Manning’s journey comes full circle

Former Bridgeport all-American back in state with Toronto FC

Toronto FC, which has crossed international borders to play 2020 home games, opens Sunday night against Columbus at Rentschler Field with no fans and plenty of state memories for its president, Bill Manning.

A phone call from an old Connecticut friend, in fact, helped put Major League Soccer in East Hartford.

“We tried very hard (to) work with the Canadian government to allow us to fly teams in and out for games,” Manning said. “That wasn’t going to work. We looked at whether you could just fly into (the) U.S. for games and then we started looking down the road for facilities and went pretty far down that road with Philadelphia.”

These are the stories of COVID and sports in 2020, and this one would include UConn coach Ray Reid. Manning and Reid have known each other since the days when Reid was an assistant coach at Southern Connecticut, and he tried to recruit Manning out of Massapequa, Long Island. They were chatting on the phone when Reid, in that gravelly voice, asked, “Ever thought of playing in Hartford?”

“Oh, yeah,” Manning answered.

Manning called Jay Berhalter, formerly with U.S. Soccer and now with MLS, and asked for contacts. U.S. Soccer has used Rentschler Field for men’s and women’s matches over the years. Berhalter put Manning in touch with Rentschler general manager Ben Weiss.

“I’d never been (to Rentschler),” Manning said. “We did a site visit. We really liked the fact we didn’t have to share it with another team. The state was very welcoming, particularly David Lehman, who worked really close with us.”

Lehman is commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, and the deal came together quickly over a couple of weeks. The club is happy staying at The Goodwin Hotel and having multiple practice facilities available. Connecticut is happy to have big-time soccer, which could open to fans later in Toronto’s six-game home schedule.

“And for me,” Manning said, “it’s full circle.”

Manning was recruited by Adelphi, Hofstra, Harwick, North Carolina out of high school. He was getting half-scholarship offers. Division II Bridgeport offered a full ride.

“At the time it was important for me not to put any financial burden on my family,” Manning said. “I

felt like I could step right in and play.”

He did and had a terrific career, leading the Purple Eagles to the national semifinals in 1986 as a first-team All-American.

“Fran Bacon retired as coach right after my senior year,” said Manning, inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2006 and winner of the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2016. “I really enjoyed my time there. It’s a little sad to see the university has fallen back from what it did when I was there.

“During my time, we had (7-7) Manute Bol for a year,” Manning said. “Sports Illustrated came out and did a piece on us. That was a lot of fun on campus. Southern Connecticut, New Haven, New Hampshire College (now Southern New Hampshire), there was very good soccer in the NECC. We played Hartford every year, too.”

Manning would get a bachelor’s degree in management in 1987 and an MBA in 1989 at Bridgeport.

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” Manning said. “There was a basketball player, John O’Reilly, who had gotten injured and stayed on for his master’s degree and played his last his last year of eligibility. I thought it was a good idea. I was able to mature a bit more, figure out where I wanted to go with my career. In hindsight, it was a really good decision.”

The NASL had folded; the MLS hadn’t started. There was no shot at the big time. Manning did win a U.S. Open Cup with the

Brooklyn Italians in 1991. He continued playing with the Penn-Jersey Spirit and Valley Golden Eagles.

“I had gotten a job with an indoor (Continental) league in California and played with a USL team out there when Bob Butler called,” Manning said.

Butler, from Redding, was starting the New York Fever, in the same USISL as the Connecticut Wolves. Mickey Kydes, a state soccer stalwart, put Manning in touch.

“Bob offered me $2,000 a month to play,” Manning said. “I was like, ‘Oof, that’s tough.’ I’m like 28. I asked him if he needed help in the front office. I’ll do whatever it takes, I want a career in sports.”

Butler gave him an extra $1,000 a month. And this is how a distinguished management career that has led Manning through the NBA, NFL, MLS and CFL got its start. The office was in the Bull’s Head neighborhood of Stamford before it was moved over near Erhardt Kapp’s soccer store in Mamaroneck. The Fever played at Westchester Community College.

