Front Office

Ownership

Brian Budzinski

Managing Partner

Brian is a successful Kansas City entrepreneur. Currently Brian is the owner of the Kansas City Soccer Dome and the Kansas City Comets. He was a co-founder of the 2-time NWSL Champion franchise FC Kansas City (FCKC). Additionally Brian donates his time as a Mentor with the Regnier Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation E-Scholars Program at UMKC.

While Brian is very proud of the on-field success of the past 10 years of the Kansas City Comets and FCKC (3-Championships, 1 Finals appearance and only missing the playoffs in 1 season). He is more proud of the job creation and countless memories that have been created off the field.

Brian is proud to be a member of the Kansas City soccer and small business communities. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Brian graduated from the University of Missouri, receiving a BS BA. He currently resides in the Northland with his wife and their two children.

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Lane Smith

Co-Owner

Emaillane@tacomastars.com

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Jamie Poulson

Co-Owner

Emaildreamteampizza@gmail.com

Originally from St. Louis where I grew up playing indoor soccer as well as attending many MISL games, Jamie attended East Central College in Union, MO on a soccer scholarship. Now he lives and works in Kansas City with my wife and 3 daughters who all play soccer. His wife and he own and operate Domino's in Kansas City, Topeka and Wichita as well as have investments in commercial and residential properties all over Missouri.

Front Office

Scott Levinson

Vice President of Business Operations

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Scott was born and raised in Overland Park, KS, and grew up going cheering on the Comets as a kid at Kemper Arena with his family. Scott is a graduate of the University of Kansas and has two daughters. He has been with the Kansas City Comets since the team returned to action in 2010.

Mike Rodriguez

Director of Ticketing

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Michael is from Kansas City and his passion is coaching soccer in the community for 14 years with the Blackfire soccer club based in Lee’s Summit. Michael has been involved in the sports community as a Kansas City Chiefs Red Coater since 1989.

During that time he was inducted in to the NFL Hall of Fame thru Visa Hall of Fans in 2000 as the #1 Chiefs Fan. From 1999 to 2005 Michael was an account executive for the Kansas City Wizards. He accomplished being the #1 sales rep for the MLS. In 2006 Michael worked for the Kansas City Brigade during their inaugural season. Michael is currently living in Lee’s Summit with his wife and family.

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Ken Stanley

Creative Director

Phone1-888-9 COMETS

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Growing up playing indoor soccer and attending Kansas City Comets games, Ken has been involved with the indoor game his whole life. His career in sports marketing began in 2016 when he went to work for Soccer Event Specialists (SES Companies) in Los Angeles, CA as a graphic designer. During his time with SES he worked on projects with a number of soccer organizations across North America, implementing creative design strategies for sports merchandise marketing. In 2018 he joined the KC Comets as their Creative Director and one year later began work as Content Director for the MASL.

Aside from sports, Ken is also involved in his local art community and is co-owner of Driftwood Ceramics LLC with his wife McKenzie. Opening in 2018 and located in North Kansas City, MO, they teach pottery classes and offer studio space to working artists.

Ken received a bachelors degree in fine art (painting) from the University of Missouri, Columbia in 2014.

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Nick Vasos

Voice of the Comets

Nick has been the voice of indoor soccer for decades. He mans the booth at the Cable Dahmer Arena for every Comets home game, describing each play and giving his insight about the many great players who have come through the arena through the years.

You know you’re listening to Nick Vasos on the mic when you hear ‘Ding Dong” after a shot rings off the post or “Top Shelf where Grandma keeps the cookies” after a great goal. Nick can also be seen every morning on Fox 4 Kansas City as he anchors the 9am and Noon broadcasts.

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Steve Serrano

Game Day Emcee

Steve Serrano, one of the hardest working men in Kansas City Media, has been the Game Day Emcee for the Comets since 2012. Steve can be found at every game walking the concourse, chatting it up with Calvin or hosting a fan contest between periods.

Steve is also the Program Director for Mix 93.3 and hosts the interactive night show weeknights from 7pm to midnight.

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Erik Bergrud

Color Commentator

In 2019, Erik Bergrud joined Voice of the Comets Nick Vasos in the broadcast booth, providing a historical perspective as well as in-game analysis. He routinely engages indoor soccer fans via social media before, during and after Comets matches.

Erik serves as Chief Strategic Communications Officer at Park University, the alma mater of many current and former Comets players. You can also catch him calling play-by-play for Park University women’s and men’s soccer and as public address announcer for the KC Courage of United Women’s Soccer.

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Gina Schiraldi

Game Day Events Coordinator

Phone1-888-9 COMETS

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Gina has been involved with the Comets in numerous roles since 2010, including ticket sales, statistician, summer camp coordinator and team/player appearance coordinator. The daughter of a former Comets great, she has been immersed in the Kansas City soccer community since birth.

Schiraldi was a four-year starter at Baker University under the direction of ex-comet Nate Houser. She has since coached Baker and Shawnee Mission West, as well as the Comets youth club alongside her father, Gino.

Gina is the current Property Manager for Celtic Property Management located on the West Plaza in Kansas City, Mo. and has been with the company since 2017. Gina has a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Administration with a minor in Business

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Dalton Green

Videographer

Emaildaltongreen10@gmail.com

Dalton is a self-taught Videographer with a huge passion for Kansas City based sports. When he isn't working as a Sr. Program Specialist at Cerner Corporation, Dalton enjoys capturing and creating video content for both professional, and personal clients.

Dalton received his Bachelors of Business Administration with an emphasis in marketing from the University of Misssouri-Kansas City in 2016.

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Nate Herron

Public Address Announcer

Nate has served proudly as the Public Address Announcer for the Comets many seasons. You can usually find him situated right between the penalty boxes at Cable Dahmer Arena, keeping everyone up to date and energized on game day. Nate stays on the mic year-round; also serving as the PA Announcer for the Kansas City Chiefs, KC Current, and Kansas City Monarchs.

When he’s not announcing games, Nate is the Executive Producer for The National Defense radio show (thenationaldefense.com) an internationally syndicated show highlighting military veterans and their families, and is an award-winning trivia host at The Westport Flea Market.

Twitter: @nateupdate

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