In 2012, a thought arose in the mind of Warren Smith, and that was to start a soccer club in the heart of California. The idea of Sacramento Republic was born, and in July of 2013 the club had a name, a coach, and a mission; to become an MLS expansion franchise.
With the recent announcement of the inclusion of the Sacramento Kings and owner Vivek Ranadivé in the investment team the pieces had settled into the board. But after yesterday’s news that Jed York, owner of the San Francisco 49ers, would be joining as a minority investor, along with 49ers President Paraag Marathe and other 49er investors, it became clear that the club was willing to throw everything at Don Garber and the MLS Expansion Committee and make their upcoming decision easy.
MLS Dispatch: Sacramento Republic Add 49ers and Kings to Investment Team
In a single season in USL-Pro, Sacramento Republic FC broke the single season attendance record, sell-out streak, and won the championship, all while developing the framework that they would present to MLS. Additional investors were brought on board, including Kevin Nagle, a local investor in the Kings and major real estate developer. Larry Kelly was brought on, owner of the Sacramento Railyards, the largest urban infill project in the United States, and the team signed a letter of intent that, if awarded an MLS expansion franchise, a stadium will be built in the 240 acre area just north of downtown Sacramento.
And this week, the Sacramento Kings organization was brought on board, along with their majority owner Vivek Ranadivé. Known locally for his success in rescuing the NBA franchise from being sold to a Seattle ownership group and pioneering a new downtown arena currently under construction, his name brings untold community support to the effort. And now, with the inclusion of DeYor Enterprises, LLC, Jed York’s investment company, another major sports name has thrown its support behind the team.
The York family was connected with Nagle, Smith and the other investors by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. Already known for his grassroots effort to help secure Ranadivé and other local investors as new owners for the Kings and secure a downtown stadium, his support in the city and the soccer club were driving forces in presenting a deal too good to be true. And it wasn’t done just for the sake of having another sports franchise in town; it was done to help grow the city as a whole.
“Today, it feels like Sacramento just won the Super Bowl,” said Mayor Kevin Johnson. “To have Jed York of the San Francisco 49ers making this type of commitment to Sacramento and our region, it shows that we have arrived. With Sacramento Republic FC partnering with the 49ers, one of the premiere sports franchises in the world, we can’t be better positioned in our efforts to secure an MLS team, develop the Railyards, and most importantly create jobs and economic growth for our region.”
The Railyards, once a bustling industrial complex and home to one end of the Trans-Continental Railroad and the Southern Pacific Railroad headquarters, has long sat as unused and deserted land, mainly to the environmental damage done by the locomotive maintenance and painting performed there for over 100 years. Sitting on the north side of downtown Sacramento, when developed, it has the potential to more than double the entire urban core of the city.
It has long been believed that the keys Major League Soccer is looking for in an expansion franchise is a viable marketplace, including a passionate fan base, a downtown stadium solution and a strong ownership group. The Republic have clearly checked every box, and have actually gone above and beyond what MLS has asked of them. By adding Ranadivé with a net worth estimated around $800 Million, and Jed York, worth around $1.2 Billion, they clearly have shown they have a very strong ownership group. But more importantly, they’ve shown they are supporting the team as a region, not just a city. At a public event held in late-September with MLS President and Deputy Commissioner Mark Abbot, Mayor Johnson trotted out the surrounding suburbs Mayors and political representatives, showing this was a regional bid to MLS.
The on-going phrase around the city is “Sacramento is Built for MLS”. But maybe it’s really that Sacramento Valley is built for MLS, and with the 20th largest TV market, a regional population of 5 million, and over 9000 current season-ticket holders, the region is ready to welcome a new professional league to the most racially integrated city in the nation.
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