Mario Roitman is a seasoned sports executive and attorney with nearly two decades of legal experience and a deep track record in football operations. For almost 10 years, he has worked at the intersection of legal, compliance, and executive management, first serving as Chief Legal Officer of Miami FC before being appointed the club’s President in May 2024. As CLO, he oversaw all legal and compliance matters and was part of the team that challenged FIFA and the U.S. Soccer Federation at the Court of Arbitration for Sport to implement promotion and relegation in U.S. football.
When former CEO Michael Williamson departed for Wrexham AFC, Roitman stepped in to lead Miami FC through a pivotal transition. As President, he managed day-to-day operations while the club secured new investors, advanced plans for a new training center, and finalized land acquisition for a future stadium in Homestead, Florida.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama to parents from Uruguay, Roitman’s love for football runs deep. Before practicing law, he built experience in sports administration, marketing, and communications, working with an NHL team and in NCAA Division I athletics. A graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law, he began his legal career in intellectual property, helping companies protect and monetize patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
Our exclusive interview with Mario Roitman
Who is Mario Roitman outside of the world of football, and what experiences or values have shaped you as a person?
As the son of immigrant parents raised in the American south and having lived and worked in various parts of the U.S. from Miami to DC to Kansas, as well as a brief time in Brussels, I understand the importance of adapting to different cultures and communities. With this background and whenever I travel, I see the value of community and culture in each place I go and try to experience that community and culture, sometimes through my passions in sports and music, to learn and appreciate a place and its people. End of day, whether in our personal lives or through our careers, it’s always about connecting with people.
How did your career in the sports industry first take shape, and what were the early experiences that influenced your path?
Before law school I worked in various roles in marketing, communications, and sponsorship sales with minor league hockey, Washington Capitals in NHL, as well as administrative roles at university athletics department. Therefore, I started to understand all areas and departments that go into running a professional sports organization. It was sports law class while I was getting my masters in sports management at George Washington University that influenced my decision to attend law school and one day work in legal and compliance within the sports and entertainment industry.
What inspired your transition from practicing law into senior leadership roles within football, and how did that shift unfold?
The shift was that the club needed someone to replace outgoing CEO and through all the years of knowing the club’s history, as well as being involved with club’s player operations, communications, and marketing strategy to my expertise in league and federation compliance – our club owner felt the easiest transition would be to appoint me as President. Initially, I was hesitant as someone coming from an in-house legal role trained to put out fires to people making day-to-day decisions and managing a larger staff. However, despite challenges and difficulties on and off pitch during this period of transition in the club’s history, it has been rewarding managing a hard-working and terrific staff who have stayed through difficult times with the goal to make this club successful in the long term.
“it has been rewarding managing a hard-working and terrific staff who have stayed through difficult times with the goal to make this club successful in the long term.”
Looking back on your time in the game, what moments or projects stand out as the most meaningful and rewarding to you?
The highlight on the pitch was the amazing US Open Cup run in 2017 when we beat two MLS clubs on the way to the Quarterfinals including beating Orlando City in Orlando and then beating Atlanta United in front of a raucous home crowd. Off the pitch, the biggest accomplishments have been securing the club’s USL franchise rights back in 2020 and then voting yes to implement promotion/relegation within USL – something that club and myself have advocated for in the U.S. in the last decade.
Who are some of the people who have had the biggest influence on your professional journey, and what lessons did you take from them?
I will go with someone very recent in Michael Williamson. First, he was one of few, if only, CEOs to get me more involved with the club’s mission and strategy along with budget, marketing, and communications plan. Many legal and compliance staff within a business, including football clubs, can operate in a silo and advise executives and staff based on rules or laws instead of guiding them to the right solution that aligns with the club’s culture and mission. It is fundamental to understand the club’s mission and culture first to guide them. I’ll use this analogy – legal/compliance should not just exist to apply the brakes but to navigate the best route to take on a club’s journey. The other lesson I learned from Michael is about managing people – at minimum, the culture of a club should be about respect and kindness whether among the employees and staff to fans and supporters. There should be accountability and humility in any leadership role especially while having to make difficult decisions at times but always do it with respect and kindness.
As you look ahead, what goals or ambitions are you most focused on achieving in the next chapter of your career?
First, I’m excited about the future of Miami FC as it moves to a new home in Homestead, Florida with a new training ground and stadium. This move and transition will allow the club to not just survive but thrive for the next decade. I’m happy with that being my lasting legacy with the club. Whether in a legal or executive role, I look forward to being part of a club or organization that values its community and people and also being a part of the evolution of women’s professional football.
