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Sacramento Republic FC president and COO Ben Gumpert has been honored as a “2020 Class of Forty under 40” selection by Sports Business Journal, honoring the top young sports business executives. Gumpert tweeted out appreciations in response.
(1 of 2) I am blown away by this honor from @sbjsbd - I have been incredibly fortunate to work under and alongside some of the absolute best in the business. The leadership, mentorship, and friendship of my colleagues has helped me every step of the way.
— Ben Gumpert (@bgumpert) January 27, 2020
“Ben’s accomplishments in the sports industry, especially his achievements in Sacramento, are well-deserving of such a prestigious honor,” said Republic FC Investor Matt Alvarez in a team statement on the news. “His relentless pursuit and work to bring MLS to Sacramento is only a small sample of what he is capable of and Republic FC’s future is very bright because of his hard work.”
“We’re very fortunate to have an accomplished leader like Ben in our community,” said Republic FC Investor Kevin Nagle. “He has led the charge to create a club intent on making our region an incredible place to live, and ready to compete at the highest levels of soccer. Congratulations on this outstanding recognition, Ben.”
More news for your Tuesday:
- Beep tests and stuff: Preseason opened for Sac Republic on Monday morning, and that meant the dreaded beep test, among other Day 1 rituals.
3, 2, 1 ➡️ ♂️ pic.twitter.com/9J57XbOzyp
— Republic FC (@SacRepublicFC) January 27, 2020
- Reported big roster change coming to USL: Toronto-based journalist Duane Rollins reported that USL Championship clubs will see Canadian players classified as international players on American rosters from 2021 if they don’t have U.S. citizenship or a green card or other residency status.
I confirmed with USL that starting in 2021 all Canadian players (minus those with green cards, etc.) will be considered international players on USL rosters.
— Duane Rollins (@24thminute) January 24, 2020
This will mirror the MLS rules and will make it even more important that the #CanPL expands to provide more jobs.
- That is a big shift, as Canadian players have counted as domestics in the league on all teams for years and years. At the moment, that does not appear to impact any current SRFC players, but it may change the equation a bit for Canadians joining USL Championship teams next year and beyond.
- League covers top roster moves: If you want a bird’s eye view of the biggest moves made in the league this offseason, there’s this video. No real Sacramento-centric mentions, aside from Emrah Klimenta’s move to San Diego Loyal, but he’s over a year removed from his last stint at the club anyway. At any rate, if you’re looking for something to help you get caught up on the many, many moves around the league, here’s a good spot to wrap up the big items.
Today’s question: Which Republic FC newcomer are you most excited to see on the field in 2020? Leave a comment below, let’s chat!