Columbus Crew president and general manager Tim Bezbatchenko is set to accept a position with Black Knight Football, the sports portfolio owned by Bill Foley, which includes the Premier League’s Bournemouth, multiple sources briefed on the decision confirmed to The Athletic.
Bezbatchenko is one of the most successful executives in MLS history.
As general manager of Toronto FC from 2013-18, Bezbatchenko was the architect of one of the league’s most successful rosters. Toronto, led by a trio of stars in Michael Bradley, Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore, won a domestic treble in 2017 (MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield and Canadian Championship) and advanced to the final of the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League before falling to Chivas Guadalajara.
Bezbatchenko joined the Crew in 2019, returning home to the Columbus area to try to revive a franchise that was nearly relocated before being saved by a fan movement.
Under his leadership, the Crew have won two MLS Cups (2020 and 2023) and advanced to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final this season before falling to Liga MX side Pachuca.
Columbus is set to elevate assistant general manager Issa Tall into Bezbatchenko’s role, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
Tall was widely considered to be the top candidate in MLS for the next sporting director position to open. Tall has been a part of Bezbatchenko’s staff in both Toronto and Columbus.
Black Knight Football owns Bournemouth as well as stakes in French side Lorient, Scottish club Hibernian and Aussie Premier League side in Auckland, New Zealand.
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