Orlando City president and founder Phil Rawlins has stepped down from his position effective immediately. Rawlins worked to successfully bring professional soccer to Orlando and worked to make Orlando the Soccer capitol of the Southeast United States.
Orlando City CEO Alex Leitao will assume the club’s day-to-day operations. Rawlins will stay with the team in a new role, Life President, serving as a consultant, an ambassador and will represent the club on all league boards, including MLS, the women’s NWSL and the second-tier USL.
“I’m here today to let you know of a personal decision I have taken,” Rawlins said in a video posted on Twitter.
“I am going to be stepping down from my day to day operations at Orlando City as president and handing over to Alex Leitao, my good friend, who has been with us for four years. But don’t worry, I’m not going away, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here. I am staying on board with the board of directors, and in fact I have been given the position of Life President of the club, which I am very, very honored to take on.”
