View Full Version : I want to own a professional team.
gibberingh
21 Jan 2004, 11:47 AM
I am interested in owning a professional team. I dont expect to own an MLS team yet of course, but any begining would be nice to get my foot in the door. Anybody have any suggestions of how I should get started? Any advice? Any potential partners? Investors?
FlashMan
21 Jan 2004, 12:39 PM
Once when I first joined BigSoccer there was a thread about BigSoccer posters joining together to invest in and buy a MLS team. Or an A-League team if we couldn't afford a MLS team. Everyone said how much they could contribute. We had about 200 posts or something like that and at one point BigSoccer lawyers joined in and said how it could be done.
I think the promised "collections" only added up to about $20,000 though. For that, we could barely organize an U-12 team, and the idea, sadly, was dropped.
ThreeApples
21 Jan 2004, 12:46 PM
It's quite easy to make a small fortune by owning an American professional soccer team.
Step 1: Start with a large fortune.
. . .
gibberingh
21 Jan 2004, 01:01 PM
I am willing to start small. I am not looking for an MLS or A league team as of yet. I am still amassing Step1 (large fortune). I just want some experience for when I am ready to move up to MLS. I will be looking to build out of Northern California, in the Bay area.
ThreeApples
21 Jan 2004, 01:06 PM
Seriously, if you have money, contact the USL and ask what it takes to start a PDL club. Just don't invest anything you can't afford to completely lose.
Mark424
21 Jan 2004, 01:16 PM
Originally posted by gibberingh
I am willing to start small. I am not looking for an MLS or A league team as of yet. I am still amassing Step1 (large fortune). I just want some experience for when I am ready to move up to MLS. I will be looking to build out of Northern California, in the Bay area.
If I could ask, why do you want to build out of Northern California? I would think Honolulu would be a fantastic place for a professional soccer team. I grew up there and the only thing close to a professional team was the Hawaii Islanders (a Pacific Coast League Triple A team).
Stinkey Turner
21 Jan 2004, 01:20 PM
Originally posted by gibberingh
I am willing to start small. I am not looking for an MLS or A league team as of yet. I am still amassing Step1 (large fortune). I just want some experience for when I am ready to move up to MLS. I will be looking to build out of Northern California, in the Bay area.
San Francisco proper could use an A-League or D3 team..The SF Seals were an excellent D3 team that was quite successful for about 5 years up to their run in the 1997 US Open Cup, beating A League Sounders, and MLS's KC Wiz and the SJ Clash to make it to the semi finals, where it lost out to DC Unitied, the eventual winner.
After this sucsessful run, the team was "prmotoed" to the A-League, but the club lacked the cash to invest in players and a decent stadium...not to mention, MLS signed all their best players (none of whom were contracted so no fee for the club.. CJ Brown is most well known).
There were many people who volenteered at the stadium (Negoesco being the best IMO), and the club had a devout, loyal following that was growing until the A-Leauge fiasco. The club had a real sense of community between the fans and management...the club also reached out to inner city youths and would conduct soccer camps for underpriveleded kids, etc.
I would imagine that if someone had enough $$ to do it right, there would be many interested people in the community that would jump on board and help out.
gibberingh
21 Jan 2004, 01:29 PM
Originally posted by Mark424
If I could ask, why do you want to build out of Northern California? I would think Honolulu would be a fantastic place for a professional soccer team. I grew up there and the only thing close to a professional team was the Hawaii Islanders (a Pacific Coast League Triple A team).
Unfortunately, I will be leaving Hawaii the end of this year. I am suprised how well soccer has developed on the islands. They have a strong youth and the MISO league has potential. I will be moving to Northern California and would like to establish a foundation there. One day I may come back here to Hawaii and build a team.
gibberingh
21 Jan 2004, 01:34 PM
Originally posted by Stinkey Turner
There were many people who volenteered at the stadium (Negoesco being the best IMO), and the club had a devout, loyal following that was growing until the A-Leauge fiasco. The club had a real sense of community between the fans and management...the club also reached out to inner city youths and would conduct soccer camps for underpriveleded kids, etc.
This is exactly what I intend to do. I want community involvement. I want to spread the gospel of the beautiful game. I want to make going to a soccer game to be an all day experience. Before and after the match. Something for the whole family.
Stinkey Turner
21 Jan 2004, 01:45 PM
gibberingh, check you PM, I've sent you a contact that might be of use regardless of where/when/if you decide to locate.
AndyMead
21 Jan 2004, 02:09 PM
Originally posted by gibberingh
I am interested in owning a professional team. I dont expect to own an MLS team yet of course, but any begining would be nice to get my foot in the door. Anybody have any suggestions of how I should get started? Any advice? Any potential partners? Investors?
United Soccer Leagues (A-League, PSL, PDL, W League)
www.uslsoccer.com
Mens Premier Soccer League
www.mpsl.info
Womens Premier Soccer League
www.wpsl.info
superdave
21 Jan 2004, 02:18 PM
Originally posted by Mark424
If I could ask, why do you want to build out of Northern California? I would think Honolulu would be a fantastic place for a professional soccer team.
1. He'd be destroyed by the travel costs for away matches.
2. Nobody would want to pay the travel costs to come to Hawaii.
gibberingh
21 Jan 2004, 02:38 PM
Hey Andy,
Thanks for the MPSL link. This had a nice little word document that gave an estimated annual first year start up costs at just under $30,000. Im sure more costs will find there way but this is what I am looking for thank you very much.
Here is the link if anyone else is interested
http://www.mpsl.info/about.aspx
frenchy921
21 Jan 2004, 03:05 PM
hey Gibberingh,
check your pm.
frenchy921
21 Jan 2004, 03:39 PM
hey Stinkey,
check your pm,
I have a question for you
Stinkey Turner
21 Jan 2004, 03:57 PM
Originally posted by gibberingh
Hey Andy,
Thanks for the MPSL link. This had a nice little word document that gave an estimated annual first year start up costs at just under $30,000. Im sure more costs will find there way but this is what I am looking for thank you very much.
Here is the link if anyone else is interested
http://www.mpsl.info/about.aspx
MPSL is not professional, correct?
mutinywxgirl
21 Jan 2004, 03:58 PM
Gib, I've also sent you a PM - check it out and let me know if you have any questions.....
mutinywxgirl
21 Jan 2004, 04:00 PM
Originally posted by Stinkey Turner
MPSL is not professional, correct?
correct....many of the teams are former USL D3 teams who've formed this league because they didn't like USL.
frenchy921
21 Jan 2004, 04:30 PM
Mutinywxgirl,
could you please check your pm, I have some questions for you?
AndyMead
21 Jan 2004, 04:44 PM
Originally posted by Stinkey Turner
MPSL is not professional, correct?
Well yes ... and no. the MPSL/WPSL are the same as the USL's PDL and W-League. Both are designed to ensure that College players retain their NCAA/NAIA eligibility.
None of the players receive direct salary, but the clubs themselves are in the "professional" chain, classified as the fourth division of US men's soccer (well, excepting the WPSL and W-League :p )
Mutinywxgirl would be able to offer more real-world help.