Stacy Johns had never lived outside Indiana when she was approached by a recruiter in 2020 about the open chief financial officer position at LAFC.
Before too long, however, Johns decided a change of scenery was exactly what her career needed. After more than 15 years with the Indianapolis Colts, the Butler alum was a step away from ascending to the top financial post at the team. She sensed, however, that if she stayed, she would never gain the range of experience needed to one day run business operations for a pro sports franchise.
At LAFC, Johns has advanced far beyond balancing the books. Three months into her new role, co-President Larry Freedman put her in charge of the club’s relationship with its new tenant, Angel City FC, which has consistently packed the 22,000-seat stadium during its first two seasons. In 2022, she spearheaded the effort to find a new stadium naming-rights partner, resulting in an MLS-best 10-year, $100 million deal with BMO.
At the end of last year, Freedman offered Johns an expanded role as COO and formally added revenue generation to her purview. It has served to validate her belief that she can do far more than accounting.