Maggie Walters – KC Current

Maggie Walters serves as the general counsel at KC Current, a women’s professional soccer team dedicated to advancing women’s professional sport and positively impacting the Kansas City community. Her role is vital in amplifying the organization’s core values, such as excellence and having a winning mindset, changing the game, passion and pride,  advocating for women’s sports, and collaboration and diversity while fostering community development.

Maggie Walters | KC Current | General Counsel

With a deep-rooted passion for sports that began in her youth as an athlete and soccer player, Walters brings personal experience and professional expertise to her position. Her leadership is instrumental in managing legal challenges, driving innovation, and ensuring that KC Current remains at the forefront of women’s sports.

As general counsel, Walters oversees various responsibilities, from negotiating all major commercial contracts and managing HR and personnel matters to overseeing risk management and ensuring compliance with league rules and guidelines.  Walters describes her position as a dream job, allowing her to leverage her past experiences from Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, where she worked with teams like the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rapids and Colorado Mammoth, and Sporting Kansas City.

“Although I have worked in the sports industry for over a decade, every day is different and comes with a new set of challenges, which I absolutely love,” Walters says.

Negotiating the stadium deal

Over the past two years, Walters has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of KC Current through supporting several transformative projects. One of her major achievements was negotiating and finalizing the naming rights for the new stadium with CPKC, a major railroad company. This deal was crucial for its financial impact and alignment with the club’s values, especially given CPKC’s relocation of its headquarters to Kansas City, strengthening the team’s community presence.

The grand opening of the stadium marked another significant milestone. This facility is the first stadium purpose-built for a women’s professional sports team, setting a new standard within the league and the professional sports world. Walters was extensively involved in negotiating construction and vendor contracts, ensuring compliance with local regulations, and overseeing league guidelines. The stadium has quickly become a first-class venue for fans, embodying the team’s commitment to providing top-notch facilities for female athletes.

In addition to the stadium, Walters has been a key force behind the development surrounding the team’s innovative training center, the first of its kind in the league. Designed to foster young talent,  provide local athletes with exceptional resources and host high-profile events, this facility reflects KC Current’s dedication to advancing women’s soccer. Walters’ legal expertise has been crucial in managing the project’s complexities, including vendor relationships, development and vendor contracts and permitting.

Walters says she is enthusiastic about the forthcoming mixed-use district project around the stadium. This development will enhance the Missouri Riverfront with new residential units, gathering spaces, a town square, and a riverfront promenade.

“The project will enhance the match-day experience around the stadium as well as attract more visitors to the riverfront and drive economic growth for the city and state,” Walters explains.

Creating a thriving environment for success

Walters’ leadership style is characterized by a deep understanding of the sports industry and the legal landscape, enabling her to navigate complex challenges and drive strategic initiatives. Walters values the importance of having a voice at the leadership level, where she can leverage her extensive experience to provide valuable insights and guidance. Her ability to be proactive,  address legal issues before they arise, as well as navigate throughout the process is instrumental to the organization’s success.

Walters understands that a key component to any successful organization is a strong culture. She hopes that one of Walters’ most significant contributions to KC Current is her passion for helping build the right culture within the organization. She believes that a powerful, positive culture is essential to attracting and retaining top talent. This commitment to culture is reflected in the organization’s intentional approach to recruiting and hiring, aligning new hires with the team’s mission and values. Under Walters’ guidance, the legal team has grown to include a talented number two attorney who assists with day-to-day legal work, allowing Walters to focus on strategic projects.

Walters is passionate about creating an environment where players and staff can thrive. This includes providing the necessary resources, facilities, and support systems to ensure success on and off the field.

“At the KC Current, we have been taking a very intentional approach to building the right culture. Much of our culture stems from the vision and passion of our owners, Angie and Chris Long. Our ownership group challenges us daily to be the best club in the world. To us, that means putting the best players on the field, recruiting and retaining the best staff, and fostering an inclusive culture,” Walters says.

Walters has faced the challenge of managing a high volume of legal work, which is common in the sports industry. She embraces this challenge, viewing it as an opportunity to prioritize and address the most critical issues effectively. Her ability to work smart and efficiently has been a key factor in her success, allowing her to handle the diverse demands of her role while focusing on the organization’s long-term goals.

Combining law with a love for sports

Walters has built a successful career by blending her passion for sports with her legal expertise. Initially, she didn’t consider a career in sports law. After law school, she aimed to become an international transactional lawyer in London, starting her career at a global firm. During a visit home to Kansas City, she found a job posting that changed her career path: a legal assistant position with the general counsel for Sporting Kansas City. This role was a revelation for Walters, who realized she could combine her legal background with her love of sports, a passion rooted in her childhood playing soccer and her naturally competitive spirit.

Walters decided to stay in Kansas City, gaining valuable experience working with Sporting Kansas City and its affiliated entities. After gaining more hands-on experience in Denver with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, she was later drawn to the opportunity to help support a women’s professional soccer team in her hometown. Inspired by the vision of KC Current owners  Angie and Chris Long to elevate women’s sports, she eagerly joined the team.

Walters’ return to Kansas City was also a personal decision, allowing her and her husband, Paul, to be closer to family. Recently, they welcomed their third child, a daughter.

“I am incredibly fortunate that my work is my passion, and I am part of an incredible organization. Angie and Chris Long are truly changing the game regarding sports. They are showing the positive impact that can occur when you invest in women’s sports. And their passion is contagious. Everyone I work with at KC Current shares the same love and dedication for what we are building. And we are just getting started,” Walters says.