Jamey Rootes

Industry Impact Award Recipient, 2014

Jamey Rootes serves as president of the Houston Texans and is responsible for all business functions of the club. Since joining the Texans, Rootes has overseen the team’s efforts to secure stadium naming rights and sponsorship, coordinated radio and TV broadcasting relationships, engineered the club’s successful ticket and suite sales campaigns, led the creation and launch of the team’s identity and developed the team’s highly-acclaimed customer service strategy.

Under Rootes’ leadership, the Texans have earned many distinctions, including numerous “Crystal Awards” for marketing excellence. J.D. Power & Associates recognized the team for providing the best fan experience in the NFL and even featured the Texans as a service success story in their book entitled “Satisfaction.” The Texans were also recognized with Sports Business Journal’s PRISM Award, which is given annually to the top major professional sports team based on business excellence criteria. After securing back-to-back AFC South Championships, the Texans have extended their sell-out streak to 122 consecutive home games, a Houston NFL record and a testament to the quality of service and entertainment provided by the organization on game day. As a result, the Texans have consistently been recognized as one of the most valuable professional sports franchises both in the NFL and globally, as measured by a variety of business publications. In 2012, the Houston Texans were recognized as one of Houston’s “Best Places to Work” by the Houston Business Journal. In 2013, the Texans were recognized by the Houston Chronicle as one of “Houston’s Top Workplaces”.

Rootes was selected twice by Sports Business Journal as a member of its distinguished “Forty Under 40” list of leading sports executives. Rootes maintains an active role in the community and serves on a number of boards, including the Greater Houston Partnership, the United Way of Greater Houston, the Houston Food Bank, the Presbyterian School and the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. He also oversees the activities of the Houston Texans Foundation, which generated more than $1 million in 2013 to benefit youth and families in the Houston area. Since inception, the Texans have helped raise more than $20 million through annual fundraising events, disaster response programs, the United Way and partnerships with non-profit organizations on game day.

Prior to joining the Texans, Rootes helped to launch Major League Soccer as president and general manager of the Columbus Crew. During his tenure, the Crew was consistently among the league’s strongest teams both on and off the field, and Rootes was recognized as Executive of the Year in 1996 and Marketing Executive of the Year in 1999. Rootes helped lead the construction of Crew Stadium in 1999, which was the first stadium of its type in the United States. This facility earned distinction as America’s Foremost Sports Facility of the Year and led to the development of numerous soccer-specific stadiums across the United States over the past decade, including BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.

Rootes also serves as President of Lone Star Sports & Entertainment (LSSE), a sports management agency associated with the Texans. LSSE has been a catalyst for some of Houston’s most significant sporting events, especially in soccer. LSSE hosted the 2003 U.S. vs. Mexico soccer match which set a soccer attendance record for Texas and caused U.S. Soccer to recognize Reliant Stadium with the Best Soccer Crowd in America award. LSSE has also hosted large crowds for Interliga 2004-2006, Gold Cup in 2005 and Barcelona on Tour in 2006. This success led to the establishment of Houston’s Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise, the Houston Dynamo in 2006, which is now the two-time champion of MLS and playing in the newly constructed BBVA Compass Stadium. More recently, LSSE hosted large crowds for Gold Cup 2007, 2009 and 2011, a capacity crowd of over 70,000 for U.S. vs. Mexico in February 2008, Houston’s first-ever World Cup qualifier with Mexico and Belize and the 2010 MLS All-Star game featuring Manchester United which set a new Reliant Stadium soccer attendance record with 70,728 attending. In total, LSSE has hosted the Mexican National Team thirteen (13) times with an average attendance of over 60,000 passionate fans, establishing Reliant Stadium as United States’ home for El Tri.

Outside of soccer, LSSE created and now manages the Texas Bowl, Houston’s only collegiate bowl game. Over the past eight years, the Texas Bowl has generated an average of nearly $30 million in economic impact per year which is comparable to many premier bowl games. The game has consistently attracted large crowds and since inception has been the 8th best attended non-BCS bowl game in America with over an average crowd of over 57,000 attendees. The Bowl’s charity partner, DePelchin Children’s Centers, has received over $1/2mm to support their important work with the youth and families of the Houston Area. In 2013, LSSE launched the AdvoCare Texas Kickoff, in conjunction with ESPN. This event will become the third major college football kickoff event in America and this year will feature the LSU Tigers vs. the Wisconsin Badgers. LSSE has also hosted major concerts featuring Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Tim McGraw and other artists. 

A native of Stone Mountain, Ga., Rootes attended Clemson University and was a member of the Tigers’ soccer team that captured two NCAA titles. He also served as Student Body President. While earning a master’s of business administration at Indiana University, he served as an assistant soccer coach for the Hoosiers. Rootes previously held positions at IBM and Procter & Gamble before entering sports. He lives in West University with his wife, Melissa, and their children, Christopher and Caroline.