Soccer Hall president to leave post

Plans for the future of the National Soccer Hall of Fame outside of Oneonta continue, with President and Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Ullman leaving his post today, according to a news release.

The final paid employee of the facility will continue to act in an advisory capacity, the release said, but Ullman will pursue other career opportunities.

No replacement will be sought, according to the release from the Hall of Fame.

As part of a new operating model, the U.S. Soccer Federation will assume responsibility for the relocation of archives, planning for the annual induction event and other administrative functions.

The Soccer Hall was closed to the public after Labor Day as it searched for a new business model to address its fiscal problems while continuing its mission of promoting the game and its history.

In February, the plan was announced. It included signing a management agreement with the Otsego County Development Corporation, a private nonprofit development group.

If the proper state agencies approve, the 62-acre facility would be transferred to the OCDC, which would seek to find a use for the building and fields.

The Hall of Fame — which will continue as a private, not-for-profit entity governed by an independent board of directors — has begun to relocate the collections and archives, the release said.