In this episode of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we are joined by Mark Abbott (F '86), President & Deputy Commissioner, Major League Soccer. Mark has the distinction of being hired as the first employee of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1993, three years before the league commenced. In our talk, Mark speaks about how he initially got involved in MLS and developed its first business plan and recounts its tremendous growth over the past 25 years. He also discusses how MLS has skillfully navigated the COVID crisis to re-instate the season and how COVID may impact sports going forward. He also shares his thoughts on key trends in the game and sports in general. Finally, he discusses his career journey from graduating Georgetown as an SFS student and beyond and shares interesting advice for those looking to break into or build their careers in sports.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
