St. Louis CITY fills unique MLS position to enhance fan experience

St. Louis CITY SC has filled a first-of-its-kind position in an attempt to enhance the fan experience when games begin in 2023.

St. Louis CITY, a Major League Soccer expansion team, announced Tuesday that it has hired hired Matt Sebek as chief experience officer, the first such position in MLS.

The goal of the CXO is “to excite and unite fans and the community, both inside and outside the stadium,” according to the club.

Sebek, a native St. Louisan, comes to CITY from World Wide Technology, where he created “human-centered consumer experiences for top global brands for over a decade,” the club said.

“Consumer expectations are evolving, especially in sports,” Sebek said. “We have a unique opportunity to provide our fans with a frictionless, consistent and rewarding experience from Day One that showcases the innovation mindset that exists here in St. Louis. … The creation of the CXO role validates our ownership group’s commitment to put our fans at the center of everything we do.”

Sebek will lead community and experiential research as well as technology selection for the downtown stadium now under construction, among other tasks.

“We have strived to make each person in our region feel connected to the team,” said Carolyn Kindle Betz, the club’s chief executive officer. “Matt’s hiring as MLS’ first-ever CXO puts us in such a great position to show our fans’ spirit and passion, and our true commitment to them.”

The club previously announced the hiring of German soccer legend Lutz Pfannenstiel as sporting director, Bernhard Peters as youth academy development consultant and Mike Forde as executive chairman of sportsology.