Sports Fans Coalition Announces New Board Members DeMaurice Smith and Others, Thanks Brian Frederick for his Service to America’s Sports Fans
SFC Thanks Founding Executive Director Brian Frederick for Years of Leadership; Welcomes Three New Board Members, including former NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith
Sports Fans Coalition (SFC) today announced significant changes to its Board of Directors, marking a new chapter for the leading consumer advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the rights and interests of sports fans.
After years of dedicated service, Brian Frederick stepped down from the Board of Directors. Frederick served as the organization's first Executive Director and has been instrumental in establishing SFC as a powerful voice for fans in policy debates affecting sports ticketing, broadcasting, and consumer protection.
“Brian’s vision and leadership helped build Sports Fans Coalition from the ground up. He was instrumental in our historic win against the NFL to eliminate the FCC’s Sports Blackout Rule. His commitment to putting fans first has shaped everything we do, from our advocacy on Capitol Hill to our grassroots organizing. While we’ll miss his presence on the board, we’re grateful for the strong foundation he helped to create.”
The organization also announced three new additions to its Board of Directors:
DeMaurice Smith’s unique perspective on the business of sports and labor relations will be invaluable to the organization's mission. He served as Executive Director of the NFL Players Association from 2009 to 2023, where he was a forceful advocate for player rights and safety, negotiating two ten-year labor agreements delivering over $100 billion in value to players. His recent book, "Turf Wars: The Fight for America's Game," provides a behind-the-scenes look at sports and business in America. He grew up a Commanders fan and is a hardcore Maryland Terp and UVA Cavalier.
Chris VanDeHoef is the CEO of Penn Lincoln Strategies, a government relations and public affairs firm based in Hartford, CT that advocates on behalf of their dozens of clients before the Connecticut state and local governments. VanDeHoef has more than two decades working with federal, state and local governments and has spent nearly a decade advocating on behalf of fans in the ticketing space while running the advocacy organization, Fan Freedom. Chris is an avid Cincinnati Bengals and Ohio State Buckeyes fan.
Yosef Getachew is a recognized leader in media public policy and grassroots engagement, bringing valuable expertise on issues of access and equity in sports and entertainment. Yosef Getachew is a Senior Policy Counsel at Reset Tech, where he leads programmatic work to shape policies and regulations that safeguard digital rights and mitigate harmful platform business practices. A native Washingtonian, Yosef is a huge Wizards and Commanders fan.
“We’re thrilled to welcome DeMaurice, Chris, and Yosef to our board. Each brings unique expertise and a shared commitment to our core mission: ensuring that fans have a voice in the decisions that affect their experience of the sports they love. Sports are becoming more expensive and less accessible to fans across the country. We look forward to working with our new board members to push back on the monopolies ruining the fan experience.”
