Bryan Watson

Bryan Watson is the founder of Catena FC and serves as the club’s President & Chief Executive Officer, leading the organization’s long-term vision, strategic direction, and overall development as the club establishes itself as a new football institution on the Eastern Shore.

​

With more than two decades of experience as an entrepreneur, consultant, and sports business executive, Bryan has built a career at the intersection of sport, business development, organizational strategy, and leadership. His professional background spans franchise development, facility planning, sports consulting, operational leadership, and the creation of scalable business models designed to support long-term growth and sustainability.

​

Earlier in his career, Bryan worked with Charlotte-based sports consultancy BrandThink, where he contributed to projects involving major professional sports organizations including NASCAR Members Club, the Atlanta Spirit organization, the Charlotte Bobcats, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Tampa Bay Rays. He also served as a consultant on large-scale sports development initiatives led by industry executive Carl Scheer, supporting projects focused on municipally financed stadium and sports complex development throughout the southeastern United States.

​

As an entrepreneur, Bryan founded several ventures including the Arena Football League’s Macon Knights, where he served as Founder and Chief Executive Officer. During his leadership, the organization developed an innovative operating model centered around sport, wellness programming, education, entertainment, and media production while helping drive the design and development of a $15 million integrated sports complex. During his tenure, the organization received Expansion Franchise of the Year honors, reached the league championship game in its third season, and Bryan was appointed as the youngest member of the league’s Executive Committee while also serving as Chairman of the Finance Committee.

​

In addition to his executive leadership experience, Bryan currently serves as President of North American Operations for Matrix Soccer Academy, where he has helped oversee the continued expansion of player development initiatives and football programming designed to challenge conventional approaches to long-term athlete development. Through Powered by M8X™, he has played a central role in building development environments focused on performance, education, and pathway creation for aspiring players across multiple levels of the game.

​

At Catena FC, Bryan’s vision extends beyond building a competitive football club. His long-term objective is to establish an organization defined by identity, structure, sustainability, and opportunity while creating a platform capable of elevating football development across the region. His leadership philosophy centers on building institutions designed to endure, balancing ambitious growth with a commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for players, coaches, and the broader community.

​

Bryan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Salisbury University, a Master of Science in Sports Administration from St. Thomas University, and an MBA with concentrations in Finance and Accounting from Columbia University in New York.