![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Stephen-Kaplan_Levien-Jason_GOB-Dinner_07.18.2023_ES_DSC03954-480x320.jpg\"\/)
\n From left to right, D.C. United chairmen and owners Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien speak at an appearance. (Courtesy D.C. United)<\/p>\n
D.C. United owners Jason Levine and Steve Kaplan discussed their decision to fire general manager Ally Mackay, the current state of the club, and their vision for restoring United to a competitive MLS team. <\/p>\n
\n FULL INTERVIEW: WTOP’s Jos\u00e9 Uma\u00f1a speaks with DC United’s Jason Levine and Steve Kaplan. Audio has been edited for clarity. <\/p>\n
D.C. United is once again rebuilding for the future.<\/p>\n
\n From left to right, D.C. United chairmen and owners Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien speak at an appearance. (Courtesy D.C. United)<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Stephen-Kaplan_Levien-Jason_GOB-Dinner_07.18.2023_ES_DSC03954-780x520.jpg\"\/)
\n From left to right, D.C. United chairmen and owners Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien speak at an appearance. (Courtesy D.C. United)<\/p>\n
With less than a month remaining in the MLS regular season, the Black and Red are already out of playoff contention. A year filled with promise will end with three different head coaches, a new general manager and an undefined vision for the offseason.<\/p>\n
The one constant has been United\u2019s ownership group, led by Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan since 2018<\/a>. This season, they have been inundated with calls from fans to sell the team.<\/p>\n Levien and Kaplan spoke to WTOP to discuss their decision to fire general manager Ally Mackay, the state of the club and their vision to restore United into a competitive outfit in MLS.<\/p>\n Poor results, player signings led to change<\/p>\n On Sept. 16, United fired Mackay<\/a>, who oversaw all soccer operations, including player acquisition and recruitment.<\/p>\n Levien said the decision was results-based, with a search for a new general manager starting once it \u201cbecame obvious to us that we\u2019re going to have a disappointing season.\u201d<\/p>\n Since his hiring in 2023, Mackay had overhauled the roster for two straight seasons. Despite telling WTOP that he would have no salary limitations, Mackay utilized league mechanisms to sign players at a more cost-effective rate. Salary numbers released by the MLS Players Union in June<\/a> showed United ranked in the bottom third in the league for player compensation.<\/p>\n Entering 2025, United made 13 additions<\/a>, including making three international pickups, but most have failed to find a groove. Levien said he expected United to utilize all three designated player spots, which would bring in high-priced talents whose wages would not entirely count against D.C.\u2019s salary cap. Instead, United sent a spot to Atlanta when trading midfielder Mateusz Klich, leaving striker Christian Benteke as its only high-value talent.\n<\/p>\n \u201cWe didn\u2019t find the right targets, and we didn\u2019t confirm their arrival with us,\u201d Levien said. \u201cSo that\u2019s about execution, about finding the right players and bringing them in and closing those deals.\u201d<\/p>\n D.C. opened the season by winning only one of its first six games and later went on a five-game winless streak, ultimately leading to the firing of head coach Troy Lesesne in June.<\/p>\n \u201cPrimarily, we didn\u2019t get the results we wanted to achieve, that we expect to achieve, and we take responsibility for that,\u201d Levien said. \u201cWe hold the people we empower accountable as well, and we felt like we needed a different leadership in soccer operations.\u201d<\/p>\n After firing Mackay, Levien said United needed to hire his replacement quickly, citing the need to prepare for the offseason and the winter transfer window.<\/p>\n After speaking with WTOP, United announced the hiring of sports lawyer Erkut Sogut as its new managing director of soccer operations. Sogut was previously a sports agent whose most notable client was German midfielder Mesut \u00d6zil. In a news release<\/a>, the club cites Sogut in \u201cidentifying and recruiting\u201d new head coach Ren\u00e9 Weiler<\/a> to D.C.<\/p>\n Both owners told WTOP they will leave roster construction decisions to Sogut and Weiler.<\/p>\n Yet, Kaplan and Levien would not give a specific time frame for the new management to make the club more competitive. Since 2020, United has had three head coaches and three general managers, with an average tenure of less than two years before leaving.