Jeff Plush
{{Short description|American sports executive (born 1966/1967)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
Jeff Plush (born {{birth based on age as of date|55|2022|01|21|noage=yes}}){{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/sports-sweden-olympic-team-jeff-plush-united-states-olympic-team-curling-2e0f88d396a80b276e32de09cc2dae60|title=Keeping curling cool goal for sport's chief in US after gold|last=Olson|first=Eric|date=2022-01-21|access-date=2023-10-08|publisher=Associated Press}} is the former CEO of the United States Curling Association (USA Curling) and former commissioner of the National Women's Soccer League.
Career
Plush served as the Managing Director of the Colorado Rapids from 2006-2011, during which the team won its first MLS title (2010).{{cite news|last1=Brazzale|first1=Jacquelyn|title=Jeff Plush Announced as the Women’s Soccer League Commissioner|url=http://worldsoccertalk.com/2015/01/06/jeff-plush-announced-as-the-womens-soccer-league-commissioner/|access-date=11 July 2015|publisher=World Soccer Talk|date=January 6, 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Bird|first1=Liviu|title=Entering important season, NWSL, commissioner Jeff Plush eye growth|url=https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/04/08/nwsl-season-preview-jeff-plush-womens-world-cup|publisher=Sports Illustrated|access-date=July 14, 2015|date=April 8, 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Goldberg|first1=Jamie|title=National Women's Soccer League names Jeff Plush as commissioner|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland-thorns/2015/01/national_womens_soccer_league_1.html|publisher=The Oregonian|access-date=14 July 2015|date=January 6, 2015}}{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.denverpost.com/sports/2011/12/07/jeff-plushs-departure-from-the-rapids-leaked-first-on-twitter/20759/|title=Jeff Plush’s departure from the Rapids leaked first on Twitter|publisher=The Denver Post|first=Daniel|last=Boniface|date=December 7, 2011|access-date=July 3, 2017}}
In 2014 Plush was named the commissioner of the National Women's Soccer League. He succeeded the inaugural commissioner, Cheryl Bailey.
In February 2017, Plush and A+E Networks announced the league's first season-long television deal, which included one match per week to be aired on Lifetime. The deal included A+E Networks taking a 25% equity stake in the league and forming a joint venture to manage and produce the league's broadcast and streaming content.{{Cite web|url=http://equalizersoccer.com/2017/03/02/jeff-plush-steps-down-as-nwsl-commissioner/|title=Jeff Plush steps down as NWSL commissioner|publisher=The Equalizer|date=March 2, 2017|access-date=July 3, 2017}}
Plush resigned as commissioner in March 2017, and Amanda Duffy, hired by Plush to be the league's managing director of operations, filled many of the commissioner's roles until a successor was named several years later.{{Cite web|url=http://equalizersoccer.com/2017/04/12/amanda-duffy-defers-on-nwsl-streaming-details/|title=Amanda Duffy defers on NWSL streaming details|publisher=The Equalizer|first=Dan|last=Lauletta|date=April 12, 2017|access-date=July 3, 2017}}
Plush was later hired in April 2017 by sports marketing company BHSC Global to form and lead its properties business group.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2017/04/25/People-and-Pop-Culture/Execs.aspx|title=Executive Transactions|publisher=SportsBusiness Daily|date=April 25, 2017|access-date=July 3, 2017}}
In February 2020 he became CEO of USA Curling, the national governing body of the sport of curling in the United States.{{Cite news |last=Armour |first=Nancy |title=USA Curling CEO Jeff Plush resigns amid criticism he mishandled abuse complaints while with NWSL |language=en-US |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2022/10/28/former-nwsl-commissioner-jeff-plush-resigns-usa-curling-ceo/10628655002/ |access-date=2022-10-29}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.usacurling.org/press-releases/jeff-plush-ceo|title=Jeff Plush Named New CEO Of USA Curling|publisher=United States Curling Association|date=February 5, 2020|access-date=February 5, 2020}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/02/06/sports/ap-cur-curling-ceo.html|title=USA Curling Hires Former NWSL Commissioner as New CEO|date=2020-02-06|work=New York Times|access-date=2020-02-07}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.oaoa.com/sports/article_c15a59c9-c455-5d3e-9d4a-0889726e6905.html|title=USA Curling hires former NWSL commissioner as new CEO|agency=Associated Press|website=Odessa American|access-date=2020-03-03}}
The end of Plush's tenure was steeped in controversy due to issues related to the handling of the sex abuse allegations at the NWSL as detailed in the Yates Report{{Cite news |last=Wamsley |first=Laurel |date=2022-10-04 |title=5 takeaways from the report on abuse in the National Women's Soccer League |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/10/04/1126730508/national-womens-soccer-league-abuse-report |access-date=2025-03-16 |work=NPR |language=en}} and subsequent lobbying by the USA Curling community.{{Cite news |last=Chappell |first=Bill |date=2022-10-22 |title=USA Curling is in open revolt over its CEO |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/10/21/1130198383/usa-curling-is-in-open-revolt-over-its-ceo |access-date=2025-03-16 |work=NPR |language=en}} He resigned from USA Curling on October 28th, 2022.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-29 |title=USA Curling CEO out in wake of NWSL inquiry |url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/34897894/ex-nwsl-head-jeff-plush-usa-curling-ceo-wake-soccer-abuse-investigation |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
References
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{{National Women's Soccer League}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Plush, Jeff}}
Category:National Women's Soccer League commissioners