D.C. United icon named Club President for the Washington Spirit

The Washington Spirit announced today that D.C. United legend Ben Olsen has been named Club President for the club.

Olsen will oversee all day-to-day operations, driving the development of the team’s business and sporting operations, and the overall effort to enhance the club’s culture and identity.

“We are proud to bring Ben Olsen into the Spirit family,” said Spirit owner Steve Baldwin. “Ben has been a legendary player, coach, and executive in the DC soccer world. He is truly a soccer icon in the Nation’s Capital. As importantly, he has been an engaged community builder in the DMV. The Spirit will benefit from his energy, ideas, leadership, and history competing on the international stage and winning championships for DC, as we pursue another for the Spirit.”

“I have loved being part of the D.C. United family for over 20 years, and I will always be grateful to the club that has given me so much,” said Ben Olsen. “However, it is time for a new challenge for me and the opportunity to help grow the Spirit, soccer in the city I love, and the women’s game was too great to pass up. The Spirit squad is an exciting team, and the NWSL is on the rise. I am eager to get to work building on that momentum to help bring another title to DC and deepen our responsibility to the DMV community and our fans.”

Olsen played professional soccer for 13 years, all of them with D.C. United. During that time, he won two MLS Cup titles, and his individual honors include two-time MLS All-Star, MLS Rookie of the Year, and MLS Cup MVP. He earned 37 caps with the United States Men’s National Team and represented his country at the 2000 Olympics and the 2006 FIFA World Cup. After retiring from professional soccer, Olsen served as the Head Coach of D.C. United from 2010 to 2020, during which time he was named MLS Coach of the Year. Olsen has served as a club executive advisor with DC United for the past 18 months.