OCSC's Jarrod Dillon Tampa Roots Run Deep

By Joey Johnston

For Tampa Bay area sports fans, the Feb. 14 Florida Derby matching Orlando City SC against Inter Miami CF is an elite exhibition of world-class soccer and a chance to witness the great Lionel Messi at Raymond James Stadium.

For Jarrod Dillon, Orlando City’s President of Business Operations, it’s a homecoming.

From 2015-21, Dillon was a familiar face with Team Tampa Bay, serving as Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, then Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer with the Vinik Sports Group. In his role he was a member of the executive team that helped build the brand of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, during a time in which the franchise thrived (with two Stanley Cup championships), while extending Amalie Arena’s reputation as a premier venue.

Dillon had mixed feelings leaving Tampa when presented with the Orlando City opportunity, but said he has taken many of the Lightning’s success principles and brought them up Interstate 4. The Lions have made their mark in Major League Soccer. Meanwhile, the Orlando Pride won the National Women’s Soccer League championship in 2024.

““I had worked in sports and learned many lessons prior to arriving with the Lightning, but those lessons were truly magnified during my time in Tampa working and mentoring under Jeff Vinik and Steve Griggs,’’ Dillon said. “I feel like I’ve taken to Orlando the ability to build a culture, how to find the right people who are going toward the same goals and how to be very strategic about building other opportunities.

“What the Lightning have built starts at the top with Mr. (Jeff) Vinik and how he has poured back into the community. Before the Lightning were really good and relevant, there were so many times when I heard business and community leaders say, ‘I want to do something with you guys because I want to support Jeff Vinik.’ Community involvement was important. An elite fan experience was important. Great amenities in the building were important. I walked into a situation in Orlando with an extremely loyal fan base, but our main job was improving the fan experience, the food and beverage, the entertainment, the customer service … all the things that I learned at an elite level in Tampa. So I will always be indebted to the Lightning and Vinik Sports Group for everything they provided.’’

Likewise, Lightning President and CEO Steve Griggs said Dillon made valuable contributions to Tampa Bay’s sports scene and community.

“Jarrod totally understood the business and how to drive revenues for our organization, but at the same time, he built and created relationships, both internally and externally,’’ Griggs said. “In the world of sports, it’s about delivering on the business, but it’s also about having relationships with people and getting things done by having those relationships.

“He was aspiring to do great things. When people in our organization get opportunities to do bigger and better things, we say they’re Lightning-made. Jarrod is doing an amazing job in Orlando. We’re all super proud of him.’’

Dillon said he has learned two key principles about working in sports, both of which were enhanced and refined during his time with the Lightning:

* People, People, People — “The work is always going to be the work. But it starts with the people you are surrounded by. I’ve been fortunate to hire some incredible people and to work for some incredible people. That’s the catalyst for everything. If you don’t have that, your culture isn’t going to be there. And if you don’t have that — regardless of how good your business strategy is — it’s going to feel like pushing water uphill every day.’’

* Community Involvement — “As part of the community, you have go all-in. Obviously with your fans and supporters. But with whatever you do with your family — whether it’s school, youth sports, your church, your volunteerism on boards — you have to be an active participant in your community. Sports franchises are at the epicenter of communities, so you’ve got to be visible and run the team as a public trust.’’

Dillon, a youth soccer coach with three soccer-playing daughters, immersed himself into several Tampa-area initiatives, including Junior Achievement, a volunteer nonprofit that sets up students with mentors in a variety of potential career experiences. In 2020, Dillon was presented with JA’s National Bronze Leadership Award, which goes to the top half-percentile of all the nation’s JA volunteers. Dillon also served on the JA Board of Directors.

“Jarrod has such a can-do attitude,’’ said Richard George, president of Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay. “He doesn’t see any obstacles. He’s just a tremendous passionate, energetic, positive person. People saw that with the Lightning. No doubt they are seeing it with his soccer success in Orlando.’’

While gearing up for Orlando City’s MLS regular-season slate, Dillon said he’s excited about bringing the state’s premier soccer rivalry to Tampa.

“It’s a great opportunity for Orlando City on a number of fronts,’’ Dillon said. “Growing our brand across the I-4 corridor is absolutely a business goal of ours. What better way to do that than bring our team to play against our biggest rival in front of what we anticipate to be a great crowd in a great venue? MLS is excited. Apple, which is broadcasting the game on our MLS subscription pass, is excited. It’s a chance to grow our brand in a market that has a ton of soccer history. And I believe Tampa’s youth soccer is as good as any in the nation.

“For me, selfishly, it’s a chance to reunite with Rob Higgins and everyone at the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, with Eric Hart and everyone at the Tampa Sports Authority, the Buccaneers, all of my friends at the Vinik Sports Group. Tampa was the place where my sports career really got a great boost.’’

Dillon, a Northern California native who played football at the University of Oregon, had two positions in Major League Baseball (San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres) and also worked in the NFL with the Raiders, who were then based in Oakland.

In 2014, the West Coast Guy was called by a sports business recruiter.

How do you feel about promoting ice hockey in Tampa, Florida?

““I came out for the interview and all of the people — Steve Griggs, Tod Leiweke, Mr. (Jeff) Vinik — were just amazing,’’ Dillon said. “They wrapped my interview day around a night game where the Lightning were hosting the New York Rangers and the return of Marty St. Louis. I was blown away by the environment, the sold-out crowd, the fan experience, all of it.

“I’ll never forget going back to the Marriott Water Street hotel to call my wife (Monica) and say, ‘Hey, we need to come do this. What an amazing opportunity.’ So we took a big leap of faith. We moved across the country to Tampa, Florida, where we knew nobody, had no family, had no support system. But it’s the best decision we ever made as a family. We made lifelong friends, had such a great time with the Lightning and now we’re loving the opportunity we have in Orlando.’’

Coming into his fourth season with Orlando’s soccer teams, Dillon said he feels there’s a solid foundation. He said the 25,000-seat Inter&Co Stadium is as good as any soccer-specific venue in America. Orlando City SC ranked 14th (out of 29 franchises) last season in MLS average attendance (21,963). The Pride averages more than 8,000 fans per game (it was 3,500 when Dillon arrived).

“We’re still early in our journey,’’ Dillon said. “We’re happy with our progress and the building of our brand. We’re thrilled to be coming to Tampa for this rivalry game. Like anything, you keep working with your franchise and your fan base, always working for that lightning in a bottle.’’

Pun intended? Probably so.

Happy homecoming!