Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small background on the new owners of FCV. You can read the utter and true passion for soccer in the brief bios:

Never said they were "passionate" about soccer. That is not a pre-requisite for investing and owning a business, especially for capital investment types. However, what they are passionate about is getting more members and expanding the services to those members so that they get a good ROI. This will be inclusive of expensive training for youth players, and possibly IMG style academy / sports agent services. Their press release already talked about expanding in Fairfax and PW counties.

The sports agent approach (if they pursue this) is a paid representative that helps your kid navigate and get 1) a college scholarship; and/or 2) a pro contract (only lucrative for boys, and mostly with foreign clubs more than MLS, but MLS too). By focusing in on DA and quality ECNL programs they would narrow their pool of players to those most likely to want, pay for, and deserve these type of agent services. In the meantime, they would have expanded their customer base (players and parents and referred friends) to whom they will sell their "sport entertainment and wellness" services too. They are going to expand, of that there is no doubt. Whether they buy some other assets in the elite "NOVA" soccer space or not, maybe, maybe not.

Sports agents? They bought a girls soccer club.

They built a facility that cost somewhere close to $200M - a slightly larger endeavor than buying a girls soccer club. That is why when the person critiqued the bios, they sounded like whiney child that cannot compile intelligent thoughts. The bios cover the entire facility and services not the FCV transaction.

The point is they acquired an asset that they are hoping to receive a ROI from. A soccer club or youth soccer is not their primary focus, memberships are. Look at the disaster Spirit was when the DA player pool was looked at as nothing more than revenue. The St James was smart enough to recognize that DA affiliation will draw in players and thus potential membership. But how much of the bottom line will affect roster decisions down the road?

At some point investor oversight will begin to rear its ugly head when it soon learns how thin the margins are with running a soccer club and that the only real money is found in volume which is certainly a lesson that Spirit taught the region.

Lol. You know so little about business and even less about soccer.

Well by all means please demonstrate the business model of this acquisition.

Comparing this to the Spirit situation is where you come off as ignorant here. So little is known about what is happening with STJ and its soccer ambitions that any comparison like that is a fool's errand.

Neither of us are a party to the transaction, so all you are doing (AGAIN) is guessing. There are multiple theories possible but as one previous poster said, this acquisition is a drop in the bucket for this facility. The smart money would be on a guess that this is a small piece of the soccer plan there and what that plan is can only be a guess unless you expect us to believe you are advising the STJ leadership. Either way, unless this all happens very quickly, it likely won't affect most of the children represented by the parents here. So again, why do you care?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small background on the new owners of FCV. You can read the utter and true passion for soccer in the brief bios:

Never said they were "passionate" about soccer. That is not a pre-requisite for investing and owning a business, especially for capital investment types. However, what they are passionate about is getting more members and expanding the services to those members so that they get a good ROI. This will be inclusive of expensive training for youth players, and possibly IMG style academy / sports agent services. Their press release already talked about expanding in Fairfax and PW counties.

The sports agent approach (if they pursue this) is a paid representative that helps your kid navigate and get 1) a college scholarship; and/or 2) a pro contract (only lucrative for boys, and mostly with foreign clubs more than MLS, but MLS too). By focusing in on DA and quality ECNL programs they would narrow their pool of players to those most likely to want, pay for, and deserve these type of agent services. In the meantime, they would have expanded their customer base (players and parents and referred friends) to whom they will sell their "sport entertainment and wellness" services too. They are going to expand, of that there is no doubt. Whether they buy some other assets in the elite "NOVA" soccer space or not, maybe, maybe not.

Sports agents? They bought a girls soccer club.

They built a facility that cost somewhere close to $200M - a slightly larger endeavor than buying a girls soccer club. That is why when the person critiqued the bios, they sounded like whiney child that cannot compile intelligent thoughts. The bios cover the entire facility and services not the FCV transaction.

