JERSEY CITY, NJ (Wednesday, May 29, 2024) – NJ/NY Gotham FC, the reigning National Women’s Soccer League champions, continues to enhance its front office leadership with the hiring of industry executive Liz Montaño as Chief Operating Officer and the continued role of Ryan Dillon to formally become Chief Business Officer.
 
Montaño will lead functions such as Data & Analytics, Finance, People & Culture, and Legal, focused on driving organizational excellence and continuing Gotham FC’s growth. Elevate Talent assisted with the search. 
 
“We couldn’t be more excited to have Liz join the club,” said Gotham FC Governor Carolyn Tisch Blodgett. “She is one of the most highly regarded sports operators around and a phenomenal leader who will help us create one of the best places to work. Her experience utilizing data and analytics to build world-class teams and organizations will be critical to our mission of becoming an iconic global sports franchise.”
 
A 15-year sports and entertainment industry veteran, Montaño is believed to be the first ever Latina Chief Operating Officer in the history of the National Hockley League. She served as the Chief Strategy Officer (2021-2022) and Chief Operating Officer (2022-2024) for the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, where she oversaw the Coyotes’ day-to-day business operations and revenue growth strategies. During her time with the organization, Montaño spearheaded the franchise's successful relocation to Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona, helped increase ticketing revenue, created a more engaging fan experience, and fostered significant innovative media and technology partnerships. 
 
"I’m thrilled to join Gotham FC and be a part of the NWSL’s rapid growth,” said Montaño. “After speaking with ownership and various members of the club, we are all very aligned on building an iconic franchise and elevating women’s soccer in the world’s largest and most diverse market. I look forward to uniting our community through sport and leading an inclusive organization that empowers individuals to embrace their distinctive perspectives.” 
 
Montaño also served as the Vice President of Finance and Strategic Planning at both Panavision and Maya Cinemas/Entertainment, as well as several years at the venture capital firm Syncom Venture Partners. She has an undergraduate degree in economics from Eastern Kentucky University and earned a master’s degree in economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, as well as a master’s in business administration from Harvard Business School.
 
Gotham FC ownership formally named Ryan Dillon as the club’s Chief Business Officer, an acknowledgment of the club’s growth and Dillion’s strong leadership for the past six months. Dillon, Head of Portfolio Growth at Next 3 – the sports investment platform owned and operated by the Tisch family – has been overseeing the front office since December. 
 
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to work alongside Liz as we continue our club’s efforts to foster community engagement, create a phenomenal fan experience, and elevate the visibility of women’s soccer,” said Dillon. “Together, with the incredible team we already have in place, I’m confident we can write the next chapter of Gotham FC’s success on and off the field.”
 
In the past six months under Dillion’s leadership, Gotham FC signed CarMax to the largest sponsorship deal in club history; doubled season ticket memberships year over year; increased season ticket retention by more than 40%; and set merchandise sales records for the first two home games.

Gotham FC attendance also is on track for a 50% increase year-over-year for the first half of the season, which outpaces the league’s average growth rate. Prioritizing fan experience as a core focus area, Gotham FC’s fan feedback has resulted in an average Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 82 over the first four home games.  
 
“In a very short time, Ryan has dramatically improved the business's performance and provided strategic leadership and stability to the front office. We are excited to extend and formalize the work he’s been doing during this critical stage of our growth,” said Tisch Blodgett. “We have ambitions to make Gotham FC an iconic sports franchise, and with Ryan’s experience building world-class consumer brands from scratch and Liz’s deep expertise in sports, we are thrilled about the leadership team we have put in place.” 
 
Prior to his role at Next 3, where he collaborated closely with the leadership teams across the Tisch sports portfolio, including the New York Giants, Dillon was Vice President of Marketing at Peloton. During his tenure there, Dillon played a critical role in building the brand and growing the business from 50,000 subscribers to almost 4 million, launching multiple new products and new markets. His career started at BBDO, where he led award campaigns for brands across top-tier sports properties such as The Olympics, Thursday Night Football, NCAA March Madness, and NASCAR.
 
Dillon has deep roots in sports as an avid soccer player and former youth coach. Dillon moved from Ireland to the U.S. on a college soccer scholarship, later becoming an All-Conference NCAA Division 1 standout at Fordham University before earning a master’s degree from Columbia Business School. 
 

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ABOUT GOTHAM FC
Representing New Jersey and New York with top global players, Gotham FC is one of 14 teams in the National Women’s Soccer League. In 2023, Gotham FC won the NWSL Championship, clinching the club’s first NWSL title, after previously advancing to its first NWSL final appearance in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup Final. Rebranded as Gotham FC in 2021, the club plays its home matches at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ. Founded in 2007, the club won the inaugural Women’s Professional Soccer Championship in 2009 and has been a founding member of the NWSL since the league’s establishment in 2013.