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BEHIND THE STRIPES

Catie Griggs, Vice President of Business Operations

By Atlanta United FC

March 8^th, 2020

It’s matchday in Atlanta. For most of the city, this means grabbing your kit and your scarf, heading to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and cheering on Atlanta United at one of the best sporting environments in the world. In just a few short years, the club has built a unique matchday experience for the city of Atlanta that’s celebrated throughout the region and stands apart from others across Major League Soccer.

One voice has been a key driver of Atlanta United’s success, both on matchdays and throughout the year. Catie Griggs serves as the team’s Vice President of Business Operations, a role that leads integrated marketing, strategy and operations for Atlanta United, ensuring that each aspect of your experience with the club is meaningful and enjoyable.

“Walking around the stadium and seeing how excited people are – that’s so energizing,” said Griggs. “I love Atlanta, and I want to do everything I can to make it as amazing a place to live as possible, and to help other people see how incredible our city is.”

Her love of Atlanta fuels her, and has become apparent with each homegrown detail that she has helped implement across matchdays. The environment at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a testament to the effort she and her entire team exerts for the city to enjoy each time the club plays at home.

Griggs was once just one of the thousands, sporting a kit and cheering on the club from the stands. A resident of the city since 2009, she attended Atlanta United’s first match at Bobby Dodd Stadium and says the experience is one that continues to shape the vision she uses in her current role.

“As I walked through the tailgates, it was honestly the first time since I had been in Atlanta where I felt like I saw the city truly come together,” recalls Griggs of the March 5, 2017 match. “Everyone was getting along and they were all sharing the same passion. That was incredibly impactful – that’s the Atlanta that I love.”

Born in North Carolina, Griggs spent her early years in Atlanta working for Turner Sports, joining the club in August 2017.

She grew up highly competitive, which included years playing soccer, but she was always fascinated by the role that sports can play in lives off the pitch. The inclusiveness she witnessed from her first experience as an Atlanta United fan only furthered her desire to play a hands-on role with a team.

“Having the opportunity to come on board and get behind it early on, and really help shepherd that (inclusivity) and ensure that we never lose sight of the amazing things that we can do to bring people together, is something that I’m frankly humbled to have the opportunity to do,” she said. “I do not think we’ve reached the top – I think there’s a long, long way to go and I’m really excited to have the opportunity to work with my team to chase that down.”

Griggs has undoubtedly made her mark in the world of sports, but also serves as an inspiring example of how to be a successful woman, wife, mom and business leader. A mother of two, Griggs maintains that regardless of who you are, you always have an opportunity to make an impact in the lives of others. She, along with her team, brings diverse backgrounds and deep knowledge of Atlanta United’s fanbase to ensure a successful path for the club.

Griggs recognized early why she wanted to work in sports and saw that there was always a story to tell in many different capacities of the industry, advice she gives for others wanting to follow her professional path.

“Working in sports still is a job, I think that’s something that often gets lost,” she advised. “I’d really encourage for people to know what they care about and follow it, but also realize that there’s a really broad array of opportunities out there so if one lane doesn’t work out immediately or as quickly as you want it to, there are a lot more paths that you can pursue.”

Next time you come to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for a match, know that Griggs will be somewhere in the crowd working with her team to support your experience and that of the rest of the thousands that walk in, and cheering hard for her team.

“Watching people come together - that is truly what fuels me,” said Griggs. “It’s seeing other people excited, seeing the positive impact that we can have on other people’s lives. Getting to do that for a job is the coolest thing.”

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