The point is they acquired an asset that they are hoping to receive a ROI from. A soccer club or youth soccer is not their primary focus, memberships are. Look at the disaster Spirit was when the DA player pool was looked at as nothing more than revenue. The St James was smart enough to recognize that DA affiliation will draw in players and thus potential membership. But how much of the bottom line will affect roster decisions down the road?

At some point investor oversight will begin to rear its ugly head when it soon learns how thin the margins are with running a soccer club and that the only real money is found in volume which is certainly a lesson that Spirit taught the region.

Lol. You know so little about business and even less about soccer.

Well by all means please demonstrate the business model of this acquisition.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small background on the new owners of FCV. You can read the utter and true passion for soccer in the brief bios:

Never said they were "passionate" about soccer. That is not a pre-requisite for investing and owning a business, especially for capital investment types. However, what they are passionate about is getting more members and expanding the services to those members so that they get a good ROI. This will be inclusive of expensive training for youth players, and possibly IMG style academy / sports agent services. Their press release already talked about expanding in Fairfax and PW counties.

The sports agent approach (if they pursue this) is a paid representative that helps your kid navigate and get 1) a college scholarship; and/or 2) a pro contract (only lucrative for boys, and mostly with foreign clubs more than MLS, but MLS too). By focusing in on DA and quality ECNL programs they would narrow their pool of players to those most likely to want, pay for, and deserve these type of agent services. In the meantime, they would have expanded their customer base (players and parents and referred friends) to whom they will sell their "sport entertainment and wellness" services too. They are going to expand, of that there is no doubt. Whether they buy some other assets in the elite "NOVA" soccer space or not, maybe, maybe not.

Sports agents? They bought a girls soccer club.

They built a facility that cost somewhere close to $200M - a slightly larger endeavor than buying a girls soccer club. That is why when the person critiqued the bios, they sounded like whiney child that cannot compile intelligent thoughts. The bios cover the entire facility and services not the FCV transaction.

The point is they acquired an asset that they are hoping to receive a ROI from. A soccer club or youth soccer is not their primary focus, memberships are. Look at the disaster Spirit was when the DA player pool was looked at as nothing more than revenue. The St James was smart enough to recognize that DA affiliation will draw in players and thus potential membership. But how much of the bottom line will affect roster decisions down the road?

At some point investor oversight will begin to rear its ugly head when it soon learns how thin the margins are with running a soccer club and that the only real money is found in volume which is certainly a lesson that Spirit taught the region.

Lol. You know so little about business and even less about soccer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small background on the new owners of FCV. You can read the utter and true passion for soccer in the brief bios:

Never said they were "passionate" about soccer. That is not a pre-requisite for investing and owning a business, especially for capital investment types. However, what they are passionate about is getting more members and expanding the services to those members so that they get a good ROI. This will be inclusive of expensive training for youth players, and possibly IMG style academy / sports agent services. Their press release already talked about expanding in Fairfax and PW counties.

The sports agent approach (if they pursue this) is a paid representative that helps your kid navigate and get 1) a college scholarship; and/or 2) a pro contract (only lucrative for boys, and mostly with foreign clubs more than MLS, but MLS too). By focusing in on DA and quality ECNL programs they would narrow their pool of players to those most likely to want, pay for, and deserve these type of agent services. In the meantime, they would have expanded their customer base (players and parents and referred friends) to whom they will sell their "sport entertainment and wellness" services too. They are going to expand, of that there is no doubt. Whether they buy some other assets in the elite "NOVA" soccer space or not, maybe, maybe not.

Sports agents? They bought a girls soccer club.

They built a facility that cost somewhere close to $200M - a slightly larger endeavor than buying a girls soccer club. That is why when the person critiqued the bios, they sounded like whiney child that cannot compile intelligent thoughts. The bios cover the entire facility and services not the FCV transaction.

The point is they acquired an asset that they are hoping to receive a ROI from. A soccer club or youth soccer is not their primary focus, memberships are. Look at the disaster Spirit was when the DA player pool was looked at as nothing more than revenue. The St James was smart enough to recognize that DA affiliation will draw in players and thus potential membership. But how much of the bottom line will affect roster decisions down the road?

