LAS VEGAS – Las Vegas Lights FC announced on Tuesday it had appointed experienced sports executive Shawn McIntosh as the club’s Chief Executive Officer. McIntosh will oversee all business operations with Lights FC and report to Chairman José Bautista

McIntosh joins the Lights having most recently served as Chief Fan Officer at Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC. He is slated to move to Las Vegas in mid-September with his family.

“We are pleased to welcome Shawn McIntosh as our CEO of Las Vegas Lights FC,” said Bautista. “Shawn’s experience across sports business operations and his dedication to a supporter-first culture makes him a fantastic fit for this role. We are excited for him to begin as he brings all the necessary traits to this role as CEO of Las Vegas Lights FC: a passion for soccer, leadership expertise within sports organizations and relevant experience in the Las Vegas market itself.”

The Lights have experienced a remarkable, ongoing transformation since Bautista took the reins of the club this past January. He quickly added key soccer operations leadership in Sporting Director Gianleonardo Neglia and Head Coach Dennis Sanchez, building an entire roster of players not under contract in 2023. The sporting focus has been on delivering attractive soccer for fans with a team that can compete now and in the future.

Entering late August, the Lights have achieved their targets. The club is in contention to reach the USL Championship Playoffs for the first time in club history. It stands as one of three sides this season to record a league-best 11-game undefeated streak and currently sits with the best single-season regular-season winning percentage in club history.

McIntosh is charged with a similar task: building and sustaining championship-level business operations. His role will be centered in re-engaging the club’s business relationships across supporters, corporate partners, community groups, youth soccer organizations and more – all with the same objective in mind of elevating the fan experience for a market that has demonstrated a sizable appetite for the global game.

“I am excited to join Las Vegas Lights FC during a transformational chapter in the club's history,” said McIntosh. “Since Mr. Bautista purchased the team earlier this year, his vision and ambition have been clear. A great city like Las Vegas deserves to have a thriving professional soccer club to call its own, and I am thrilled to be a part of the project to bring success both on and off the field for our fans.”

Across the past two decades, McIntosh has delivered results in revenue, sales and fan-facing service across a variety of sports and divisions and the new role marks a return to Las Vegas where he gained experience with the Las Vegas Aces.

McIntosh’s familiarity with Las Vegas came when he served as Director of Ticket Sales & Service for the Aces, assisting in generating revenue and fan growth for the city’s WNBA team.

While with Charlotte FC, McIntosh played a key part in the development of the expansion team’s match day identity and led all supporter relationships. McIntosh also gained soccer experience earlier in his career as Director of Ticket Sales with Houston Dynamo FC as part of the ongoing growth of professional soccer in the United States.