U.S. Soccer Federation
When U.S. Soccer made the pivotal decision in 2021 to bring its commercial rights in-house for the first time in a generation, the organization turned to Dan Gaiman to build out and lead its partnership sales team. For Gaiman, who played soccer throughout his childhood on Long Island, it was the role of a lifetime.
“It was a really unique opportunity, especially knowing that if I’m successful, it’s going to have a tangible impact on growing the game in our country,” Gaiman said. “All the time and energy and effort and work we put in — it actually matters. It really goes to something that’s important to me.”
Dan Gaiman
Senior Vice President, Partnership Development and Strategy, U.S. Soccer Federation
Age: 39
Born: Melville, N.Y.
Education: University of Michigan, B.A., sport management
Advice to my 20-year-old self: Take risks and explore the world.
What my friends/family think I do all day: My 8-year-old nephew thinks I’m a famous soccer player.
How I deal with stress in the workplace: Exercise, piano, chess, not taking myself too seriously.
Cause supported: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
App I use most: Spotify.
First social media platform I signed up for: Myspace.
Social media platform I use/follow most today: X.
Person in sports business I’d most like to meet: Sonny Vaccaro.
Sports business leaders should be more mindful of … : AI and fast-paced tech advancements.
Most pressing issue facing my generation is … : Mental health and screen addiction.
After cutting his teeth at the NBA, Gaiman hit his stride at the New York Mets. Starting in 2014, he hosted prospective clients at virtually every home game for three straight seasons, landing more than 10 seven-figure deals and building a robust network in the industry. At Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, Gaiman secured more than 15 multiyear deals, culminating in the Nets’ landmark jersey patch agreement with Motorola in late 2020.
By the time U.S. Soccer was officially on its own commercially in 2023, Gaiman had built up a diverse team of talent and laid out a long-term growth strategy for the national governing body. The results have exceeded expectations, with the federation landing more than $200 million in new contracted partnership revenue and more than doubling its year-over-year partnership revenue in 2023. Highlights have included massive deals with new partners, including Coca-Cola, Marriott and New York Life.
While Gaiman has enjoyed landing big deals and building new platforms with highly engaged partners, he has taken as much pleasure in serving as a mentor for the team he has assembled.
“That’s been really rewarding to me — recruiting some rock stars who are in it for the right reasons and helping to grow their careers, too,” Gaiman said. — Alex Silverman
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