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The Nationals have hired Jason Sinnarajah as president of business operations, adding a new position to the organization that lines up with previously hired president of baseball operations Paul Toboni.
Sinnarajah, who spent the last two years as senior vice president and chief operating officer of the Royals, will oversee all business-related aspects of the franchise, reporting directly to ownership.
“Jason is a transformative leader with a proven track record of using data and innovation to enhance the fan experience and drive organizational excellence,” managing principal owner Mark Lerner said in a statement. “By creating the president of business operations role, we are ensuring that our business strategy is as modern and forward-thinking as our baseball strategy. We believe Jason is the ideal person to lead the Nationals into a bright future.”
The Nationals haven’t employed someone with the title of president on the business side of the organization since Stan Kasten, who was part of the Lerner family’s original ownership group and was team president (overseeing both business and baseball) from 2006-10.
Unlike Kasten, Sinnarajah won’t have any input on baseball operations, with Toboni hired in September to assume that role three months after the firing of longtime president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo.
Sinnarajah’s impact with the Royals included a revitalization of the stadium experience, including the implementation of cutting-edge fan entry technology and a reimagined concessions program. Prior to his time in Kansas City, he was senior vice president of business administration for the Buffalo Bills for four years, playing a key role in that franchise’s new stadium project while leading ticket sales and marketing.
A native of Toronto who earned his MBA from the University of Virginia and his bachelor’s degree from Boston College, Sinnarajah has also worked for the Cleveland Guardians as well as Google, where he led global media and sports partnerships while working to scale the company’s business operations across the Asia-Pacific region.
“I am honored and excited to join the Washington Nationals at such a pivotal moment in the franchise’s history,” Sinnarajah said in a statement. “The organization has a clear vision for the future — one built on innovation, excellence and a deep commitment to the fans and the D.C. community that my family and I are excited to make our home. I look forward to working alongside Paul and this talented staff to build an organization that benefits our players and our fans, and which sets the standard for organizations within and beyond Major League Baseball.”
