Atlanta United names Culebro President of Soccer as Blank warns on women's soccer profitability

AMB Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE), the Blank family vehicle that owns Atlanta United and incoming NWSL franchise Atlanta 2028, has appointed Mauricio Culebro as President of Soccer following an extensive global search.Culebro will oversee all aspects of both clubs and report directly to AMBSE chief executive Rich McKay.He joins from Tigres UANL, where he served as president for five years, overseeing sporting and business operations across the men's and women's programmes.During that period, Tigres won LIGA MX, Campeón de Campeones and Campeones Cup titles alongside four LIGA MX Femenil championships, while Culebro doubled the club's commercial revenue.Prior to Tigres, Culebro spent more than 15 years at Club América in a series of senior roles, rising to president.He is the only president in Mexico to have captured men's and women's league championships with two different clubs.Between his two club roles, Culebro served as chief operating officer of the Mexican Football Federation, where he led operational planning across multiple host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.AMBSE owner and chairman Arthur Blank said: "Mauricio's impressive experience and clear vision to elevate our clubs made him an outstanding fit to lead Atlanta United and NWSL Atlanta 2028. While he may be new to MLS and the NWSL, Mauricio is not new to building and operating successful global soccer clubs."Culebro said: "I am excited to put my experience, passion and commitment at the service of Atlanta United and NWSL Atlanta 2028, working alongside a great team to build long term projects our fans can feel proud of."Atlanta United chief soccer officer Chris Henderson, senior vice president of strategy Dimitrios Efstathiou and chief business officer Sarah Kate Noftsinger will remain in their roles and report directly to Culebro.The trio have led day-to-day operations for the past four months and between them hold more than four decades of MLS experience.Speaking separately at the SBJ Business of Soccer conference in Atlanta, Blank pushed back on a panel discussion in which executives from the NWSL, Gainbridge Super League and Northern Super League had emphasised attracting investors willing to prioritise long-term growth over near-term profitability, calling that approach "a very dangerous philosophy."Blank said: "You have investors who are getting much more sophisticated. They're not just interested at the end of the day in what's the revenue and what's the multiple of revenues, but where's the bottom line and when do we get our return? I'm not talking about thinking short-term. You should never have an investor in any sports business that's only thinking short-term. But over the horizon, where's the potential of getting a return?"Blank, who paid a US$165m expansion fee for the NWSL franchise, said Mercedes-Benz Stadium was designed to accommodate at least 28,000 fans for women's matches, drawing a direct parallel with Atlanta United's record-breaking MLS attendances since their 2017 debut.Blank said: "It's a world-class facility for men, and it can be a world-class facility for women. We'll build the locker rooms and make the adjustments we have to make. I didn't want to put limits on attendance. I don't like putting limits on anything in that regard, whether it be soccer or American football. So, the women, they'll be playing here."Blank also argued that soccer must develop revenue streams beyond media rights, warning that traditional media budgets are finite and increasingly dominated by the NFL.He said soccer and other sports would need to follow the lead of properties already exploring alternative commercial models.On the subject of MLS Commissioner Don Garber, whose current contract expires in 2027, Blank said: "He's like a brother to me, and I'm honored to always be with Don. His passion for the sport, his passion for fans, his passion for players, his passion for ownership, sponsors and our media partners always comes across."AMBSE has agreed to purchase a nearly 33-acre site in Marietta for a dedicated NWSL training ground, with construction representing an investment of more than US$100m.The club is due to begin competing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2028.