The NWSL’s Gotham FC has hired the Florida Panthers’ Mark Zarthar as president, according to multiple people familiar with the details. Zarthar was named the Panthers’ chief revenue officer last August after more than two years as the NHL club’s chief strategy officer. Gotham, which is controlled by Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, has not formally had a president since Mary Wittenberg departed the role after a four-month stint in December 2023. Ryan Dillon, previously VP of marketing at Peloton, was officially named chief business officer in May 2024 after serving in an interim role.
Gotham declined to comment, while Zarthar did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It’s been a busy time for Gotham, winner of two of the last three NWSL championships. Earlier this month, Sportico reported that the club is in advanced talks to move from Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J., to the new soccer stadium that NYCFC is building in Queens. The club has played at the New Jersey venue since 2021; talks for the Etihad Park relocation have centered on the 2028 NWSL season.
Among Zarthar’s listed responsibilities for his CRO role with the Panthers were ticket operations and ticket sales & service. Attendance is an area Gotham has strived to improve, with the club ranking middle of the pack in the NWSL last season with an average of 8,900 fans per game. For a match earlier this month, the team partnered with NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani to provide 1,000 $5 tickets to New Yorkers; the 1-1 draw against Boston was attended by 11,308 fans. In July, Gotham will play a game at the New York Mets’ home, Citi Field, for the first time. The team has announced that over 20,000 tickets have already been sold for that match. Additionally, Gotham will play in Columbus, Ohio, in June for the Challenge Cup against the Kansas City Current. Columbus was recently awarded the NWSL’s 18th franchise, owned by Haslam Sports Group, at a record $205 million expansion fee. Gotham sits in fifth in the NWSL standings entering the final weekend before the league’s regular season hits pause due to the upcoming men’s World Cup. The team is worth $175 million, according to Sportico’s most recent valuations, which ranks seventh in the NWSL.
