Merritt Paulson, owner and CEO of the Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns, announced via a statement today that he is stepping down as CEO of both clubs, effectively immediately.
“I apologize to our players, the organization, and the Portland community for the mistakes we made, including not being publicly transparent about Paul Riley’s termination,” Paulson said in a statement released by PTFC. “Our organization’s failures and mistakes were ultimately my responsibility, and my responsibility alone.”
“Part of me holding myself accountable is recognizing that someone else needs to take the reins of the organization and operational decision-making,” Paulson shared.