Dave Baldwin
President of Business Operations
Dave Baldwin was hired as Chicago Fire FC's President of Business Operations in December of 2022.
Baldwin, a highly accomplished sports business executive, is responsible for leading the Fire’s non-sporting operations. In this role, Baldwin works alongside football operations and oversees the Club’s business strategy and operations.
In his first year as President of Business Operations, Baldwin led the Fire to unprecedented growth, including doubling Corporate Sponsorship revenue, an 85% increase in Season Ticket Holders, and over 40 new annual suite leases. During Baldwin’s first year, the Club recorded the highest grossing match in Major League Soccer history with a sold-out Soldier Field on October 4, 2023, versus Inter Miami CF. Under Baldwin’s leadership, the Club was named the Marisa Colaiano Community Relations Club of the Year during his first season for outstanding work in the greater Chicago community.
Baldwin joined the Fire with nearly 15 years of experience in the sports industry and a proven track record of driving results and developing future leaders. Throughout his career, Baldwin led significant ticketing transformations at the Miami Dolphins, Ilitch Sports and Entertainment, and the Washington Commanders, leading to a variety of record-breaking sales campaigns.
Prior to the Fire, Baldwin was the Chief Ticketing Officer for the Commanders, where he served as a key member of the senior leadership team and was responsible for overseeing the strategy and operations for the team’s ticketing efforts as well as securing major events, including world class concerts and the 125th anniversary of the Army vs. Navy football game. Additionally, under Baldwin’s leadership, the Commanders ranked second in the NFL in new club seats sold and third in new annual suites sold this season. Prior to his time with the Commanders, Baldwin served as the Senior Vice President of Ticket Sales and Service for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment from 2019-2021. In this role, Baldwin oversaw a team of more than 90 people, including salespeople, sales leadership, and ticketing strategy and analytics for the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings.
Earlier in his career, Baldwin helped lead unprecedented ticketing growth for the Dolphins. During his tenure, the team saw its total ticket revenue increase by 75 percent and was ranked first in the NFL in new season tickets sold five seasons in a row and new suites sold four seasons in a row. In addition, Baldwin assisted with selling out Hard Rock Stadium for El Clasico Miami in 2017 between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, resulting in the highest-grossing soccer match in US history.
Baldwin is a member of Young Presidents Organization, Chicago Chapter, as well as the Economic Club of Chicago. Baldwin was also named to Crain’s Chicago Business “40 Under 40 Class of 2023. A native of Grosse Pointe, Mich., Baldwin holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Miami and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Sports Management from Aquinas College, where he played varsity basketball. Baldwin and his wife, Mary, live in the greater Chicagoland area along with their three sons, five-year-old Hudson, four-year-old Blake, and one-year-old Cameron,