Peter Wilt

Peter Wilt is a soccer executive who was the first President and General Manager of the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer, led an effort to bring an expansion MLS franchise to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and maintains strong connections to the sport of soccer in the Midwest, Chicago in particular. Wilt is most known for his work with the Chicago Fire, where he gained a reputation for being a fan-friendly businessman in the soccer world.[1]

History

Peter Wilt was born in McHenry, Illinois, and gained his start in sports working for the Milwaukee Brewers baseball and Milwaukee Admirals hockey teams before breaking into soccer with the Milwaukee Wave.[2]

Wilt was known for answering questions from fans through the BigSoccer Internet message boards,[3] and now maintains his own blog on Chicago soccer issues.

In his seven seasons as Chicago's GM, the Fire won one MLS Cup, three U.S. Open Cups and one Supporters' Shield. In 2005, Wilt was fired by Anschutz Entertainment Group, the team's owner, a move which was protested by fans in Chicago.[4] The following year, he became the chief executive officer of Milwaukee Professional Soccer (a group bidding to bring an MLS franchise to Milwaukee), but left the position to become CEO of the Chicago Red Stars Chicago's Women's Professional Soccer team that started play in 2009. After one season, Wilt left the Red Stars for a front office position with the Milwaukee Wave. After one season with the Wave, Wilt founded the now defunct expansion MISL side Chicago Riot.

In late 2012, Wilt led an effort with a group of Indianapolis, Indiana investors headed by Ersal Ozdemir to determine the viability of the market to support a North American Soccer League team in the city with eventual hopes to join MLS.[2] On January 16, 2013, the league awarded Indianapolis the league's twelfth franchise, naming Wilt the team President that day. The team, known as Indy Eleven, began play in the 2014 season.

In January 2016, Wilt stepped down from his role with the Indy 11 to pursue an NASL team in Chicago.[5][6] He later announced that works were in progress to secure short-term and long-term stadium options combined with exploring investors and supporter ownership structures.[7][8]

On June 6, 2017, Wilt was announced that the newly formed National Independent Soccer Association would begin play in 2018 targeting an initial 8 to 10 teams, later revised to 8 to 12 teams.[9] The league has also outlined plans to introduce a promotion/relegation system, once they reach their goal of 24 teams, the first in US professional soccer and in doing so act as a feeder league to the North American Soccer League.[10][11]

On May 17, 2018, Wilt left the NISA to help start up a future professional team in Madison, Wisconsin of the USL League One, later named Forward Madison FC.[12] A committee of club owners has been formed to elect new leadership within the organization.[13] Wilt was also named the managing director of Green Bay Voyageurs FC, Forward Madison's affiliate in USL League Two.[14]

On October 24, 2019, Forward Madison announced Wilt's departure from the club in order to take a role with the USL.[15]

References
  1. "Wilt to Toronto: Make it happen". Canadian Soccer News. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  2. Lynch, Amy. "5 Questions: Indy Eleven's Peter Wilt shares love of soccer". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  3. Hruby, Patrick (May 21, 2003). "It came from the message boards". The Washington Times. Retrieved January 18, 2007.
  4. "Fire Fire Peter Wilt, Fans Protest At Season Opener". Chicagoist. Archived from the original on April 27, 2012. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  5. "JEFF BELSKUS NAMED INDY ELEVEN PRESIDENT". Indy Eleven. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  6. Tolmich, Ryan. "Peter Wilt looking to revitalize soccer in Chicago with NASL project". Sports by Ives. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  7. Kass, John. "Chicago needs a second soccer team". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  8. Rivera, Guillermo. "NASL looking to expand in Chicago - new ownership group has expressed interest". Chicago Now. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  9. "About". NISA. June 6, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  10. "New league seeks to finally bring pro/rel to US soccer". NISA. June 14, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  11. "City said to be ripe for pro soccer". June 28, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  12. "Big Top hires Peter Wilt to launch pro soccer team at Breese Stevens Field in 2019". May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  13. "Committee Formed to Select New NISA Leadership". May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  14. Bollier, Jeff. "League soccer to kick it at Capital Credit Union Park beginning in 2019". greenbaypressgazette.com. Green Bay Press Gazette. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  15. Milewski, Todd. "Peter Wilt leaves Forward Madison FC managing director role for job with USL". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
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