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re trying to build something that\u2019s sustainable, that is consistently competitive, and we have all the confidence in the world now that (Weiler is) going to be able to do that,\u201d Levien said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to get him the right players to do that as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \n DC United’s Jason Levine on new head coach Ren\u00e9 Weiler. <\/p>\n With the focus on the 2026 season, Levien said they plan to make all the financial resources available to restock United with new signings, adding that all three designated player spots will be used.<\/p>\n To continue building talent, Kaplan said they plan to triple their investment in the club\u2019s youth academy to attract some of the region\u2019s best young players, which could lead to them to start their pro careers with United. The club also plans to announce a \u201cpartnership\u201d with a MLS Next Pro team, which would allow some players to receive playing time in the third division league.<\/p>\n Previously, it was unclear what was United\u2019s player recruitment strategy. After an offseason of thrifty purchases, Joe Mamo, a minority member of the United ownership group, publicly called on D.C. to spend on older, established soccer stars from Europe<\/a> like Inter Miami did with Argentina midfielder Lionel Messi and Uruguayan striker\u00a0Luis Su\u00e1rez.<\/p>\n Levine said he would not give a \u201cmarketing plan\u201d to the soccer operations team on how to approach roster construction. Instead, the hope is that money will be spent wisely on quality players that can bring results right away.<\/p>\n \u201cIn terms of spending, you can\u2019t cover up a mistake by just spending more money,\u201d Kaplan said. \u201cYou have to make fewer mistakes, and we\u2019re determined to make fewer mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n \n DC United’s Jason Levien on signing big-named players as part of United’s plans.<\/p>\n When questioned about his own involvement in recruiting players to D.C. \u2014 as seen with English striker Wayne Rooney, Benteke and in a failed bid for French midfielder Paul Pogba<\/a> \u2014 Levien said he has been \u201ctoo hands off\u201d recently with roster building but needs to allow his new front office hires to succeed.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom my perspective, we want to win football games,\u201d Kaplan said. \u201cSo, our number one focus, and our North Star, is going to be players that can help us win football games.\u201d<\/p>\n One upcoming item that will need to be addressed is Benteke\u2019s future. The Belgian striker, who turns 35 in December, is in the final year of a contract extension<\/a>. Benteke has scored 46 goals in 89 matches for United, winning the Golden Boot award in 2024 for scoring the most regular-season goals (23).<\/p>\n While D.C. holds an option in his contract for the 2026 season, Levine confirmed to WTOP that discussions are ongoing to have Benteke stay with D.C. in the long term.<\/p>\n \u2018Sell the team\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n With United failing to reach the postseason once again, some fans have had enough. Some are boycotting attending matches, while others have canceled their season tickets<\/a>.<\/p>\n The traditional drumming and singing during matches at Audi Field\u2019s supporter section have been replaced with silence and \u201csell the team\u201d chants<\/a> directed at United\u2019s ownership.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand that fans are frustrated because I\u2019m frustrated,\u201d Levein said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to turn this around on the pitch to create a winning environment, and that\u2019s what everyone wants.\u201d<\/p>\n Kaplan confirmed he\u2019s heard the chants and said you need \u201ca thick skin\u201d when owning a sports team and didn\u2019t take it personally. Instead, as owners, they must improve their outreach with the fans, he said.<\/p>\n Levein hopes that fans who gave up on the season will return soon to see the work being done under Weiler during United\u2019s final matches of the 2025 season.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sympathetic to it because I understand it myself, and I\u2019m living it,\u201d Levein said about the fans\u2019 responses. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to turn things around and create a winning atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25264080427471-1024x685.jpg\")
<\/a>D.C. United forward Jacob Murrell (17) is congratulated by forward Christian Benteke after he scored the side\u2019s second goal against Inter Miami during the second half an MLS soccer match on Sept. 20, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo\/Rebecca Blackwell)
\nRoster changes to come<\/p>\n