Exclusive: San Francisco FC a potential USL team in 2019
SF Football Club’s logo. Image credit: SF FC
Nipun Chopra – Thanks for speaking to Soc Takes, Jordan. We understand you have information you’d like to share with everyone.
Jordan Gardner – Yes, we have applied for an USL expansion franchise in San Francisco to kickoff in Spring 2019. We’re still looking at venue sites in the city of San Francisco and the Bay area. We are hoping to finalize details and have an expansion announcement by the end of the year.
NC – Who is the “we” and why 2019 and not 2018?
JG – The “we” is an ownership group led by Nick Swinmurn, the founder of Zappos and owner of Burlingame Dragons. I will be part of the minority ownership group as well as the president and operator of the club. We are also speaking to several other investors who are interested that we can’t name at this time. We were looking originally at a Spring 2018 launch, but logistically we won’t be able to get a venue in place in time. We want to make sure we have a proper launch, buildup and go from there.
NC – Were there any other reasons other than the stadium that 2018 wasn’t possible? The reason I ask is, given the strong expansion efforts on the west coast by NASL this year, I wonder if USL would like to have SF-USL done sooner than 2019?
JG – The league has been very supportive with whatever timeline works for us. We felt that 2018 was too rushed and that 2019 would make better sense for us to launch and have the right pieces in place.
NC – Let me ask the question in a better way. What are the things that need to get done for the 2019 launch to happen?
JG – The only pieces missing ares the stadium and approval from United Soccer League. [Author’s note: A league source confirmed to Soc Takes that the league is interested in an SF team and that the stadium is “only problem” right now.]
NC – So why aren’t Dragons and yourself able to reveal who the investors are?
JG – For now, we are focusing on the majority local ownership. We do have people who are looking to get involved, but that’s something we’ll focus on down the road when the stadium is finalized.
NC – You were on the Soc Takes Pod (click here) and talked about the idiosyncrasies of the San Francisco market. You were also very critical of Deltas’ marketing, branding, etc. What convinces you that Dragons have all the pieces in place to make your USL bid in SF a success.
JG – We are looking at constructing a modular stadium. The stadium is a significant difference between what Deltas have done and what we are doing. I think our branding, marketing and infrastructure will be better than the Deltas. The USL already has an excellent infrastructure in place with other teams in the areas. Those are built-in rivalries. Whether it’s Sacramento, Reno or Fresno; which will reduce our travel cost as well. We see the league being significantly more stable. We like the business model of the USL, and it’s the model we believe in moving forward. We’re certainly not looking to lose millions like the Deltas are doing.
NC – We don’t know that for sure.
JG – Right. All I’m saying is that we feel we have a better ownership group to be successful.
Jordan Gardner will be the GM of the new planned SF-USL team. Credit: Burlingame Dragons
NC – What is the advantage of a modular stadium vs. Kezar? And, given the bottomless riches of Deltas’ 18-member ownership group, why are you convinced yours is better?
JG – The modular stadium gives us flexibility in terms of location and seating. We’re looking at building a world-class venue which will resonate in this market. We’re working with the same company as Phoenix Rising and plan to construct something similar. That’s a top-notch venue and I explained on the podcast why Kezar is not a viable venue. We also plan on providing premium amenities, beer gardens, in-game entertainment, scoreboard – the last of which they don’t have at Kezar. We’re looking towards a modern venue that is more in line with what fans are craving in this area.
In terms of ownership group — we are local — we have operated at the PDL level at a high and successful level. The Deltas are not necessarily in tune with the market dynamics. I believe their majority investor is in Brazil, whereas Nick and I are on the ground – we know the market and we have strong business acumen to design a business model for long-term success. The branding we are looking at is to name the team San Francisco football club. It’s simple and will resonate.
NC – How will your USL teams link with current PDL teams, in other words, what is the future of the Dragons, and will there be any relationship with SF City FC?
