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Alan I. Rothenberg transformed
soccer in the United States. Rothenberg, well known
for his work in the soccer community, served as the
President of the U.S. Soccer Federation from 1990
to 1998. During that time he undertook several crucial
projects, especially his work that completed the
transformation of the USSF from a small organization
run primarily by volunteers to a professional institution,
his leadership of the 1994 World Cup, and the launching
of Major League Soccer. He established American soccer
in the sports industry by gaining sponsors and television
recognition making it possible to raise money in
support of soccer programs that led the way to the
MLS.
Rothenberg, born April 10, 1939, became involved
in soccer in 1967 as a lawyer for Jack Kent Cooke,
the owner of the Los Angeles Wolves, a team in the
National Professional Soccer League. In 1977 Rothenberg
moved on to become one of the owners of the NASL’s
Los Angeles Aztecs, selling the team in 1980.
Peter Ueberroth, who ran the 1984 Olympics in Los
Angeles, was one of the first to notice Rothenberg’s
abilities in the soccer world. Ueberroth asked Rothenberg
to be the commissioner of soccer during the 1984
Olympics. The Olympics made a huge profit and Rothenberg
was credited for a great deal of this success because
soccer had the largest attendance of any Olympics
sport. Soccer attendance was higher than basketball
and gymnastics, which traditionally draw the largest
crowds.
Rothenberg was elected president of the USSF in 1990.
Among his first acts was to hire another future Hall
of Famer, Hank Steinbrecher (Class of 2005), as the
USSF’s Secretary General.
Rothenberg’s impact on soccer was undeniable.
He served as president, chairman and CEO of the1994
World Cup, which was the best attended World Cup
to date with 3,567,415 through the turnstiles. The
1994 World Cup made a $50+ million profit, generating
a surplus large enough to create the U.S. Soccer
Foundation, the charitable arm of soccer in the United
States, whose mission is: “To enhance, assist
and grow the sport of soccer by seeking out and supporting
new partnerships and programs through grants.” Rothenberg
later served on the Board of Directors of the Foundation.
Rothenberg has been involved in American and international
soccer in a number of ways. He was the founder and
original chairman of Major League Soccer, which was
established in 1993 and began play in 1996. He was
chairman of the 1999 Women’s World Cup and a
member of the organizing committee of the 2006 World
Cup. He has been a vice president of CONCACAF since
1998 and has served on the FIFA Executive Committee.
The Hall of Fame honored him on June 1, 1998 when
he was the first ever recipient of the National
Soccer Medal of Honor, bestowed by the Hall
of Fame to extraordinary
individuals whose positive contributions to soccer
at the national level have been so great as to
have effected the course of soccer history.
On June 7, 2006, Rothenberg received the FIFA Order
of Merit. This prestigious award is the highest
honor awarded by FIFA and is awarded to those who
are considered
to have made a significant contribution to soccer.
Rothenberg is one of only six Americans who have
been honored by FIFA.
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