Ramsey Resigns As Courage General Manager
Published on December 17, 2002 under Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
Carolina Courage News Release
Morrisville, NC (December 17, 2002) - Jerome Ramsey announced his resignation as President and General Manager of the WUSA champion Carolina Courage today. Ramsey, 49, was responsible for establishing the Courage organization in the Triangle on behalf of WUSA investor, AOL-Time Warner. A 20-year executive with the media giant, Ramsey, will accept a new assignment with AOL-Time Warner in the coming weeks. WUSA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Crow will be working closely with Ramsey and WUSA President Lynn Morgan to identify Ramsey's successor.
"It is with a heavy heart that I step away from the WUSA and Carolina Courage," said Ramsey. "But it is with a great sense of satisfaction and pride in what we've accomplished that I return to the Time Warner fold."
Ramsey's legacy extends beyond the championship trophies won by the Courage in 2002. He was instrumental in relocating the club from its initial location in Orlando, Florida and identifying the Triangle as the permanent home of the team.
In the lead-up to the inaugural season, Ramsey was responsible for the selection of the Courage's first international players, Norwegian superstars Bente Nordby and Hege Riise. He negotiated a stadium lease with the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill and hired Marcia McDermott, the first female head coach in the WUSA.
Last season, Ramsey worked diligently to acquire the playing rights of 2002 FIFA Player of the Year frontrunner Birgit Prinz and Norwegian midfielder Unni Lehn.
Ramsey played an integral role in securing the WUSA's first long-term stadium lease in an elite soccer-specific venue. Subsequently, he also penned the WUSA's first naming rights deal with local business software company, SAS.
On the business side, Ramsey oversaw an 11 percent increase in attendance from year one to year two, and season ticket sales and local sponsorship revenue increased each year during Ramsey's tenure. In 2002, the Courage is expected to be among the top performing clubs, financially, in the WUSA.
"As difficult as it is to go, I am reassured to know that I am leaving an organization that is heading in the right direction, with the ardent support of blue-chip local sponsors, and in the talented hands of a dedicated staff."
Women's United Soccer Association Stories from December 17, 2002
- Ramsey Resigns As Courage General Manager - Carolina Courage
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