PAWTUCKET – Lou DePaoli is a man who understands Rhode Island and New England, and says he’s excited to take advantage of his local roots to build on what’s already happened with Centreville Bank Stadium and Rhode Island FC.
On Monday morning, RIFC and stadium leadership announced that the seasoned sports executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience has been hired as new president of business operations, “marking the next step in the advancement of the club and award-winning stadium.”
The hiring of DePaoli unites the club and stadium under one president for the first time, with a focus on growing the organization’s presence across the region while continuing to establish Centreville Bank Stadium as the Ocean State’s premier destination for sports and entertainment.
DePaoli told The Local Insider that he’s very familiar with the Blackstone Valley, and he and his wife lived in Douglas, Mass. for 10 years after they were married. His wife’s family is from there, and both of his children were born in Worcester
“We consider this area to be home,” he said.
As he’s lived on Cape Cod and done consulting over the last five years, he said he always wanted to get back to a team and preferably a stadium, but didn’t necessarily want to leave the area because of all their local connections.
DePaoli brings senior leadership experience across professional sports, with a track record spanning Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and American Hockey League, alongside a longstanding connection to New England.
He joins Rhode Island FC and Centreville Bank Stadium following a 5-year tenure as president of General Sports Worldwide, a global full-service sports agency. Throughout his career, he has helped professional sports organizations strengthen business operations, grow franchise value and develop high-performing teams, combining strategic leadership with a focus on innovation, data-driven decision-making and best practices.
“Lou’s incomparable experience across Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League is a further testament to the platform that we are building at Rhode Island FC and Centreville Bank Stadium,” said Rhode Island FC Co-Founder and Chairperson Brett Johnson. “Attracting someone of Lou’s pedigree, track record and gravitas reaffirms our commitment to build on our unprecedented success on and off the pitch since opening our award-winning stadium. Lou understands the sports business from multiple perspectives, from professional teams and leagues to stadium operations. His experience, combined with longstanding ties to New England, makes him the ideal fit as we continue to build on our foundation, strengthen our business and pursue our ambitions for the future.”
“I am excited to join Rhode Island FC and Centreville Bank Stadium and work alongside the team to build on the strong foundation already in place,” said DePaoli in a statement.“This is a passionate sports market with tremendous potential. I have spent much of my life in New England, and I understand what sports mean to this region. With committed ownership and a state-of-the-art stadium, there is an incredible opportunity to continue strengthening our regional footprint. I look forward to working alongside our staff, partners and the wider community as we shape the future of Rhode Island FC and Centreville Bank Stadium.”
DePaoli met with the ownership group at the Pawtucket stadium, he said, and came away very impressed. He said he’s seen many soccer stadiums, and after walking into this one, he would put it up there with any facility out there.
“It’s really well done,” he said, and the stadium is also performing in the top three or five in every business category within the United Soccer League (USL). That all adds up to a great opportunity to take what’s been built so far and try to grow it until Pawtucket’s stadium becomes the crown jewel of facilities, he said.
What got him so excited as he watched the last home match of the season on a cold Saturday night, said DePaoli, was how many families were there just having a good time. Every team has its passionate loyalist and supporters, he said, with their loud music and smoke bombs helping to create the fun environment, but it’s really about “being in the memory-making business” for everyday people who want to have a great experience with their friends and family.
What’s extra special about Centreville Bank Stadium as an attraction, he said, is that you don’t have to be a big soccer fan to enjoy it. Whether going to a Rhode Island Breakers football game in the spring, a concert, or the upcoming holiday festival of lights, there are so many great touch points for everyone. He said the goal is to get more concerts and other events going.
When working as executive vice president for what is now State Farm Arena and the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers, DePaoli said the building wasn’t doing much business, and they really concentrated their efforts on bringing in musical acts. It ended up becoming the third highest grossing building behind only Madison Square Garden and the Staples Center, he said.
The same success story happened with the Pittsburgh Pirates and beautiful PNC Park, he said, a team generally known for terrible baseball but one they were able to build a great experience around and grow the business significantly.
From a business perspective, Centreville Bank Stadium is near the top already, said DePaoli, so the goal now is to see how much better they can make it. He said his background running and building teams is a perfect fit for where the local club and stadium are.
The big challenge he has, and it’s a fun challenge, he said, is to take a solid fan base where 9,500 people show up for a Saturday night and fill the stadium to 10,500 capacity sellouts, essentially to get it rocking to where it should be. He said he loves teaching and mentoring staff, growing through mistakes and developing through everything.
One area DePaoli said he wants to grow in is in relationships with local colleges, both on attendance and in partnering on projects, as they did successful in Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and with the Mets. He said it’s a no-brainer to tap into those young minds.
The game-day experience will always be the top priority, said DePaoli, and he loved recently watching the fun interactive experiences, including live music, on Taft Street. When it comes to parking challenges that need to be met and making sure people are getting everything they expect, he said, having those fun activities available to them to perhaps park in a designated lot and walk to the stadium earlier will be key.
He acknowledged that parking will be an ongoing challenge that they’ll need to tackle head-on.
In his most recent role as president of General Sports Worldwide, DePaoli led a division he established to help sports properties around the world improve their businesses through strategic insights, data analysis, executive recruitment and professional development. He previously served as executive vice president overseeing business operations and Ballpark Operations for the New York Mets and Citi Field, as well as executive vice president and chief marketing officer for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He also held the role of executive vice president and chief marketing officer for the Atlanta Spirit, holding company of the Atlanta Hawks NBA team, Atlanta Thrashers NHL team and State Farm Arena.
Earlier in his career, DePaoli was an original member of the NBA’s team marketing and business operations department, where he served as vice president and helped establish an internal consulting model focused on sharing best practices and driving innovation across the NBA, WNBA and NBA G League. His experience also includes roles with the Florida Marlins and Worcester IceCats, the Massachusetts-based American Hockey League franchise he helped launch in 1994.
A University of Massachusetts Amherst graduate, he attended Danbury High School in Connecticut and has spent more than half his life in New England, including 10 years in the Blackstone Valley. With family ties across the region and a career that began in Worcester, he understands the strength of the local sports community and the passion of its fans, said club leaders.
For Rhode Island FC news and updates, visit rhodeislandfc.com.
