Surf is fighting for its existence right now. The super rich Rancho Sante Fe Nimbys want them gone and Surf wants to run tournaments at the Polo Fields every weekend. Someone is going to win and someone is going to lose. If Surf lost the Polo Fields everything in youth soccer would change overnight. At least on the West Coast. |
Non profits get acquired all the time in the soccer world. |
Big changes are coming to youth soccer starting next year aside from the age group change. Buckle up! |
Ominous statements about something happening in the future are about as annoying as the doofus thats making up fake MLS screenshots. Put up or shut up if you have details. We all know the rumors swirling around. |
Wow. That's interesting and would be pretty wild for ECNL playoffs, etc. ECNL, while playing completely in Seattle this upcoming year, has hosted the finals in Richmond at the RU West Creek facility. Well, that's going away as well as - RU didn't own. It was leased and the lease owner, Markel, has sold to the land to Eli Lily to develop a pharmaceutical plant. https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/richmond-united-west-creek-soccer-complex-oct-9-2025 And the whole PE deal is pretty crazy as well. Read that Pioneer received financing from another PE Sweetwater also based in San Diego. Not super easy to find what all Pioneers is all holding. Oh yeah. Nothting really to do with BY or SY, but does impact the youth soccer landscape. |
Usually roll up by other 501(c)3s. Not PE/VC |
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3Step Sports owns Seacoast United and a ton of others clubs and they are owned by Juggernaught PE.
I think they like the data, real estate and events aspects of youth sports. If you have enough money to pay a club fee you are probably in the market for a new BMW or Vacation home……….. They can own the team, the facility, the tournament and get more of a share of the parents wallet. i am sure the elasticity of these parents spending habits is wild……… |
If you want to understand why PE cant control youth sports. Why don't you read the books written by a PE guy that bought out GPS that goes through in detail how everything blew up. https://stephengriffinauthor.com/shop/ols/products/front-row-seat-lost-locker-room-package Front Row Seat is written in an Action / Edge of Your Seat style. Lost Locker Room is a retelling of the same story but the author includes names. Basically all the groups you think were involved were involved. This is all about something that happened almost 10 years ago so some of the names are dated. At the time it was mindblowing getting the inside info on things you always assumed to be true but couldn't prove. |
Isnt TSJFCV PE backed and look how well that has gone. |
Everyone is different. If club leadership is corrupt PE or any investor isnt going to change things as long as the leadership isnt switched out. Overall through I'd bet that youth soccer has more corrupt leaders than leaders with ethical and professional training. |
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ECNL latest podcast 42:15
They talk about how they are in the middle of it in regards to inevitable consolidation. |
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I consider ECNL a done deal. ECNL has a bankable bottom line, I think the numbers work for any PE firm. The question is, will PE mismanage the important aspects of ECNL or overlook that a dilute the product or lose ground to GA/ MLS Next making the league less important in term of college recruitment.
In 2 short years time, we could see a very different ECNL league. |
In the middle of what? |
https://www.buyingsandlot.com/p/exclusive-details-on-youth-soccer-acquisition Not as easy as the poster said it was to find |
I just listened as well. It didn't sound like they were talking about consolidation. They were just acknowledging that theres $$$ and outside forces that could influence or even shape youth soccer. It also sounded like they ha e no plans to change current course. |