Todd Dunivant appointed as new chief soccer officer for NYCFC

NYCFC Appoints Todd Dunivant as Chief Soccer Officer

New York City FC has officially announced the appointment of Todd Dunivant as its new Chief Soccer Officer, stepping in to fill the shoes of David Lee. Dunivant, previously with the USL Championship side Sacramento Republic, brings a wealth of experience to the Major League Soccer club.

At 44, Dunivant has been the general manager at Sacramento since 2018, and in 2020, he added the title of club president to his duties.

Having enjoyed a notable playing career in MLS, Dunivant will now lead a NYCFC team that concluded its season with a strong finish, although not without a sting. They were defeated 5-1 by Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals just last Saturday.

As Dunivant embarks on this new chapter, he faces some pressing decisions, including negotiating a new contract for promising player Justin Haak and addressing the gap created by the injury of leading scorer Alonso Martinez.

NYCFC’s search for a replacement began when Lee departed in October to become the chief soccer officer for Sporting Kansas City. Throughout this search, discussions about potential candidates remained fairly under wraps. NYCFC CEO Brad Sims mentioned in November that he had a shortlist of prospects in mind.

“I think everyone we hire wants to dig into things and look at things from a different perspective,” Sims noted. Fresh perspectives can, perhaps, foster innovation and new ideas.

Dunivant transitioned to a front office role after a notable playing career, during which he appeared in over 300 games and secured five MLS Cups with teams such as the San Jose Earthquakes, Los Angeles Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, and Toronto FC.

His experience in an executive role has been commendable; the Sacramento Republic made the playoffs in all but one of his seasons, and the team reached the U.S. Open Cup Finals in 2022.

The announcement of Dunivant’s hiring comes shortly after NYCFC confirmed that they had exercised options for several players, including Nico Cavallo, Tyvon Gray, and Thiago Martins, among others. Meanwhile, Andres Perea’s option was declined, but conversations about his future are still in progress.