At some point investor oversight will begin to rear its ugly head when it soon learns how thin the margins are with running a soccer club and that the only real money is found in volume which is certainly a lesson that Spirit taught the region.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small background on the new owners of FCV. You can read the utter and true passion for soccer in the brief bios:

Never said they were "passionate" about soccer. That is not a pre-requisite for investing and owning a business, especially for capital investment types. However, what they are passionate about is getting more members and expanding the services to those members so that they get a good ROI. This will be inclusive of expensive training for youth players, and possibly IMG style academy / sports agent services. Their press release already talked about expanding in Fairfax and PW counties.

The sports agent approach (if they pursue this) is a paid representative that helps your kid navigate and get 1) a college scholarship; and/or 2) a pro contract (only lucrative for boys, and mostly with foreign clubs more than MLS, but MLS too). By focusing in on DA and quality ECNL programs they would narrow their pool of players to those most likely to want, pay for, and deserve these type of agent services. In the meantime, they would have expanded their customer base (players and parents and referred friends) to whom they will sell their "sport entertainment and wellness" services too. They are going to expand, of that there is no doubt. Whether they buy some other assets in the elite "NOVA" soccer space or not, maybe, maybe not.

Sports agents? They bought a girls soccer club.

They built a facility that cost somewhere close to $200M - a slightly larger endeavor than buying a girls soccer club. That is why when the person critiqued the bios, they sounded like whiney child that cannot compile intelligent thoughts. The bios cover the entire facility and services not the FCV transaction.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small background on the new owners of FCV. You can read the utter and true passion for soccer in the brief bios:

Never said they were "passionate" about soccer. That is not a pre-requisite for investing and owning a business, especially for capital investment types. However, what they are passionate about is getting more members and expanding the services to those members so that they get a good ROI. This will be inclusive of expensive training for youth players, and possibly IMG style academy / sports agent services. Their press release already talked about expanding in Fairfax and PW counties.

The sports agent approach (if they pursue this) is a paid representative that helps your kid navigate and get 1) a college scholarship; and/or 2) a pro contract (only lucrative for boys, and mostly with foreign clubs more than MLS, but MLS too). By focusing in on DA and quality ECNL programs they would narrow their pool of players to those most likely to want, pay for, and deserve these type of agent services. In the meantime, they would have expanded their customer base (players and parents and referred friends) to whom they will sell their "sport entertainment and wellness" services too. They are going to expand, of that there is no doubt. Whether they buy some other assets in the elite "NOVA" soccer space or not, maybe, maybe not.

Sports agents? They bought a girls soccer club.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small background on the new owners of FCV. You can read the utter and true passion for soccer in the brief bios:

Never said they were "passionate" about soccer. That is not a pre-requisite for investing and owning a business, especially for capital investment types. However, what they are passionate about is getting more members and expanding the services to those members so that they get a good ROI. This will be inclusive of expensive training for youth players, and possibly IMG style academy / sports agent services. Their press release already talked about expanding in Fairfax and PW counties.

The sports agent approach (if they pursue this) is a paid representative that helps your kid navigate and get 1) a college scholarship; and/or 2) a pro contract (only lucrative for boys, and mostly with foreign clubs more than MLS, but MLS too). By focusing in on DA and quality ECNL programs they would narrow their pool of players to those most likely to want, pay for, and deserve these type of agent services. In the meantime, they would have expanded their customer base (players and parents and referred friends) to whom they will sell their "sport entertainment and wellness" services too. They are going to expand, of that there is no doubt. Whether they buy some other assets in the elite "NOVA" soccer space or not, maybe, maybe not.

