CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The Panthers have a new team president - a move that could mean professional soccer is next on the horizon for the Carolinas.

Carolina owner David Tepper hired Tom Glick to run the Panthers’ day-to-day operations. Glick becomes the team’s first president since Danny Morrison resigned unexpectedly in February 2017.

Tepper has indicated on multiple occasions he’s interested in bringing a Major League Soccer team to Charlotte since purchasing the Panthers for $2.2 billion from founder Jerry Richardson in July.

While Glick has no experience with American football, he has more than 25 years of experience working in soccer and other sports.

Glick has spent the past six years working with developing the City Football Group (CFG), a multi-national soccer organization that includes six clubs including current English Premier League champion Manchester City FC. The Group also owns New York City FC of Major League Soccer.

As chief commercial officer of CFG, Glick oversaw partnership sales and activation, marketing, content production and distribution, retail and licensing, and fan relationship management for all of CFG’s clubs.

“We are thrilled to have Tom join the Panthers family,” Tepper said in a statement. “He has tremendous experience in professional sports, successfully fostering fan engagement in major cities globally. I know that his record, expertise and drive will be major assets as we look to win on the field and in the community.”

For now, Glick’s focus will be on the Panthers.

“David has a clear and exciting vision for the team, and I can see and feel the buzz and anticipation for this new era of Panthers football,” Glick said in a statement. “I’m ready to get started and will give everything to help the team deliver for our fans, players, staff, partners and our communities throughout North and South Carolina.”

Glick will be expected to handle stadium upgrades or possibly the construction for a new stadium for the Panthers if Tepper decides to build one.

Charlotte is home to the Panthers, the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets - which are owned by Michael Jordan - and minor league baseball and hockey teams. There have been a few business groups who’ve tried unsuccessfully to bring a Major League Soccer team to the Carolinas.

During his tenure, CFG underwent several major infrastructure developments with Etihad Stadium in Manchester being expanded with more seating, major improvements in premium seating and wider fan amenities. Manchester City opened a new training facility in 2015 called the City Football Academy, built on 80 acres of land adjacent to the stadium. The group also completed two further training ground developments in New York and Melbourne, Australia.

Glick moved to New York in 2015 for 15 months to help launch New York City FC in the role of president.

After completing the launch, he returned to the United Kingdom to continue to drive CFG’s global expansion. He’s also worked with the organization’s business development in China.

Glick started his career in baseball, serving as senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Sacramento River Cats, a Triple-A baseball team. The River Cats led all of minor league baseball in attendance and revenue during his five seasons and became the minor league’s top seller of merchandise over that same period.

He’s also served as the business manager of the Peoria Rivermen hockey club.

Glick joined the NBA in 2004 as vice president, marketing and team business development at the league headquarters in New York and later worked as the chief marketing officer for the New Jersey Nets.

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