Mark Noonan - Founder and President
FocalSport was founded in January 2005 by sports industry veteran, Mark Noonan.
Until March 2019, Noonan served as the Chief Executive Officer of Accra Hearts of Oak SC, one of Africa's most storied football clubs.
From May 2014 - May 2017, Noonan served as the Global Chief Commercial Officer for the World Surf League. During this time, Noonan led the revenue generation functions for the WSL and served on the company's Executive Committee. During his tenure at the League, Noonan and his team tripled revenues and secured partnerships with such world class brands as Corona (ABInBev), Jeep, Visa, Airbnb, TAG Heuer, Vans, Hurley, RipCurl, Quiksliver, Billabong and GoPro. They also created the WSL Digital Media Network which featured the world's first geo-targeted midroll digital advertising platform.
Prior to his stint with WSL, FocalSport agency clients included the New York Mets, FIBA (world governing body of basketball, based in Geneva, Switzerland), Major League Soccer/Soccer United Marketing, Repucom, Real Salt Lake, Molten, and Immersion Media. In this capacity, the agency was instrumental in helping the NY Mets ownership group secure the largest naming rights deal in the history of the industry (the Mets and Citigroup announced a landmark strategic partnership, reported to be at least $20 million dollars a year for 20 years, giving Citigroup the right to name the new home of the Mets, Citi Field). Subsequent to the naming rights deal, FocalSport was retained to secure “Signature Partners” for Citi Field which has resulted in record revenues for the club.
Previously, Noonan reported directly to the Commissioner of Major League Soccer (MLS) and Soccer United Marketing (SUM) and served as Executive Vice President of Marketing leading the overall strategic marketing and branding for the League, its teams and properties, including the areas of advertising, promotions, creative services, corporate sponsorship, communications, internet, grassroots programs, and marquee events. During his tenure at the MLS/SUM the League had a 15% increase in league-wide paid attendance and earned double-digit improvement in 15 of 16 categories measured in the Sports Business Journal’s “League Report Card”. Prior to resigning from MLS/SUM Noonan drafted the strategy and began negotiations on what eventually became the League-wide relationship with adidas (reported at $150 million dollars over a 10 year term).
Before joining MLS Noonan spent two years with the U.S. Soccer Federation. As Chief Marketing Officer, Noonan's duties included the development of the U.S. Soccer brand, strategic planning, revenue generation, television, advertising, communications and integrated promotions. In this role, Noonan was a key figure in the successful marketing of the U.S. Women’s National Team that won the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Prior to joining U.S. Soccer, Noonan served as the Director of Integrated Marketing for Gatorade where he developed two of the largest fully integrated promotions in the history of the sports beverage industry. Additionally, Noonan was instrumental in developing and selling numerous account-specific promotional programs with Gatorade's largest customers. He also led several of Gatorade's major grass roots marketing initiatives such as collegiate sports camps, professional marketing and national product sampling.
Noonan began his career with Advantage International (now known as Octagon) rising from an unpaid internship to the position of Group Director, Corporate Consulting. During his eight-year tenure, Noonan provided strategic consulting services to companies including IBM, The Home Depot and Procter & Gamble. In this capacity, he was intimately involved in developing fully-integrated marketing plans for several clients designed to maximize their sponsorship of the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Noonan holds a Bachelor's Degree from Duke University where he was a member of Duke’s first-ever NCAA Division I Championship soccer team. He sits on the boards of the Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival and the Top of the Hill Team.
FocalSport was founded in January 2005 by sports industry veteran, Mark Noonan.
Until March 2019, Noonan served as the Chief Executive Officer of Accra Hearts of Oak SC, one of Africa's most storied football clubs.
From May 2014 - May 2017, Noonan served as the Global Chief Commercial Officer for the World Surf League. During this time, Noonan led the revenue generation functions for the WSL and served on the company's Executive Committee. During his tenure at the League, Noonan and his team tripled revenues and secured partnerships with such world class brands as Corona (ABInBev), Jeep, Visa, Airbnb, TAG Heuer, Vans, Hurley, RipCurl, Quiksliver, Billabong and GoPro. They also created the WSL Digital Media Network which featured the world's first geo-targeted midroll digital advertising platform.
Prior to his stint with WSL, FocalSport agency clients included the New York Mets, FIBA (world governing body of basketball, based in Geneva, Switzerland), Major League Soccer/Soccer United Marketing, Repucom, Real Salt Lake, Molten, and Immersion Media. In this capacity, the agency was instrumental in helping the NY Mets ownership group secure the largest naming rights deal in the history of the industry (the Mets and Citigroup announced a landmark strategic partnership, reported to be at least $20 million dollars a year for 20 years, giving Citigroup the right to name the new home of the Mets, Citi Field). Subsequent to the naming rights deal, FocalSport was retained to secure “Signature Partners” for Citi Field which has resulted in record revenues for the club.
Previously, Noonan reported directly to the Commissioner of Major League Soccer (MLS) and Soccer United Marketing (SUM) and served as Executive Vice President of Marketing leading the overall strategic marketing and branding for the League, its teams and properties, including the areas of advertising, promotions, creative services, corporate sponsorship, communications, internet, grassroots programs, and marquee events. During his tenure at the MLS/SUM the League had a 15% increase in league-wide paid attendance and earned double-digit improvement in 15 of 16 categories measured in the Sports Business Journal’s “League Report Card”. Prior to resigning from MLS/SUM Noonan drafted the strategy and began negotiations on what eventually became the League-wide relationship with adidas (reported at $150 million dollars over a 10 year term).
Before joining MLS Noonan spent two years with the U.S. Soccer Federation. As Chief Marketing Officer, Noonan's duties included the development of the U.S. Soccer brand, strategic planning, revenue generation, television, advertising, communications and integrated promotions. In this role, Noonan was a key figure in the successful marketing of the U.S. Women’s National Team that won the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Prior to joining U.S. Soccer, Noonan served as the Director of Integrated Marketing for Gatorade where he developed two of the largest fully integrated promotions in the history of the sports beverage industry. Additionally, Noonan was instrumental in developing and selling numerous account-specific promotional programs with Gatorade's largest customers. He also led several of Gatorade's major grass roots marketing initiatives such as collegiate sports camps, professional marketing and national product sampling.
Noonan began his career with Advantage International (now known as Octagon) rising from an unpaid internship to the position of Group Director, Corporate Consulting. During his eight-year tenure, Noonan provided strategic consulting services to companies including IBM, The Home Depot and Procter & Gamble. In this capacity, he was intimately involved in developing fully-integrated marketing plans for several clients designed to maximize their sponsorship of the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Noonan holds a Bachelor's Degree from Duke University where he was a member of Duke’s first-ever NCAA Division I Championship soccer team. He sits on the boards of the Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival and the Top of the Hill Team.
