The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Doug Roberson and The Athletic’s Felipe Cardenas dropped a major update regarding Atlanta United president and CEO Garth Lagerwey late Monday morning: he won’t be returning to the club. That comes in the midst of a second leave of absence he took to focus on his fight with cancer.
No specifics about Lagerwey’s precise prognosis are known at this time. But a global search will begin for his successor, which will be a critical one. Whoever that is will have oversight over both Atlanta United and the upcoming NWSL team, set to kick off in 2028. They’ll also arrive at AMB Sports + Entertainment as the city of Atlanta prepares for eight World Cup matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2026.
Per Cardenas:
Experience in women’s professional sports should be high on the list of priorities, but that will not be the only point that (Arthur) Blank and his team will consider. Ultimately, the new hire will supervise two separate sporting entities with their own strategies and front offices.
CSO Chris Henderson, senior VP/CBO Skate Noftsinger, and SVP of strategy Dimitrios Efstathiou have been sharing Lagerwey’s duties during his leave of absence and will continue to do so until his replacement comes on board.
Obviously, this is not the conclusion to Lagerwey’s tenure anyone imagined when he left the Seattle Sounders to head East in late 2022. And, admittedly, the results haven’t been nearly what Atlanta fans have wanted.
Ultimately, Lagerwey’s health is the most important thing. We wish him all the best in his recovery and hope he’ll soon be able to hear the news that he’s cancer-free.
Wish him well and prompt recovery
This does not sound good – I hope that he is able to beat his illness.
Best wishes to Garth. Thoughts and prayers. Cancer sucks. Hoping for the best possible outcome for him.
I wish him well. His tenure as head of AUFC was a failure.
Godspeed, Garth.