Danita Johnson Brought Lessons from the WNBA to MLS at D.C. United

Danita Johnson is the president of business operations for D.C. United, a Major League Soccer team in Washington, D.C. She also oversees Audi Field, the stadium where the team plays. Johnson has spent her whole career working in professional sports, from the NBA G League to the WNBA to MLS. She believes sports bring people together, and that idea drives every decision she makes.

Johnson grew up moving from place to place because her father was in the Army. No matter where her family lived, she found a sense of community through sports. That early experience shaped how she thinks about her job today. She has always seen sports as something that connects people, no matter where they come from.

Her first love was basketball. She played in middle school and high school, and her first sports job was with the NBA G League. From there, she moved to the WNBA, working for the Tulsa Shock. Those experiences helped her rise to become president and chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Sparks.

Working in the WNBA taught Johnson some of her most valuable lessons. At the time, the league did not have as many fans as it does today. Johnson had to work hard to get people interested and keep them coming back. She said the experience taught her patience and the power of storytelling.

One of her biggest takeaways was understanding how important fan loyalty is. She learned that fans come back not just because of a star player, but because they feel connected to the whole team and league. Building that kind of bond takes time and effort. Johnson said keeping fans engaged helped the WNBA survive and grow into what it is today.

When a job opened up at D.C. United in MLS, Johnson had a tough choice to make. Her heart was in women's sports and basketball, so leaving felt hard. She even called it 'one of the hardest career decisions I've ever made.' But she saw a lot of similarities between MLS and the WNBA — both were growing leagues with big potential.

One big reason Johnson wanted the D.C. United job was Audi Field. The 20,000-seat stadium gave her a chance to think big. When she arrived, D.C. United was almost the only team using it. She saw it as a blank canvas full of possibilities.

Johnson got to work right away and expanded who uses the stadium. She brought in the NWSL's Washington Spirit as a full-time tenant, along with the UFL's D.C. Defenders and the USL Super League's D.C. Power FC. The stadium also now hosts concerts and other large events. 'I love to be a good visionary and create innovation,' she said.

Now, Johnson and D.C. United are working on a plan for a $620 million renovation of Audi Field. The goal is to make the stadium even better for fans, especially small groups of four to eight people who want to enjoy an event together. Johnson wants every visitor to feel the same connection to sports that she has felt her whole life. 'Just gathering people together is a really important part,' she said.