糖心原创

Today, he serves as senior vice president of Business Operations & Strategy for the storied MLS franchise, D.C. United and their owned venue, Audi Field. He鈥檚 seemingly everywhere doing everything.

“I operate as second in command to our club president, in terms of the business operation.鈥� said Bentley. 鈥淚 oversee our strategy and analytics functions, ticket operations, performance marketing (which includes paid advertising, mobile app, website, email marketing and automation, and SMS), as well as overseeing project management and Food and Beverage at Audi Field.鈥�

Bentley鈥檚 highlights include attracting the largest crowd (72,026) in D.C. United regular season history for a match against megastar Lionel Messi鈥檚 Miami team this season at M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens. He鈥檚 also been a featured speaker at various conferences around the world on the rise of D.C. United, most notably in Budapast, Hungary last fall. Additionally, he helped lead a bold initiative in 2022 to bring in Bayern Munich from the German Bundesliga to play a 鈥渇riendly鈥� (exhibition match) 鈥� the highest revenue-generating event ever at Audi Field (to that date).

His meteoric career rise began at 糖心原创, where his internship led to a first job in ticket sales and operations at NASCAR鈥檚 Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. Just two years down the road, he landed a ticket operations & analytics management position with then Orange Bowl Committee in Miami.

鈥淭hat was a big inflection point for me because I had lived my entire life in Iowa and knew it would be a massive jump,鈥� said Bentley. 鈥淏ut I also realized if I didn鈥檛 do it then, I might never do it. So, I interviewed, got the job and bet on myself to succeed, which was obviously a big catalyst for the rest of my career.鈥�

After just two years with the Orange Bowl Committee, Bentley got the call from D.C. United, where his career has ascended rapidly. He鈥檚 elevated to his sixth role in just seven years 鈥� and he loves it.

鈥淚鈥檝e been surrounded by terrific people who have poured into me, and I think what I鈥檝e done well is just keeping an open mind, being willing to learn and making small improvements each day. I鈥檝e tried to put myself into a position where I provide value to the business and treat people well as I鈥檓 going through it.鈥