my Role

Turning a walk to the stadium into part of the experience.

For a World Cup, the journey to the stadium is part of the matchday story. With thousands of international fans arriving in Seattle, we saw an opportunity to create a safe, welcoming and distinctly Seattle way for supporters to come together before kickoff.

I proactively developed and permitted a March to the Match strategy that gave visiting supporters dedicated gathering locations and a planned route to the stadium. We created the staffing plans and operational framework needed to make the marches possible, while intentionally leaving room for each country and supporter group to make the experience their own.

Rather than creating a one-size-fits-all event, the strategy was designed to be organic and customizable. Each march could reflect the culture, traditions and personality of the country playing that day—from how supporters gathered to how they celebrated and made their way to the stadium.

We worked across city entities to build alignment around the proposed routes, secure the necessary permits and create a plan that balanced the energy of a supporter march with the safety and operational needs of the city.

But the strategy started well before matchday. I extensively researched and connected with supporter groups from around the world, building relationships and understanding what each group needed to feel welcomed in Seattle.

The result was more than a route from point A to point B.

It was a way to turn arrival into an experience—and give fans from around the world a place to feel at home.