for Seattle, Kyle headed may areas, including, marketing, communications, broadcast, digital/social media, design, game presentation, events and their mobile app. WIth his tutelage, the #'s were astounding, sale of single game admissions up 48%, single game ticket revenue climbed more @ 50%, and local tv viewership jumped 38%, what an offer the FIre must have made for the Sounders to not retain him. In 2016, his group were the MLS Marketing Team of the Year as he was a finalist in the 2017 MLS Marketing Ex. of the Year. Switching gears, he had been with NASCAR before Seattle, playing a role in their Intergrated Maarketing Communicatins area, overseeing the social media component therein, including social content production, social campaigns & programs, social advertising, media pitching & placement plus more. Again the numbers jumped, as their social platforms grew by 70+%, passing 10 milliion, 2015 saw their social media impressions pass 4 billlion, yes, with a B. This team achived the 2014 PR Week 2014 In-House PR Team of the Year. The 8 years before NASCAR were with MLS team DC United, rising to Director of Marketing Communications, once again many hats were worn as he oversaw, all marketing, promotions, advertising, media, public relations, sponsorship activations, social media strategy, and brand management. This team hit for a trio of MLS Public Relations Team of the Year Awards, 2015, '16 & '17. Since 2014 he has served on the Board of Directors for the Kuykenstrong Foundation in honor of Shawn Kuykendall, an MLS player taken by thymic carcinoma in 2014, way too soon, at 32.The mission of this is to help children and their families effected by pediatric cancer. With a BA in Communications out of St. Olaf College in MN, he played soccer there and has an MA in PR from Marquette, giving him the perspective from both sides of the ball.

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