Stamford, Conn., March 21, 2019 – The XFL today announced that Heather Brooks Karatz, most recently the Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the Los Angeles Football Club and Banc of California Stadium, has been named President of the XFL football team in Los Angeles.
Karatz will be responsible for the team’s fan engagement and business operations, including ticket sales, corporate partnerships, marketing, content, communications, community relations, and the game day experience.
“Vince McMahon and I are thrilled that Heather is our first team president,” said Jeffrey Pollack, XFL President, and Chief Operating Officer. “She knows Los Angeles inside out, played a key role in one of the most successful launch efforts in professional sports, and will help us build a fanbase and get it right.”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to launch a team that is authentic to Los Angeles,” said Karatz. “The XFL’s mission is to put the fan above all and bring new thinking, not only to the game, but to how we engage fans and their families, connect with the community through a love for football, and manage every aspect of our operations. Starting from scratch means our perspective can be fresh and I can’t wait to get started creating a new team for the LA market and entire community.”
Before Los Angeles Football Club
Before joining LAFC in January 2017, just as the team broke ground on the Banc of California Stadium, Karatz was the General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Relativity Sports where she represented more than 300 professional athletes across the National Football League, National Basketball Association, and Major League Baseball. She also worked as an attorney for the National Hockey League and as a law clerk for the NFL Management Council. Karatz began her legal career as a labor and employment attorney at Hunton & Williams, LLP (now known as Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP).
Karatz earned her law degree at UCLA and graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish.
She lives in West Hollywood with her three-year-old twins and husband Teddy Karatz.
The Los Angeles XFL team will first take the field in February 2020 for its inaugural season and will play its home games at Dignity Health Sports Park (formerly StubHub Center) in Carson, California.
About The XFL
The XFL will reimagine football for the 21st century when it kicks off the weekend of February 8-9, 2020. The new league is committed to delivering a fan-centric, innovative experience, including fast-paced games and a family-friendly environment, complemented by cross-platform viewing options and real-time fan engagement.
Football is America’s favorite sport boasting over 85 million fans, but the traditional season is just too short. Seeing a tremendous opportunity to fill the void, Vince McMahon, XFL Founder and Chairman announced on January 25, 2018, the launch of a new league, which he is personally funding. McMahon is building the XFL with the same commitment and resolve that he has demonstrated building WWE into a global media and sports entertainment powerhouse.
Delivering authentic, high energy football for the whole family at an affordable price, the XFL will offer fast-paced games with fewer play stoppages and simpler rules. The league will launch with eight teams, 45-man active rosters, and a 10-week regular season schedule, with a postseason consisting of two semifinal playoff games and a championship game. The XFL will also establish a health, wellness and safety program that meets the needs of today’s athletes.
The XFL will embrace the latest on and off-field technology, providing live game coverage, content and real-time engagement across multiple platforms, giving fans greater access than ever before. The XFL is committed to building grassroots relationships with local organizations in its host cities through social responsibility partnerships, and the XFL will enjoy the support of WWE’s many extraordinary resources and promotional capabilities.
The XFL will launch next year in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, Seattle, Tampa Bay, and Washington D.C.
