Sporting Jax majority owner Ricky Caplan, left, and club president Steve Livingstone flank the club's director of soccer, Mark Warburton, during an announcement March 20, 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
Published on March 24, 2026 at 12:43 pm
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Sporting Jax has fielded women’s and men’s professional soccer in Jacksonville. That is a testament to the work of former team President Steve Livingstone, whose departure was announced Tuesday morning.
The club announced that Mark Warburton has been promoted from director of soccer to president. He will lead the club’s player development, recruitment and international partnerships as well as its on-field operations.
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In a previous life, Warburton has served as academy director for Brentford and on the technical staff for West Ham United. He also managed 55-time Scottish champions Rangers F.C. when the Glasgow-club was promoted to the Scottish Premier League in 2016. Sporting Jax is his first club in the United States.
“This is a pivotal moment for Sporting JAX,” Warburton said in a statement. “We are building something truly special in Jacksonville — a club with ambition, community at its core and a clear pathway to success. I’m honored to step into this role and continue driving our vision forward, both on the pitch and through meaningful global partnerships.”
Warburton replaces Livingstone, a longtime soccer evangelist who has helped both the Jacksonville Armada and Sporting Jax field men’s professional clubs. Livingstone was an investor from the outset in Sporting Jax. Livingstone told Jacksonville Today he wishes Sporting Jax the best and will be a fan for life.
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“After nine years building the club, it was time for me to look in another direction,” Livingstone said. “I’m very proud of everything we’ve accomplished as a team. I’ll continue to be involved in the club as a founding partner and investor.”
Sporting Jax’s women’s side leads the Gainbridge Super League in its inaugural season with 40 points from 20 matches. Jacksonville’s first fully professional women’s sports team is a blend of international quality players, college standouts and academy products.
Meanwhile, the Sporting Jax men’s team will look for its first USL Championship win on Wednesday night when it hosts Miami FC at Hodges Stadium.
When the Sporting Jax lost 3-0 to Hartford Athletic on March 7 in front of 10,357 people, it marked the first time in nine years that Jacksonville had fielded a men’s pro soccer team.
“It’s wonderful for the city, and it’s wonderful for the opportunities it will create. I’m proud of everything kicking off well,” Livingstone said. “We’ve spent a long time working on this. We did it the right way. We did it in a meaningful and focused way. The foundation has been put in place for great success.”
