President of Business Operations Chris Canetti

2012 marks Chris Canetti’s 13th season in Major League Soccer and his 20th year in the professional sports business. Canetti joined the Dynamo in May of 2006 as the team’s Chief Operating Officer and was promoted to President of Business Operations in November 2010. He oversees all aspects of the Dynamo business, including sales, marketing, public relations, broadcasting, operations, team administration, and youth development.

In 2008, he was honored with the league’s Doug Hamilton Executive of the Year award, Major League Soccer’s top executive honor. In 2010, he was named to Sports Business Journal’s prestigious Forty Under 40 list of influential sports executives.

Canetti has helped the Dynamo lead MLS in average playoff attendance over the past four years and rank fourth in league attendance in 2009. The Dynamo showed growth in attendance and sponsorship revenue in 2009 despite the country’s economic recession. Canetti has also overseen the launch of Dynamo Charities and the success of the Dynamo Youth Development System, which has seen two players be promoted to the first team.

Prior to joining the Dynamo, Canetti served as the Assistant General Manager for the New York Red Bulls. He joined the New York organization in 2000 when it was called the MetroStars. With the MetroStars, Canetti served various roles, including Vice President of Marketing & Public Relations.

Before coming to MLS, Canetti worked for the New Haven (CT) Ravens, a Double-A minor league baseball affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. He was with the Ravens for six seasons and served three years the team’s General Manager. His career with the Ravens was highlighted by the fact that he became the youngest GM in baseball, earning that position at just 26 years old.

Prior to joining the Ravens, Canetti was an Associate Sports Editor for the Shoreline Times (Guilford, CT). Canetti has been a part of three championship seasons: the Dynamo’s MLS Cups in 2006 and 2007 and the Ravens’ Eastern League title in 2000.

Canetti received his bachelor’s degree from Quinnipiac University (Hamden, CT) in 1992. He was a four-year letterman on the Braves baseball team. Chris lives in the Houston area with his wife, Judi, and daughters Kara and Ella.