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DeGrandpre resigns as Red Bulls managing director

Marc_degrandpre_isi_photos

                                                  Photo by ISI Photos

Red Bulls managing director Marc deGrandpre has resigned. He is leaving the club to take a position with another company.

DeGrandpre informed the team at a meeting this afternoon. According to sources, deGrandpre decision to leave was his own. He leaves Red Bull after nine years with the soft drink company and two years after being chosen to run Red Bull New York.

My initial reaction? Losing deGrandpre isn’t something that should hurt the team on the field, but it remains to be seen what kind of approach his replacement will take and whether the replacement will stick to the business side or get involved with the soccer-side of things.

Ultimately, deGrandpre was a businessman who knew nothing about soccer and that ignorance hurt the club more than his business acumen helped. He was in charge of the team as it finally saw its stadium project become a reality so he will get credit for that, but as far as his overall tenure with the club, it isn’t a term that can be considered a memorable one.

What do you think of deGrandpre leaving? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. The LA Times report on this story referred to de Grandpre’s “abrasive” style and his “my way or else” management style as reasons for problems with Arena last year and (perhaps) as an underlying reason for his departure — or at least as a reason for RBNY to be happy he’s leaving. Any inside information on all this, Ives?

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  2. Say what you will about what he knew but I found him to be personable, fair, and always willing to listen and be apart of the conversation.

    He was smart to keep his mouth shut at times and also the type that would make a decision based on what he heard. Not by what he thought on his own.

    It’s a tough thing to take on something that’s outside of your current knowledge and I think that the gent did an above average job.

    I wish him the best of luck and a prosperous future. I also hope he’ll come back and take in a game or 10.

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  3. Happy he’s out. He was a beverage guy with no idea on how to market this product which is a professional sports franchise. I think they can replace him with someone who is a “fan” of the game with a business acumen in understanding how to market the team and the game to the metropolitan area. The MLS is a hot commodity right now and at a bare minimum a crappy team in New York should be pulling minimum 20K to every game. But when I tell friends I’m going to a game and they still don’t know who the team is or where they play, that is a fundamental flaw in DeGranpre’s marketing approach and Red Bull Inc.’s lack of sinking the right kind of dollars into marketing the team. I feel better inroads would be made if the new GM is bilingual and reaches out more to the Latino community within the five boroughs and the soccer-loving community that dominates the landscape here in NYC.

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  4. He was a good leader? He’ll be missed? Really? Really?

    That’s why we have a stadium, a practice facility, tons of advertisers, MSG has a partnership to broadcast the games the other channels don’t; with color commentators going to the road games. We have tons of advertising on billboards, print, radio, TV and online in the Tri-State area and we have huge crowds going to every game.

    Oh wait…

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  5. Ok,

    Red Bulls, Let’s Make a Deal. We (Chicago Fire) will give you Conde but you also must take Guppy and Washo. In exchange, well, we’ll call it even for the Osorio issue.

    Deal?

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  6. Eugene i dont really see how a GM or a coach dresses has anything to do with anything. steve nichol never wears a suit and it doesnt make me think he has any more or less respect for revs fans. all i care about is results.

    as for degrandpre i think the decision to fire arena was the right one. he never looked motivated and made a lot of terrible decisions. he got the stadium and training facility done. he got osorio. it seems like this is a guy who had no idea what he was doing in the beginning and had to learn as he went along but by the end started figuring things out.

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  7. YES YES YES. This guy was terrible at running the organization. He did little to nothing to market the team in NYC (although I honestly don’t know if he had the budget). There was a debacle with getting MSG to cover games last season. I believe there were also other business issues, perhaps about signage or sponsorship?

    The decision to fire Arena was rash and poorly managed. The decision to put a training facility is Hanover NJ while the stadium is going into Harrison NJ is funny, considering the players will need to be transported from one location to the other (why not just put all facilities in or very near Harrison??).

    And what personally irked me was him thinking its ok to show up at press conferences, media events and player presentations in his jeans. This guy never took NY seriously and didn’t respect the place he worked. For formal events where he’s representing the team I would expect him to show up in a suit. I think that shows the proper respect to the fans and to this city (and I appreciate that Osorio stands on the sidelines during games wearing a suit and tie, its the professional thing to do).

    I’m so happy this joker is gone.

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  8. Now if he could just take Reyna with him, the Red Bulls might be in business. I loved Reyna when he played with the US, but he is wasting a valuable designated player spot that should have been spent on a player who can stay healthy and produce plays on the field and bums in the seats.

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  9. If there is a god he will ensure that Guppy goes back to New Yrok and he and Osorio have to work together!!!

    Just kidding guys, I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. Even you.

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  10. Victor M hit the nail on the head with his comments.

    I think you all are misunderstanding how things work in an MLS front office, or at the very least with the Red Bulls.

    deGrandpre was the managing director, meaning that he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the organization as a whole.

    Did he have some input in player decisions? Sure, but probably only to make sure he fits within the budget and give the final go-ahead to have him signed.

