Oct. 18—United Soccer League Spokane will be led by President Katie Harnetiaux ahead of its inaugural season.
Harnetiaux, with husband Ryan Harnetiaux, co-owns the club, which consists of professional men’s and women’s squads and an amateur women’s squad.
“This is an opportunity for me to lead a team of business professionals, players, and youth to shine a light on Spokane, drive greater equity in sports, and inspire change on a broader societal level,” Harnetiaux said in a news release. “Soccer is the world’s game, and Spokane is now playing a critical role in rapidly shifting the landscape of women’s sports. I am proud to be from Spokane, represent Spokane, and now be a part of this USL Spokane team.”
Katie has spent most of her career in marketing and branding, most recently at Amazon as the head of North American marketing.
In her role as president, Harnetiaux will focus on strengthening the brand’s product offering, expanding the fan base, extending community partnerships and growing advocacy and engagement, according to the release.
Prior to her most recent role at Amazon, she held director roles at Starbucks. She also sits on various boards across Washington state.
Earlier this month, ONE Spokane Stadium in Spokane’s North Bank Arts and Entertainment District officially opened.
The men’s team, Spokane Velocity, has nearly 1,000 people on the wait list for season tickets and 3,800 who hold deposits. It is anticipated that deposit holders will begin their conversion process by the end of this month, the release said.
“My goal is to build a business that will serve as a community asset for Spokane for a long time,” Harnetiaux said. “There are many exciting developments we will share in the coming months.”
On Nov. 3, United Soccer League Spokane will soft launch its new team store at the Davenport Grand Hotel. On Nov. 5, the club will reveal the name and crest of its women’s professional team at the same hotel.
