The Orlando Pride have added a relatively prominent figure from the women’s soccer landscape to its front office. On Jan. 7, the team announced the hiring of Amanda Duffy as executive vice president of the Pride. Duffy previously served as president of the National Women’s Soccer League.
Her duties with the club will entail heading everything Pride-related in the front office and from a technical perspective including being responsible for “hiring and overseeing additional staff members,” according to the team’s release. Duffy, 39, will report directly to club CEO Alex Leitão. Pride General Manager Erik Ustruck will retain his position until Duffy starts in Orlando immediately after her last day with the league on Feb. 15.
“I have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with the leadership of Orlando City SC for more than a decade and have watched its rapid growth trajectory into a global brand with admiration and respect,” Duffy said, per the release. “As this position came into the club’s plans, and as I learned more about the broader goals of the collective organization, it was clear to me that the club is prepared to invest deeply in the women’s game and in the Pride, specifically.
“This investment, combined with the chance to work with Alex’s leadership, a world-class roster and intensely passionate fans, made the decision to come to Orlando one of tremendous excitement and an immense honor.”
Duffy began her time with the league at the beginning of 2017 when she was managing director of the NWSL. Two years later, she was promoted to president and helped the league to its eighth season. The NWSL is the longest-running professional women’s league in the U.S.
The Jacksonville, North Carolina, native was instrumental in getting the league in front of more eyes. She helped broker a partnership with A+E/Lifetime, putting the NWSL on national TV and making it available via streaming. Duffy helped bring the NWSL to the ESPN family of networks, too.
Additionally, Duffy introduced Louisville City FC as a 2021 expansion club, giving the league 10 teams. The NWSL also acquired its first official beer partner in Budweiser under her, and she also helped extend an agreement with Nike, the league’s founding partner, through 2022.
“When we decided to invest in this position, we knew we wanted to bring in someone who not only has a strong understanding of the current landscape of women’s soccer but someone who has a proven record of building exciting, successful clubs, and we couldn’t think of a more perfect fit than Amanda,” Leitão said, per the release.
“We have been working closely with Amanda for years and have sen all that she has been able to accomplish, from her days in the [United Soccer League] and Louisville [City FC] to her most recent time with the NWSL.”
Duffy previously worked in men’s soccer before joining the league. She joined the USL’s league office in 2007 as the league-operations administrator before being promoted to director of operations a year later. Three years later, she became senior director and was responsible for all operations of the USL’s W-League that featured 30 teams during her stint with the league.
She then moved to the team level, joining Louisville as the vice president of operations in October 2014. It took just two months before she was promoted to general manager of the club. A year later, she was promoted again, this time to president of the club, becoming the first in the USL’s history. Louisville was among the top 25 in attendance across all North American leagues under Duffy, per the release.
Duffy also has a storied career as a player. She was the first women’s soccer player to be inducted into the East Carolina University Athletics Hall of Fame after finishing her career with the Pirates as the school’s all-time leader in points (83) and goals (33) and second in assists (17). Duffy was also a two-time first-team All-Conference USA honoree.
Her arrival in Orlando isn’t her first time living in Central Florida. After graduating from ECU, she played three seasons in the W-League, including playing for the Central Florida Krush out of Winter Park, Florida. She won the W-League championship in 2003 with the Hampton Roads Piranhas before playing one season in Sweden for Danmarks IF.
“We are so excited that [Duffy] has chosen to come to Orlando and that she shares our vision of the potential of women’s soccer in this country and wants to be a part of building the future of the game as a member of the Pride,” Leitão said.
For more on the Pride, as they prepare for the 2020 season, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
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