Michael “Hitch” Hitchcock

Founding Partner

Michael “Hitch” Hitchcock is a visionary sports executive, investor, and entrepreneur with more than 27 years of leadership experience in Major League Soccer and lower-division soccer in the United States and internationally. As the Founding Partner of Playbook Management International (PMI), Hitch specializes in building and monetizing brands, maximizing revenue, operating efficiently, and creating meaningful community impact through the game of soccer.

After a decorated MLS career that began in entry-level ticket sales and culminated as President & General Manager of FC Dallas, Hitch launched PMI in 2009. Since then, he has consulted, managed, or invested in more than 90 soccer teams, leagues, facilities, and events worldwide.

Current Leadership & Investments

Through PMI and its affiliated companies, Hitch leads a diversified soccer portfolio that includes club ownership, consulting, branding, and shared-service operations. In addition to PMI, he owns ProRel Soccer Ventures (a global soccer investment company), VirtualVeep (a shared-resource services platform for lower-division clubs), and TIFO Branding (a soccer-focused branding agency), along with investments in multiple sports-related ventures.

PMI currently holds ownership interests in 14 soccer clubs across the United States and internationally, spanning USL2, NPSL, NISA, MASL, and international professional divisions. Notable clubs include Annapolis Blues, Fort Worth Vaqueros, Denton Diablos (2021 NPSL National Champions), Napa Valley 1839, Appalachian FC, Lubbock Matadors, Charlottetowne Hops, Columbus United FC, Dallas Sidekicks (MASL), New Amsterdam FC, Chicago House AC, Alfreton Town (UK), Tobago FC Phoenix, and Dorado FC.

Several of these clubs have set attendance, merchandise, sponsorship, and valuation records within their respective leagues. Under Hitch’s leadership, organizations such as Appalachian FC and Lubbock Matadors have achieved rapid profitability, record-breaking crowds, and multi-million-dollar valuations validated by outside investment.

PMI Impact & Achievements

Through PMI, Hitch has led major expansion and launch initiatives, including:

• Breaking NPSL attendance records with Annapolis Blues, averaging over 8,000 fans per game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

• Launching San Antonio Scorpions (NASL), including brand development, stadium construction, and a profitable sale to Spurs Sports & Entertainment.

• Leading strategic expansion campaigns for the National Premier Soccer League, adding 60 expansion teams in five years.

• Executing innovative sponsorship campaigns, including the “900 Meetings in 90 Days” initiative, generating nearly $800,000 in partnerships.

• Successfully launching multiple clubs through community engagement campaigns where supporters selected team names and branding while building robust fan databases that drove long-term profitability.

MLS Leadership Career

Hitchcock’s MLS career remains one of the most decorated in league history. Rising from a commission-only ticket sales representative at D.C. United to President & General Manager of FC Dallas, he earned four MLS Sales Director of the Year awards, led teams to five MLS Sales Team of the Year honors, and received the Commissioner’s New Business Leadership Award.

He is the only MLS executive to host and lead MLS Cup four times (all sold-out events) and is credited with elevating the championship’s profile through innovative initiatives such as the MLS Host Committee and MLS Cup Trophy Tour.

As President & GM of FC Dallas and Pizza Hut Park, Hitch brought more than 1.5 million guests annually to the venue through aggressive programming strategies. He also led Pizza Hut Park to become Texas’s first professional green stadium, fully funded by a recycling grant, and founded the FC Dallas Foundation, which raised significant funds annually to support local community initiatives.

His leadership earned numerous honors, including Frisco Business Leader of the Year and multiple Business of the Year awards, as well as the Dallas Business Journal Community Impact Award.

Vision

Throughout his career, Hitch has demonstrated a unique ability to combine visionary brand development, aggressive revenue strategy, operational discipline, and authentic community engagement. His work continues to shape the growth of professional and lower-division soccer across the United States and around the world.