Hometown Soccer Holdings CEO Tom Glick said by moving MLS Next Pro teams to nearby mid-sized markets, it enables affiliated MLS clubs to “expand its fan base,” according to Erik Spanberg of the CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL. Hometown Soccer Holdings, created by KKR and MLS to revamp MLS Next Pro, is consolidating ownership of the development league’s 30 existing clubs, 27 of which are owned by parent MLS clubs and moving them to mid-sized regional cities. Glick said the move of Next Pro teams to nearby regional cities will “draw more fans not only of that local club but knowing it’s closely linked and the players have a pathway into that Major League Soccer club.” Glick said that moving to the new structure of having Hometown Soccer running “most or all of the teams will take several years.” At the same time, “new clubs will be added annually over the next five to seven years.” He noted, “The key will be having the right markets, the right facilities — we’ll be partnering with municipalities to do great facilities that become the beating heart of their downtowns.” The shift in strategy and ownership to Hometown Soccer “will introduce many more independent clubs, with expansion planned on an annual basis.” While the initial focus is on men’s teams in MLS’ developmental league, Glick “left open the possibility of moving into women’s pro soccer at some point in the future” (CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/6).