“I’d go in a shirt and tie, do sales, sponsorships, help out and then go train,” said Manning, who lived in Norwalk from 1994-97. “Bob got a couple other players with similar deals, but I think I was the most serious.”

This led to an opportunity to become general manager of the Long Island Rough Riders in 1996. Manning was good at his job, very good. He was hired as president/general manager

of the Minnesota Thunder. His teams won and he was winning executive awards. The Tampa Bay Mutiny, owned and operated by the MLS, brought in Manning in 2000. He was 34.

Don Garber, still commissioner of MLS, hired him. Mark Abbott, now deputy MLS commissioner, was Manning’s boss. Manning was named MLS Executive of the Year in 2000 by the Washington Post. Yet playing in cavernous Raymond James Stadium, unable to find an owner, the franchise was in trouble and the league was struggling. Along with the Miami Fusion, the Mutiny folded in 2002.

“I needed to make a career decision,” Manning said. “I needed a lot more business experience.”

Tad Brown, CEO of the NBA Houston Rockets, hired Manning as director of corporate partnerships. Yao Ming was a star, doing international commercials. Toyota Center was opening. The Rockets were a cool team, and Manning forged a number of deals. People noticed. Manning was contacted by a headhunter, told the NFL Philadelphia Eagles wanted him as vice president of sales and service.

“I went to Tad about the opportunity,” Manning said. “He said, ‘You deserve it.’ He supported me.”

Manning was in charge of sponsorships, suites and premium seating. It was a good time for the Eagles. Andy Reid led them to the Super Bowl in February 2005. Working for Mark

Donovan, now the president of Kansas City Chiefs, Manning oversaw a 50 percent increase in corporate sponsorships from 2004-07.

“It was eye-opening on how big it was, but at the end of the day it was the same basics that you dealt with in the minor leagues,” Manning said. “Sell tickets. Sell sponsorships. Manage operations. Manage budgets. Get players. It was just on such a grander scale. One thing I learned was if I wanted to be among the best in the industry, I had to raise my game.”

Another thing he has thought since he played and was reinforced through the Eagles under Joe Banner: You win championships, you sell more tickets, more sponsorships, merchandise, the community feels better about you. Win first.

“I brought that thinking back to soccer,” Manning said.

Dave Checketts, former MSG president and longtime New Canaan resident, owned Real Salt Lake of the MLS. When the two first talked in 2008, Manning and his wife, Jennifer, a former gymnast at Bridgeport, weren’t keen on moving to Utah. Checketts sold him on his vision. Over seven years, Manning oversaw the team’s first MLS title, second trip to the MLS Cup and the opening of Rio Tinto Stadium. Ticket sales and sponsorships tripled. He twice was named MLS Executive of the Year. And Utah?

“We loved our time there,” he said. “Still own a home there.”

Checketts sold the team in 2013; Manning finished his contract in 2015.

“I wanted another opportunity,” he said. “It was different without Dave there anymore. He was my owner, a great owner.”

Manning put his name out there and this time the call came from across the border from Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment to head its soccer team. MLSE owns every major league team in Toronto except the Blue Jays. Toronto FC won the MLS Cup in 2017 and advanced to the MLS Cup again in 2019. After adding the CFL Argonauts in December 2017, MLSE chairman Larry Tannenbaum asked Manning to also become their president. Manning said he welcomed the added challenge.

“The franchise has been around for over 100 years, fell into some hard times, had various ownership changes and eventually (Toronto) Mayor ( John) Tory came to Larry and MLSE and asked them if they’d take the team,” Manning said. “I’ve been through a coaching change and management change. We’re slowly building the brand up. The good news is it’s in good hands now and part of our family. I’ve fallen in love with the CFL and I really want to help boost this team.

“Twenty-seven years, different sports and now here I am in Connecticut, a full circle.”