The Seattle Mariners today announced that Charles Johnson, a veteran of professional sports business leadership, is the team’s new Vice President of Corporate Partnerships.

Johnson comes to the Mariners from the WNBA Dallas Wings and Forth Worth National Lacrosse League expansion team, where he served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships since 2017.

Johnson has over 14 years of experience in professional and collegiate sports including business leadership roles at the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia 76ers and New York Yankees.

“I’m excited to be back in baseball,” said Johnson. “Seattle and Dallas-Fort Worth have a lot in common. It’s a great sports market and the fans really stand behind their teams.”

“Charles’ experience in sponsorship sales, team building, client relations and revenue growth with several high-profile teams in a variety of leagues, makes him the ideal choice to head up our Corporate Partnerships department. We are thrilled to have him join our team and know that he will make an immediate impact on our organization and in our community,” said Frances Traisman, Mariners Senior Vice President of Sales.

Johnson was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas and comes from what he describes as a “blue collar background.” His father was a construction worker and his mother worked in a school cafeteria. He’s the first of five kids to go to college, receiving an undergraduate degree in Communication Studies and master’s degree in Business from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

Johnson and his wife, Vee, have a son, 11-year old Landon, and a daughter, 6-year old Layla. He enjoys playing golf, reading books, listening to music and cheering on his kids at their sporting events. He also describes himself as an “electronic gadget fanatic.”

Charles Johnson Career Executive Summary

Senior executive with over 14 years of proven sales and marketing experience in major U.S. sports leagues such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA and NCAA college athletics. Extensive knowledge around business operations with an expertise in strategic partnerships, sports business analytics, media sales, rights and category management, content acquisitions and the monetization of sports and corporate assets. Diverse leader with proven record of negotiating, executing and measuring core sales and marketing strategies that meet or exceed company goals.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Dallas Wings – WNBA, Arlington, TX

• Senior Vice President, Corporate Partnerships, 2017-Dec. 2020

14th Expansion National Lacrosse League Team, Ft. Worth, TX

• Senior Vice President, Corporate Partnerships – July 2020-Dec. 2020

Dallas Cowboys – NFL, Arlington, TX

• Manager, Corporate Partnerships, 2015-2017
• Sales Consultant, 2007-2010

Learfield Sports – NCAA Athletics, Norman, OK

• Senior Sales, Corporate Partnerships 2014-2015

Philadelphia 76ers - NBA, Philadelphia, PA

• Director of Ticket Sales, 2012-2013

New York Yankees - MLB, Bronx, NY

• Sales Manager, Season Ticket Sales & Service, 2010-2012

Texas Christian University – NCAA Athletics, Ft. Worth, TX

• Assistant Director of Athletics Marketing & Sales, 2006-2007

Texas Rangers – MLB, Arlington, TX

• Inside Sales Representative, 2005-2006