Doing it all in D.C.

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’s seemingly everywhere doing everything.

“I operate as second in command to our club president, in terms of the business operation.” said Bentley. “I 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.”

Bentley’s highlights include attracting the largest crowd (72,026) in D.C. United regular season history for a match against megastar Lionel Messi’s Miami team this season at M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens. He’s 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 “friendly” (exhibition match) — the highest revenue-generating event ever at Audi Field (to that date).

His meteoric career rise began at Simpson, where his internship led to a first job in ticket sales and operations at NASCAR’s 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.

“That was a big inflection point for me because I had lived my entire life in Iowa and knew it would be a massive jump,” said Bentley. “But I also realized if I didn’t 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.”

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

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