Alan Rothenberg

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Alan I. Rothenberg (born April 10, 1939 in New York City, New York) is a lawyer, an influential administrative figure in the history of North American soccer who is credited with greatly contributing to the growth of the game in the United States, and the namesake of the Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy, which is awarded annually to the winner of the MLS Cup.

Rothenberg was a fan and follower of traditional American sports who had no experience with soccer until the age of 28, when he came into contact with the nascent NASL while serving as a lawyer for Jack Kent Cooke. Cooke, who owned the Lakers of the NBA, the Forum sports arena, the Washington Redskins of the NFL, and the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL, had also obtained the Los Angeles Wolves of the NASL, a short-lived team that lasted only until 1968.

Almost ten years after the folding of the Wolves, Rothenberg headed an investment group that bought the Los Angeles Aztecs, a newer club in the same league, but he sold the team after three seasons in 1980, thus escaping the later collapse of the league. Rothenberg later stated that his timing in buying the team had simply been wrong - "I mistakenly thought the time was right and three years later I realized that the time was wrong. I liked soccer, thought it was a great opportunity then, and thought it was now."<ref>Jewishsports.com profile of Rothenberg</ref>

In 1984, Rothenberg was asked by Peter Ueberroth, then serving as the organizer of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, to take on the role of commissioner of soccer for the Games. The unexpected popularity of soccer that summer - including multiple sell-outs of the 100,000+ seat Rose Bowl - established before the world that an American audience for the game existed, and Rothenberg's success in the capacity of commissioner caused FIFA to seek out his services as director of the 1994 World Cup, which the organization had recently decided to place in the USA.

In 1990, Rothenberg, with FIFA's backing, defeated the unpopular incumbent Werner Fricker in an election for the Presidency of the United States Soccer Federation, a position he would occupy until 1998. Under Rothenberg's guidance, the 1994 Cup became a major success and the first U.S. professional league since the NASL - Major League Soccer was established and stabilized. Rothenberg was also the major force behind the inception of Project 2010.<ref>Sports Illustrated profile</ref>

Rothenberg remains a member of the USSF executive committee, and is also one of three Vice Presidents of CONCACAF.<ref>CONCACAF's chart of organization hierarchy</ref> In 1998, Rothenberg headed a bid by the Japanese advertising agency Dentsu to buy the San Jose Clash of MLS<ref>MLS press release, issued prior to collapse of deal.</ref>, but was forced to pull out at a late date due to the Asian stock market crisis.<ref>Soccer America article noting that Dentsu "nearly bought" the SJ Clash.</ref> Rothenberg also serves on several corporate and public boards.<ref>[1]</ref>