JG – We haven’t decided the future of Dragons in the PDL. most likely we’ll run the Dragons for another year and then revisit if we want to run the franchise as a base of our model. Obviously, we’d like to collaborate with PDL franchises around especially in terms of player development. Our PDL teams in the area produce top quality talent. We are really going to focus on player development – something the Deltas haven’t done.
NC – But as you said on the pod, on the pitch, you gave them (The Deltas) an A-grade.
JG – Right, but they’ve signed players from abroad, which is fine. But, we want to focus on developing players from our local community. Way down the road, we may start an academy, too, but it’s not a focus at this time.
NC – What do you think the soccer landscape will look like in 2019. Will there be other NASL and USL expansion teams in the area by the time your project goes live in 2019?
JG – I think there will be several west coast franchises coming in 2018 and 2019 or down the pipeline which will only help us. In terms of the landscape , it’s hard to tell. Unless the Deltas change what they’re doing, they will go out of business. So, whether they are around or not, we’d like to have a positive relationship with them. But, at the end of the day we are focused on our project and can’t predict the landscape.
Image credit: SF FC
NC – Why did you pick the USL over NASL?
JG – We never considered the NASL. Obviously the Deltas are already here. Also, the financial model of the USL; their front office infrastructure and the people working there are more in-line with what we want. Honestly, we think from those metrics, USL is far ahead of NASL. The decisions that USL makes from a league and club level are all about financial sustainability and making sure the game is growing. That is what has drawn Nick and I. Nick values stability. We see growth and expansion, we see Cincinnati and Sacramento and that’s what we are drawn to. We think the NASL works for some groups, but it’s not one that we think is viable long-term.
NC – My concern listening to you is this — 2-3 years ago, there was massive arrogance shown by NASL team owners/front office staff — and they were saying similar to what you are now. Has that shift happened with USL now? Are you worried about not delivering on these promises?
JG – I don’t think so. I think the USL/MLS partnership is strong. The USL has taken an ambitious approach to expansion and the growth of the game. But, I have no concern that they will not deliver on their ideas. They have a sound model at the D2 level. They are the top D2 league in the world on some metrics. I get what you mean, but, there’s a quiet confidence, not arrogance.
NC – What do you think happens if Deltas consolidates, has a good year next year. Are you worried that you come into 2019 on the defensive as a new team targeting a potentially already-sequestered SF market?
JG – The market is big enough for multiple franchises. Our modular stadium gives us great flexibility about where in the bay area we end up playing. So, from our perspective, whether or not the Deltas are around, it doesn’t really play into our decision making.
NC – Is there a specific part of town you’re targeting? Or a specific demographic? What is the vision to make this a success in a difficult market?
JG – We haven’t narrowed down the stadium site quite yet, we are certainly focused on San Francisco and San Mateo county, there is a large population there. We’re going to be talking to youth teams in the area. We believe that the name San Francisco football club will resonate through everyone in and around the Bay area. It’s one of the things Deltas have struggled with is – they don’t have any market share outside of the city.
I would say we are following the mold of LAFC and FC Cincinnati. While those might not be sexy names, we feel the fans in those cities identify with the fact that their community is being represented.
NC – Deltas have been a revelation in their desire to change the pre-existing dynamic of the NASL — they’ve encouraged collaboration and transparency. What sort of relationship can we expect between SF FC and Deltas in 2019?
We’re going to be in competition to garner market share and fan support. But, I think my personal opinion is the more soccer the better. Like I said earlier, the city isn’t close to an over-saturation point. Ideally, they can be successful and we can be successful too. Whether that happens, I don’t know, they need to figure out some issues, and truthfully, we still have things to get done ourselves.
NC – What about your relationship with the Earthquakes?
JG – We have a two year agreement to be the PDL affiliate for Earthquakes. We will continue that next year. Beyond that, they already have a USL affiliate in Reno.
NC – Thank you for your time.
JG – Thanks.
You can follow Jordan and the new team on Twitter at @DragonsPrez and @SFFC2019. You can follow Nipun on Twitter at @NipunChopra7.
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