David Butler is the new presenter of Ajax. The American host got on board with 433 and will be the face of Ajax's social media channel and the club's new TV program on Ziggo Sport. Time to get to know David!
Simple question: who is David Butler?
"Your new host. I grew up in Baltimore, USA, and studied at a university in the state of Pennsylvania. Next to my studies, I played college soccer and had the dream to become a professional soccer player. I knew my calling was always overseas. If I wanted to make it far in soccer, I had to think beyond America."
"I played soccer with a lot of international students in college including a few Australians. They told me the same thing: to 'go abroad’. I wanted to see and experience it with my own eyes and left for Australia. I played soccer at a reasonable level for a couple of years over there (as a semi-pro at Rochedale Rovers.). My move to Australia further inspired me to discover more areas of the world."
That led me to move once again; this time to the Netherlands. That's how you ended up on the popular social media account 433. How did that go?
"I knew I wasn't going to become a professional soccer player anymore, but I still had a marketing degree to fall back on. I responded to a 443 vacancy with that background. I attached a video from my time as a soccer player in Australia to my resume."
"Looking back, it was precisely that one little video that made an impression. They said: 'We see you're a smart guy with a good way of speaking and a passion for soccer.' Even though I originally applied for a marketing position, they chose me as their new presenter. They were looking for a host who is a native speaker of English in order to reach a larger audience."
And that was you!
"Exactly! Even though that was not my intention at first. Funny enough, my friends from America told me right away, "This is for you!" And they were right! I'm pretty easygoing. So you can say that 433 gave me a chance to do what I'm good at."
What do you think you can contribute to Ajax?
"Of course, I want to be as creative as possible with players and matches for Ajax. And that is actually what I did at 433. But what I really want to do here at Ajax is bring out the other side of the players. I want to shine a light on the person behind the soccer player. That's my mission."
When will we see you in action for the first time?
"During the preparatory phase for the new season. Which is coming up real soon. I’m excited."