Seattle Reign finally officially sold to Sounders

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Seattle Reign finally officially sold to Sounders, Carlyle Group

13 hours ago
SEATTLE — The sale of Seattle Reign FC transferring ownership from Eagle Football Group (formerly OL Groupe) to the Ownership Group of Seattle Sounders FC and global investment firm Carlyle is finally complete. The completion of a final Purchase and Sale Agreement that unites Seattle’s top-flight men’s and women’s professional soccer teams for the first time in the city’s history was announced Monday morning.




“This announcement is about keeping one of the top women’s teams in the world locally rooted in our community for generations of fans to enjoy. I am a deep admirer of the Reign organization, and alongside our new partners at Carlyle, we are excited to steward this incredible club,” Sounders FC Owner Adrian Hanaeuer said in a press release. “Our goal is to be a standard-bearer in global soccer. This means creating a first-class environment for players, staff and fans, while staying authentic to our community. For anyone that loves the sport of soccer and its place in Seattle, today’s news brings everyone together and allows us all to run toward an incredible future.”

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This is a good move long term for women's/girls soccer in the area. However, it also means that Sounders girls youth program will matchup with the boys program, a single girls team at the U15 and U17 ages. The other girls will go back to their local clubs. Starting next year

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They aren't going to fold the reign youth club

[Guest]

They aren't going to fold the reign youth club

Trust me I know the Sounders youth organization. They will skinny it back to its important essence. Their model is to run their couple of developmental academy boys teams to develope potential players for the first team and if the academy boys are not at a level for a pro contract by 17 they send them on their way. They look to partner with other youth clubs, they won't compete with them, full stop.

Their is no interest at the Sounders in expending the energy or money to develope an 18 year old female player who is going to graduate to the shoreline community college women's team. It would make no business sense.

[Guest]

Trust me I know the Sounders youth organization. They will skinny it back to its important essence. Their model is to run their couple of developmental academy boys teams to develope potential players for the first team and if the academy boys are not at a level for a pro contract by 17 they send them on their way. They look to partner with other youth clubs, they won't compete with them, full stop.

Their is no interest at the Sounders in expending the energy or money to develope an 18 year old female player who is going to graduate to the shoreline community college women's team. It would make no business sense.

It makes plenty of business sense. Unlike on the boys side, Reign Academy isn’t free— it’s cash flow positive and adds to the base of frequent paying attendees at the pro games. There also isn’t a girls league with two year age group teams, unlike on the boys side with mls next.

[Guest]

Trust me I know the Sounders youth organization. They will skinny it back to its important essence. Their model is to run their couple of developmental academy boys teams to develope potential players for the first team and if the academy boys are not at a level for a pro contract by 17 they send them on their way. They look to partner with other youth clubs, they won't compete with them, full stop.

Their is no interest at the Sounders in expending the energy or money to develope an 18 year old female player who is going to graduate to the shoreline community college women's team. It would make no business sense.

They will care about them becoming pro Reigns.

[Guest]

So where will the Reign pro players train now?

[Guest]

So where will the Reign pro players train now?

They took over Starfire right next door to Sounders new facility, old news

[Guest]

They took over Starfire right next door to Sounders new facility, old news

No, they used to train at Starfire. There was a field all closed off and dedicated just for Reign. But now the fence has been removed and youth teams practice there instead.

[Guest]

No, they used to train at Starfire. There was a field all closed off and dedicated just for Reign. But now the fence has been removed and youth teams practice there instead.

And now they took over the grass field in the back and the locker room and fitness facilities that were the sounders before they moved to longacres. The fenced off grass field in the front was just temporary while waiting for sounders to move out.

[Guest]

The Reign youth academy will continue. It is a profitable entity. It makes perfect “business sense” to maintain it. Heck, the youth program may be more profitable than the senior side.

[Guest]

The Reign youth academy will continue. It is a profitable entity. It makes perfect “business sense” to maintain it. Heck, the youth program may be more profitable than the senior side.

Marcus and crew have zero interest in making $10k/year from youth soccer. The pro model is to have a single u15 and u17 youth team to grow a few player for the first team and potentially sell a few others any more players are just a distraction for the vision of a pro club. The WPL girls will all be gone in a year..

[Guest]

Marcus and crew have zero interest in making $10k/year from youth soccer. The pro model is to have a single u15 and u17 youth team to grow a few player for the first team and potentially sell a few others any more players are just a distraction for the vision of a pro club. The WPL girls will all be gone in a year..

Sure. In 5 or 10 years when there’s a market for academy girls and when it’s better than the draft. Until then, rumors of Reign Academy’s demise are greatly exaggerated.