D.C. United announced on Wednesday that general manager Dave Kasper has signed a multi-year contract extension, one which also adds the title of Vice President of Soccer Operations to his portfolio with the club.
Kasper and head coach Ben Olsen engineered the biggest single-season turnaround in Major League Soccer history last year, as the Black-and-Red finished atop the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2007 after suffering through their worst season ever in 2013. Kasper (pictured above at right, with Olsen) has also overseen the dramatic growth of D.C.'s youth development efforts, including the D.C. United Academy, which recently announced the formation of a residential program.
“Dave Kasper has demonstrated expertise building a deep and talented roster,” said United managing partner Jason Levien in a club statement. “His strong knowledge of the player market, combined with the professional soccer operations culture he has helped to build, has D.C. United well-positioned for future success. We are very pleased he will remain with the club, and we are deeply appreciative for his leadership."
A US youth international, college standout and professional during his own playing career, Kasper has served 13 years at United, during which time the club has won five major trophies: the 2004 MLS Cup, two MLS Supporters' Shields (2006, 2007) and two Lamar Hunt US Open Cups (2008, 2013).
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“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue my work at D.C. United, and I want to thank our ownership group – Jason Levien, Erick Thohir, and Will Chang – for their trust in me,” said Kasper. “These are very exciting times for our club and fans as we enter a new era with a modern stadium on the horizon. I'm ecstatic to continue a strong working relationship with a fantastic young coach in Ben Olsen, with a terrific group of people in our technical staff, academy staff, and in our front office, and with our loyal players who fight for our shirt.”
