Change is coming at the top of Rhode Island’s minor league soccer franchise.
Rhode Island FC has replaced team president Brett Luy after just 18 months on the job, and only 10 matches into its inaugural season.
Luy has accepted a special advisor role with Fortuitous Partners – the company that is building the team’s soccer stadium in Pawtucket – and will no longer be involved in day-to-day activities with the soccer team, according to Mike Raia, a spokesman for the team.”
Brett played an important role as the club’s inaugural president,” Raia said in a statement. “He oversaw the efforts to secure important sponsors, develop a strong working relationship with Bryant University, and build the club’s first ever roster. The club expects to name a new president in the near future.”
David Brady will oversee the club’s day-to-day operations until a new president is named.
The bigger picture: It’s uncommon for an American sports franchise to abruptly part ways with its president 10 matches into a season, especially since this year is essentially a soft opening before the new stadium opens next season.
A transition this early certainly wasn’t part of the team’s plan. When he was hired in 2022, team owner Brett Johnson said he was certain that Luy would “build Rhode Island FC into a crown jewel franchise for USL.”
This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you’d like to receive it via e-mail Monday through Friday, you can sign up here.
Dan McGowan can be reached at dan.mcgowan@globe.com. Follow him @danmcgowan.