David Lee Accepts New Position at Sporting Kansas City

A brand new role after a decade at New York City FC

New York, NY- Sporting Director of NYCFC, David Lee, has accepted a new job at Sporting Kansas City as President of Soccer Operations and General Manager, starting on Tuesday, November 7th. Lee has overseen the club as part of their MLS Cup Championship in the 2021 season, bringing over players like Maxi Moralez, Alonso Martinez, David Freese, and Valentin Castellanos. Giving homegrown talents like Justin Haak, Tayvon Gray, James Sands, and the youth academy they have brought in to their club.

His years of service

Lee joined the club in the 2014 season as the Club’s Director of Player Recruitment before becoming Technical Director in 2017. He was promoted to Sporting Director in November 2019. He was the Club’s second-ever Sporting Director.

“After joining New York City FC in 2014 as one of the first employees and working in various roles for more than a decade, I have decided to accept a significant new challenge with Sporting Kansas City.This was an incredibly difficult decision to make, but I believe ultimately, this is the right time for me and my family.  

Playing a part in growing this amazing Club from the ground up has been a truly unique opportunity and a tremendous honor. Together, we created one of the most consistently high-performing teams in MLS, and winning our first MLS Cup in 2021 will always be one of the proudest moments of my career and one of the highlights of my life.

I believe the team is strong and in a great position; clinching a spot in the playoffs with several games to spare is a testament to the talent of our players and the incredible hard work from Pascal Jansen and his team.

From day one, we’ve built a family environment and winning culture, and I’ve been lucky to work with some of the best professionals in the industry at New York City FC and City Football Group. This is a special Club and has an unbelievably exciting future ahead, including the opening of Etihad Park in 2027.

I want to sincerely thank our players, the entire Sporting Department, our Academy, and the Front Office staff. I want to especially thank City Football Group for trusting me to step into the role of Sporting Director back in 2019. I will always be grateful to have been part of the Group and this Club, and I will continue to follow their growth and success.

Last, I want to thank the New York City FC fans who support this team with passion week in and week out. Our goal every season is to put together a team you were proud of that competed at the highest level, and the success we’ve had would not have been possible without you.” 

NYCFC is starting to search

David Lee’s last day with the club is on Monday, October 6th. They will begin the search for a brand new Sporting Director, but the club’s Co-Vice Chairman, Marty Edelman, made his feelings known about Lee’s job and departure.

‘’On behalf of City Football Group and everyone at New York City FC, I would like to thank David for his hard work and service to the Club over the past 11 years. David has been central to our consistent success on the field, and while working alongside our global sporting operation, he has developed into one of the most well-respected Sporting Directors in MLS.

As an organization, our philosophy is to consistently develop talent in our Academy and First Team, and David played an important role in making that a reality. We wish him the best of luck in this new chapter of his career. 

We are in one of the strongest positions in our history, especially with our future home in Etihad Park opening soon. We have begun our search to find our new Sporting Director who will meet the highest standards we hold at City Football Group and New York City FC.”

Brad Sims, CEO of City

“Since I joined New York City FC in 2019, I have had the privilege of working closely with David. He is a top-class professional and individual, and I’ll always look back proudly on what the Club has achieved during this period.  

Like every season, our aim is to compete at the highest level across all competitions, especially for the MLS Cup. David’s departure will not impact our focus and immediate goals for this season. We have one of the most talented coaching staffs and best young squads in Major League Soccer, and we couldn’t be more excited and ambitious for the remainder of this season and our long-term future.”

New York City FC News:

• NYCFC Delivers Knockout Blow to Red Bulls’ Playoff Hopes in Hudson River Derby Thriller
• Messi Magic Crushes NYCFC Dreams at Citi Field
• USMNT GoalKeeper Matt Freese Commits Long-Term Future to NYCFC with Extension Through 2030
• NYCFC Stages Dramatic Comeback to Beat Columbus Crew 3-2 in Playoff Push

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