Former DC United Vice President to lead Annapolis Blues in Inaugural Season!

17 Season MLS Veteran Fred Matthes joins Annapolis Blues as first General Manager in Club History

Annapolis Blues, Naptown’s expansion NPSL Team, announced that Fred Matthes is the Blues first General Manager and will lead the Blues for the Inaugural Season.

Annapolis Blues Managing Partner Michael “Hitch” Hitchcock shared his thoughts on today’s announcement, “I feel like this is the first Win in club history! Any time you can add an MLS Pioneer who has over 28 years soccer management experience at all levels of the professional game to lead your Club, it’s a special day for the Annapolis Blues, our fans, sponsors and soccer community in Annapolis. Welcome, Fred to the Blues Family. Let’s GO!”

Matthes was part of Major League Soccer in D.C. United's front office from the league's outset in 1995 where he led their ticketing and service departments that were named in several seasons as winners of MLS Ticketing Awards, and have continually been regarded as one of the elite organizations in Major League Soccer. His entire tenure with the Club lasted for 17 seasons until 2012. Along the way, Fred worked closely with the entire Washington, DC Soccer community including the Northern Virginia and Maryland suburbs, and worked with Corporate accounts and all other season ticket holders to build up the overall fanbase as one of MLS’s largest in the early years. He also helped to develop the presence at RFK Stadium for the Club’s original Supporters Clubs, La Barra Brava & The Screaming Eagles and several future supporters clubs, thereafter. He regularly interacted with the team side as well as regularly working with all other teams and the league offices of Major League Soccer as the league grew and developed over his time.

Annapolis Blues General Manager Fred Matthes shared, "I am excited to get started and pick up the momentum already begun for this Club. It has been incredible to see the community support for Annapolis Blues FC so far, and the well over 600 Season tickets sold already are a great testament of a growing fanbase in the Chesapeake Region for them." Adding, "I also look forward to working again with Michael Hitchcock and his other co-investors. Hitch has been a co-worker, colleague and a great friend during our many years in professional soccer together. His experience and track record will be a huge boost for Annapolis Blues FC! "

Fred returned to California for a brief time from 2013-2016 to work in International Soccer with the International Champions Cup (ICC) in San Francisco, and then as a Vice President with Sacramento Republic FC as they became an elite member of the United Soccer League in their first few years winning the 2014 USL Championship and setting overall attendance and season ticket sales records in the USL at the time.

Matthes’ most recent venture in the sport of Soccer saw him start his own professional soccer consulting firm, FM Professional Soccer Consulting, where he has assisted several new and established teams and organizations in achieving success in their business operations in the areas of Ticket Sales & Service, Fan Engagement, Venue Consulting and Grass Roots promotions … Matthes and his wife Stella live in Northern Virginia and have been married for 37 years. They are parents of two daughters; Marijke and Brieneke.

Annapolis Blues will kickoff the inaugural NPSL Season in May 2023. Season Seats and Merchandise are on sale now at annapolisblues.com