Anonymous wrote:Small background on the new owners of FCV. You can read the utter and true passion for soccer in the brief bios:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small background on the new owners of FCV. You can read the utter and true passion for soccer in the brief bios:

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-st-james-brings-premium-sports-wellness-and-active-entertainment-destination-to-chicagoland-300703300.html?tc=eml_cleartime

About Cain International

Cain International is a diversified real estate company investing in both debt and equity opportunities in the UK, US and mainland Europe. Founded in 2014, the company has invested over $3 billion across a wide-ranging portfolio, including $2.3bn of debt financing and $800 million of equity across 1.8m square feet of office and retail space, 7,000 residential units and 7,000 hotel keys in the US, Europe and the Middle East. Cain International, a portfolio company of Eldridge Industries, is led by CEO Jonathan Goldstein and its US investment team is led by Managing Principal Eric Poretsky. Further information is available at www.cainint.com.

About the Founders

Kendrick Ashton is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of The St. James, the premier sports, wellness and active entertainment destination brand in the country. Prior to founding The St. James, he was a founding member and managing director of Perella Weinberg Partners, an independent, global financial services firm. Kendrick began his career at Goldman Sachs where he executed mergers and acquisitions as well as debt and equity financings for companies across a broad range of industries. He earned a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School, an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an AB from the College of William & Mary.

Craig Dixon is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of The St. James, the premier sports, wellness and active entertainment destination brand in the country. Prior to founding The St. James, he was senior counsel at Smithfield Foods, a Fortune 250 global food business, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and was general counsel of one of its largest business units. Prior to joining Smithfield, he was a senior lawyer at McGuireWoods focusing on mergers and acquisitions and international project finance. Craig began his career as a law clerk to Honorable James Spencer of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. He earned a law degree from the College of William & Mary, a BBA from the College of William & Mary and is a graduate of Harvard Business School's Program for Leadership Development.

Considering these bios are covering many more sports and amenities than just soccer, this isn't surprising. What is the most obvious, however, is that the CEOs have probably done a deal or two like the FCV deal in their careers. So to the blowhards giving them M&A advice, I laugh. Yup, the former FCV dad knows more about M&A than guys that have been doing it for a living at the largest of companies and firms.

I have another idea for former FCV dad...post your resume (you can leave out company names and your name for anonymity) and we can see how much credibility you have. Then maybe we can take you a little more seriously than some message board gorilla.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small background on the new owners of FCV. You can read the utter and true passion for soccer in the brief bios:

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-st-james-brings-premium-sports-wellness-and-active-entertainment-destination-to-chicagoland-300703300.html?tc=eml_cleartime

About Cain International

Cain International is a diversified real estate company investing in both debt and equity opportunities in the UK, US and mainland Europe. Founded in 2014, the company has invested over $3 billion across a wide-ranging portfolio, including $2.3bn of debt financing and $800 million of equity across 1.8m square feet of office and retail space, 7,000 residential units and 7,000 hotel keys in the US, Europe and the Middle East. Cain International, a portfolio company of Eldridge Industries, is led by CEO Jonathan Goldstein and its US investment team is led by Managing Principal Eric Poretsky. Further information is available at www.cainint.com.

About the Founders

Kendrick Ashton is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of The St. James, the premier sports, wellness and active entertainment destination brand in the country. Prior to founding The St. James, he was a founding member and managing director of Perella Weinberg Partners, an independent, global financial services firm. Kendrick began his career at Goldman Sachs where he executed mergers and acquisitions as well as debt and equity financings for companies across a broad range of industries. He earned a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School, an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an AB from the College of William & Mary.

Craig Dixon is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of The St. James, the premier sports, wellness and active entertainment destination brand in the country. Prior to founding The St. James, he was senior counsel at Smithfield Foods, a Fortune 250 global food business, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and was general counsel of one of its largest business units. Prior to joining Smithfield, he was a senior lawyer at McGuireWoods focusing on mergers and acquisitions and international project finance. Craig began his career as a law clerk to Honorable James Spencer of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. He earned a law degree from the College of William & Mary, a BBA from the College of William & Mary and is a graduate of Harvard Business School's Program for Leadership Development.