    He was not the traditional GM that many think of in American sports, as player decisions were delegated to the Head Coach and Sporting Director (Arena, then Osorio and Agoos). He oversaw everything, yes, but he was just as involved in interviewing and signing off on new hires in the ticketing department and interns as he was for on-the-field players.

    He was a good leader and a nice guy who was well-respected in his post. Many of you say you hope they hire a soccer guy – I hope they don’t. Someone who thinks they know what’s best for the on-field product will only cause problems, as there would be potential for disagreement between he and the Head Coach.

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  11. Hey Ives,

    so we signed Guevara officially now but we traded ‘ Toronto FC has traded future considerations in the 2009 and 2010 MLS SuperDraft to Chivas USA’.

    What does that mean?

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  12. By that picture of him, I think it’s pretty obvious why he left. He went to find his bike.

    Just a hint for him, though: there’s no basement in the Alamo.

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  13. OK, the guy got a better opportunity with another company. It happens all the time. I don’t know much of the inner workings, but I can’t see how this impacts the team that much. Osorio (and Arena before him) made the field decisions, Agoos was the soccer guy… so who cares about anything else? I’m sure that major business decicions came from Austria anyway and that hasn’t changed.

    I don’t think we need a soccer guy for this position; we need a business guy who knows the American sport scene well from a business point of view.

    Frankly, to me, this is minor news.

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  14. Remember, this is Marc “I’d like to stay away from specifcs” deGrandpre we’re talking about. I really liked the guy but he’s basically just a suit. Whoever replaces him will probably know as little about soccer and be just as useful/useless.

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  15. @martha c

    Please not another coaching change! Whatever happens with Osorio this season I hope he is given the time to get the team playing the way he wants, with the kind of players he wants. Bringing in a real soccer man as GM should be a help in that regard. De Grandpre clearly didn’t have the game in his blood.

    So thanks for your work on the new stadium and best of luck Marc. Hopefully the organization will take its time and find the right replacement. Until then, Agoos should be able to manage.

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  16. I think you will miss him more then you think. Sure a guy who knows the sport would be nice, but at this time in the MLS. It is still about growing a brand, and turning a profit. I don’t think its at a point like other sports where you can afford to have a non businessman in charge..

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  17. My initial reaction?

    HAHAHAHA!! Goodbye F**kface!!

    I truly hope that Red Bull brings in a person well versed in soccer as opposed to business. Obviously both would be great, but a person who puts the game first would be a good step in the right direction!

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  18. I don’t think this will affect things too much. He seemed like a nice guy, but hopefully we’ll get someone who knows more about the specifics of marketing a sports team.

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  19. he got the stadium done, now that thats a done deal both sides can move on. forget this someone tell me if there is any truth to reports that JRR is coming. MLS Rumors is reporting MLS offered 15 mil to boca for him. Offsides meantioned it too. Would be awesome!

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  20. The fire will give RBNY Conde and Marmol, and throw in Rolfe and Mapp, if you’ll take Guppy off our hands. He’s a soccer guy you know!

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  21. I hear that Alexi Lalas wants to come back to NY and finish the job he started…

    “So I said, ‘Take my wife. Please!'”

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  22. What’s the story here? Did he and JCO clash? Everybody should remember that Agoos is the soccer guy in charge. DeGrandpre didn’t need to be a soccer guy.

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  23. Would it be too much to hope for a soccer person to be in charge? The franchise needs a steady (and informed) hand, not just a businessman looking to add outlets for his product.

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  24. Red Bull New York News Release

    Contacts: Andrew McGowan, (201) 583-7038, Andrew.McGowan@newyorkredbulls.com; Brian Tsao, (201) 583-7016, Brian.Tsao@newyorkredbulls.com

    RED BULL NEW YORK ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION

    OF MANAGING DIRECTOR MARC DE GRANDPRE

    SECAUCUS, NJ (April 9, 2008) – Red Bull New York announced today that Managing Director Marc de Grandpre has resigned after a nine-year career with Red Bull. De Grandpre has accepted a new position in the business community.

    “I am sad to leave the many outstanding people that have been a part of the success and excitement of the Red Bulls,” said de Grandpre. “This was a very hard decision for me as I have been dedicated to making the Red Bulls a success. I have had to make many difficult decisions over the course of my career, but this was the most difficult.

    “I have been offered an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down. This was a decision that I made solely with my family. I’ve enjoyed my time with the Red Bulls as they have so many dedicated and passionate people within the organization. I leave knowing that we have built a team of championship caliber both on and off the field. I am confident that all of the pieces are in place for the organization to prosper. Soon, the team will be playing in the Red Bull Park, in Harrison, New Jersey, as well as practicing at Red Bull Training Grounds in Hanover, New Jersey.”

    De Grandpre joined Red Bull in 1999 and started his position as Managing Director of the Red Bulls in April 2006.

    — newyorkredbulls.com —

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