USL’s Indy Eleven Hires Former CBC Sports Exec Dir Stremlaw As CEO

Former CBC Sports Exec Dir GREG STREMLAW will be the new CEO of USL club Indy Eleven. Stremlaw oversaw CBC Sports’ operations related to its "Hockey Night in Canada" NHL broadcasts and helped secure the rights for the ’22 and ’24 Olympics. Indy Eleven, which joined USL last year after debuting in the NASL in ’14, announced plans last week to build a 20,000-seat stadium as part of a larger $550M mixed-use real estate development project. Stremlaw will move to Indiana in the coming weeks and will have a direct hand in the development project, which is being pitched by club owner ERSAL OZDEMIR, who is also President & CEO of Keystone Construction and Keystone Realty Group. “This is an opportunity I think is wrought with potential,” Stremlaw said. “It’s a successful club that has great ownership in a great league in USL, and when I look at the current location (playing at Lucas Oil Stadium) as well as this new potential opportunity, it gives me a lot of confidence.” Stremlaw said that while he has not been directly involved with a pro sports team at this level before, he believes his extensive experience in sports media as well as with NGBs across multiple sports in Canada provides a “significant cross-fertilization of industry knowledge that transcends a sport.” CBC Sports was previously an MLS rightsholder, and has broadcast the FIFA World Cup. Stremlaw’s hire will also stoke the fire of possible MLS expansion for the club and city. Ozdemir said that the club has “stated that our goal is to go to MLS,” but at this point, “our focus is on continuing to grow our attendance base and build a soccer-specific stadium.”

