The Pair Bring a Combined 45 Years of Experience in the Sports Industry and 12 Years in Soccer to Major League Soccer’s Most Decorated Club
WASHINGTON, D.C., (October 5, 2021) – D.C. United have announced two new executive level hires for the club’s front office. Jeff Ajluni joins the club as the Senior Vice President of Partnerships and Brand Engagement and Kevin Griffin has been appointed Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Strategy.
“As a club we are committed to continuing to evolve both on and off the pitch in order to best serve the Washington, D.C. community and create a welcoming environment and enjoyable experience for both long-term soccer fans and those who are considering coming to Audi Field for the first time,” said Danita Johnson, President of Business Operations for D.C. United. “The additions of Kevin and Jeff – two seasoned professionals with significant knowledge and know-how of the sports industry – combined with the strength of our current front office staff will help us expand our footprint in the DC-area, create a positive impact in our community, and ultimately unite the District around the sport of soccer.”
Jeff Ajluni has spent much of his career as an executive in the professional sports, media operations, and live entertainment industries. His previous experience includes positions with clubs within the National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, National Football League, English Premier League, and the National Basketball Association. Ajluni also brings knowledge of the Washington, D.C. market from his two most recent positions, first as Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development for the US Travel Association and second as the Chief Commercial Officer for the Trust for the National Mall. Notably, in 2006, Ajluni was responsible for securing AIG Corporation as the shirt sponsor for Manchester United. It was the largest sponsorship deal in the history of team sports at the time.”
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining Danita, Kevin, and the others on the leadership team,” said Jeff Ajluni, Senior Vice President of Partnerships and Brand Engagement. “I’m especially excited to lead and grow an amazing group of professionals in partnerships and brand engagement. Our amazing city, beautiful Audi Field, and incredibly passionate fans make for an exciting future here.”
Kevin Griffin joins D.C. United from The Adcom Group, a leading marketing and advertising agency in Northeast Ohio, where he served as their President of Brand & Market Insights. Prior to his time at Adcom, Griffin had two stops in the National Football League. From 2013 to 2016, he was the Vice President of Marketing, Media & Fan Experience for the Cleveland Browns, where he was responsible for the development of the organization’s marketing strategies and executions across all marketing, advertising, broadcast, gameday production, and digital media. Before the Cleveland Browns, he led the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders FC Fan Development departments where he was responsible for game day entertainment, special events, brand management, and special assignments.Griffin also holds Major League Soccer experience from his time with Seattle Sounders FC. With the Sounders, he was responsible for the club’s fan development efforts and brand management through events and gameday entertainment and was also recognized as Major League Soccer’s Community Relations Executive of the Year in 2011. In addition to his work portfolio, Griffin serves as the Co-National Vice President for Black Sports Professionals (BSP), is a board member of the Ohio State University “O” Alumni organization, and is the board char for the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance (Boys & Girls Club).
“I am incredibly grateful to Danita Johnson and the entire organization for welcoming me into the Black-and-Red family and for the opportunity to work for this storied franchise,” said Kevin Griffin, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Strategy. “I look forward to working in partnership with our staff to build a brand and experience that is a point of tremendous pride for the DMV community and our fans.”
For more information visit: www.dcunited.com.
About D.C. United
One of the founding clubs of Major League Soccer in 1996, D.C. United are among the most decorated teams in the United States with 13 domestic and international trophies.
D.C. United have called the District home for the past 25 seasons and play their home games at Audi Field in the Buzzard Point neighborhood of Southwest, Washington, D.C, which opened in 2018. In addition to D.C. United games, the 20,000-seat soccer-specific stadium hosts over 100 events year-round, including the District’s premier arts, culinary, and music festival, Unite the District Fest. Audi Field will soon be home to America’s number one sportsbook through a partnership with FanDuel Group.
The Black-and-Red have won the MLS Cup four times (1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004), the Supporters’ Shield four times (1997, 1999, 2006 and 2007) and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup three times (1996, 2008 and 2013).
For more information and club updates, please visit www.dcunited.com and find us on social media @DCUnited.