Considering these bios are covering many more sports and amenities than just soccer, this isn't surprising. What is the most obvious, however, is that the CEOs have probably done a deal or two like the FCV deal in their careers. So to the blowhards giving them M&A advice, I laugh. Yup, the former FCV dad knows more about M&A than guys that have been doing it for a living at the largest of companies and firms.

I have another idea for former FCV dad...post your resume (you can leave out company names and your name for anonymity) and we can see how much credibility you have. Then maybe we can take you a little more seriously than some message board gorilla.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TSJ is in the sports club business not the youth soccer business. Buying FCV aids the former but I dont see how accumulating other clubs helps their primary focus since there is a limit to their soccer field access.

They would be buying a player pool is all. Adding another DA player pool to their mix would both strengthen their DA as well as the non purchased DA.

If I were TSJ, I would not be trying to build an entire youth system, I would concentrate on creating an elite DA club starting with a great core from FCV. I'd keep it small enough that I could house it in my own facility, and successful enough that it became the NOVA "destination" for the best of the best. I would not want to be messing with outdoor field space for U-littles, B-C-D teams, and all that. I don't think that sort of thing helps support your sports club profits.

A club can't build a DA program without feeder programs. US Soccer requires that a club can demonstrate a viable player pool to draw from to even be in the DA.

Anonymous wrote:Small background on the new owners of FCV. You can read the utter and true passion for soccer in the brief bios:

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-st-james-brings-premium-sports-wellness-and-active-entertainment-destination-to-chicagoland-300703300.html?tc=eml_cleartime

About Cain International

Cain International is a diversified real estate company investing in both debt and equity opportunities in the UK, US and mainland Europe. Founded in 2014, the company has invested over $3 billion across a wide-ranging portfolio, including $2.3bn of debt financing and $800 million of equity across 1.8m square feet of office and retail space, 7,000 residential units and 7,000 hotel keys in the US, Europe and the Middle East. Cain International, a portfolio company of Eldridge Industries, is led by CEO Jonathan Goldstein and its US investment team is led by Managing Principal Eric Poretsky. Further information is available at www.cainint.com.

About the Founders

Kendrick Ashton is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of The St. James, the premier sports, wellness and active entertainment destination brand in the country. Prior to founding The St. James, he was a founding member and managing director of Perella Weinberg Partners, an independent, global financial services firm. Kendrick began his career at Goldman Sachs where he executed mergers and acquisitions as well as debt and equity financings for companies across a broad range of industries. He earned a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School, an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an AB from the College of William & Mary.

Craig Dixon is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of The St. James, the premier sports, wellness and active entertainment destination brand in the country. Prior to founding The St. James, he was senior counsel at Smithfield Foods, a Fortune 250 global food business, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and was general counsel of one of its largest business units. Prior to joining Smithfield, he was a senior lawyer at McGuireWoods focusing on mergers and acquisitions and international project finance. Craig began his career as a law clerk to Honorable James Spencer of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. He earned a law degree from the College of William & Mary, a BBA from the College of William & Mary and is a graduate of Harvard Business School's Program for Leadership Development.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TSJ is in the sports club business not the youth soccer business. Buying FCV aids the former but I dont see how accumulating other clubs helps their primary focus since there is a limit to their soccer field access.

They would be buying a player pool is all. Adding another DA player pool to their mix would both strengthen their DA as well as the non purchased DA.

If I were TSJ, I would not be trying to build an entire youth system, I would concentrate on creating an elite DA club starting with a great core from FCV. I'd keep it small enough that I could house it in my own facility, and successful enough that it became the NOVA "destination" for the best of the best. I would not want to be messing with outdoor field space for U-littles, B-C-D teams, and all that. I don't think that sort of thing helps support your sports club profits.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TSJ is in the sports club business not the youth soccer business. Buying FCV aids the former but I dont see how accumulating other clubs helps their primary focus since there is a limit to their soccer field access.

They would be buying a player pool is all. Adding another DA player pool to their mix would both strengthen their DA as well as the non purchased DA.