Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC announced today the appointment of Christine “Chris” Masse as Chief Legal Officer of the greater business enterprise representing both clubs. Masse brings 25 years of extensive legal experience to the Sounders and Reign, with deep-rooted expertise navigating transactions in a highly regulated environment.
Masse marks the second executive recruited to specifically work across the wider enterprise comprising both Sounders FC and Reign FC following the hire of Courtney Carter as Chief Revenue Officer this summer. The two clubs were joined earlier this year as part of a blockbuster agreement between Sounders FC’s ownership group and leading global investment firm Carlyle. Masse is set to drive all legal strategy that supports business objectives across the enterprise.
In her role, Masse is leading the clubs’ in-house legal team, aligning the organization’s legal strategies with its overarching mission, values and business goals. She will be responsible for ensuring legal compliance across all organizational and club operations, providing expert and tactical legal guidance to proactively manage risk and facilitate strategic business initiatives.
"Chris’ exceptional leadership experience in legal and community affairs in the sports and entertainment space make her the ideal choice at an important time for the organization,” said Sounders FC President of Business Operations Hugh Weber. “Her experience will be instrumental in guiding the Sounders and Reign in strategic growth areas. We are pleased to welcome Chris and her family into our organization.”
Masse joins Sounders and Reign FC from Miller Nash LLP, where she practiced for 25 years, serving as a partner in the firm’s Seattle office since 2007. With expertise in corporate governance, economic development, regulatory matters and government affairs, Masse co-chaired Miller Nash’s tribal team, providing experienced counsel to Native American tribes and organizations on various economic development issues, including gaming, real estate, construction and more. She also chaired the firm’s cannabis industry team, where she was a sought-after advisor in the constantly evolving matrix of state law and federal enforcement priorities, helping to shape the regulatory framework in Washington State. Most recently, she was appointed co-chair of the Sports, Entertainment and Media team, providing legal advice to Seattle-area clubs and venues on a variety of operational matters and strategic efforts.
“As a longtime fan of both the Reign and Sounders, I’m thrilled to join the passionate executive leadership team that stewards these vibrant organizations,” said Masse. “This is a unique opportunity to use my experience to help the enterprise navigate the evolving legal landscape during an exciting time for soccer in Seattle. As I look forward to being a part of building the legacies of these championship teams, I also want to thank my colleagues and clients for 25 wonderful years at Miller Nash. I’m grateful for their support as I move on to this new chapter.”
Masse’s expertise is in supporting complex and sophisticated legal landscapes. She has co-authored multiple Washington State House and Senate bills and has been recognized regionally and nationally for her work in gaming law, cannabis law and Native American law.
An Illinois native, Masse attended law school at the University of Washington and has been in the Seattle area since departing Montlake. She is a passionate soccer fan and former player. Additionally, Masse has been involved in the local youth soccer landscape, having coached Rocket 88, a boys’ premier soccer team for the Woodland Soccer Club in Seattle from 2001-2007 and now cheering for her sons’ Seattle United and Seattle Youth Soccer Association teams.
ABOUT SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
With a list of titles that includes the 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup – becoming the first and only Major League Soccer franchise to hold the continental crown – 2019 and 2016 MLS Cups, 2014 MLS Supporters' Shield and four Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championships (2009, 2010, 2011, 2014), Sounders FC is Seattle's Major League Soccer club. Sounders FC received its MLS charter on November 13, 2007, and set a league record by qualifying for the MLS Cup Playoffs for 13 consecutive seasons. Sounders FC reached a milestone in 2016 as the franchise claimed its first MLS Cup championship, before earning its second title in 2019, hoisting the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy in front of a record home crowd of 69,274 fans. Since the club's debut MLS season in 2009, Sounders FC has set the standard for soccer support in North America, leading the league in attendance for eight consecutive seasons (2009-2016) and routinely ranking in the top 30 in attendance among all professional teams internationally. Prior to joining MLS, the Seattle Sounders organization has been a part of the greater Seattle community and U.S. Soccer professional scene since 1974.
ABOUT SEATTLE REIGN FC
Seattle Reign FC was established in 2012 as a founding member of the National Women’s Soccer League. The fourteen-team NWSL is widely considered to be the most competitive women’s professional soccer league in the world. Over its first 11 seasons, the club captured the NWSL Shield three times, while making three appearances in the NWSL Championship and seven appearances in the NWSL postseason. Reign FC plays its home matches at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington and trains at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Washington. The club can be found on the web at www.reignfc.com and on social platforms @ReignFC.
