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F.C. New York owner meets the Borough Boys
By Dylan Butler April 8, 2009
For nearly two years, Nick Laveglia was the president of a supporters’ group without a team to support. The Borough Boys was formed when rumors of a Major League Soccer franchise calling Queens home began circulating.
“We just wanted to do whatever we could to bring the game to New York City on a professional level,” he said. “We started off as a grassroots organization based on some rumors.”
The Borough Boys finally have a team to cheer on, but it’s not a New York City-based MLS squad. With the New York Mets’ ownership focusing more on baseball and newly opened Citi Field, the announcement was made last week that F.C. New York will play in the United Soccer Leagues’ First Division, a second-tier league below Major League Soccer according to the U.S. Soccer Federation.
On Wednesday night, the supporters met the club they’ve been waiting to root for as Doug Petersen, who makes up the ownership group with Jo-Ellen Treiber, answered questions from members of the Borough Boys at Acquista Trattoria in Fresh Meadows.
“Just the fact he took time out of his schedule to meet a small group of supporters shows he’s really interested in what the supporters think and what they have to say and that’s important to us,” Laveglia said.
For about two hours in an informal setting, Petersen addressed several issues about the future of F.C. New York and how it relates to the supporters’ group.
While F.C. New York will call Hofstra University’s Shuart Stadium its primary home in 2010, Petersen said there is a likelihood venues inside the five boroughs would be utilized as well, listing Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island, Columbia’s Baker Field and Belson Stadium at St. John’s as possibilities.
“Hofstra is not the answer,” Petersen told the supporters. “We don’t want to be there for more than a year or two.”
The long-term plan, Petersen said, is to have a soccer-specific stadium of their own in Queens with the area by John F. Kennedy Airport and Willets Point two potential destinations.
“Yeah, in the short-term people will say they play at Hofstra, but listening to Mr. Petersen, their long-term goal is to be New York City’s team,” Laveglia said. “So now this city has a team and it’s time to support them.”
When asked about the possibility of F.C. New York following USL-1 teams like the Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers to Major League Soccer in 2012 or 2013, Petersen said the “MLS model is not good for us in terms of acquiring players, transfer fees and perspective partners. … There is no plan today to go to MLS.”
But Petersen also pointed out that he wouldn’t rule that out in the future.
As for a potential partner, Petersen said he is currently negotiating with four different European-based clubs and expects to finalize a deal by the middle of this month. From there, he said, the club will begin to hire its coaches and technical staff.
“Whoever the coach will be, whether they be American or foreign, they’re going to really have to be versed in what we’re doing,” he said.
Petersen called the past week “berserk,” with calls and résumés flying into his Garden City office.
“I had a two-time member of the national team knock on my door today and a former coach in MLS knock on my door,” Petersen said.
While USL clubs don’t have the salary cap restrictions seen in MLS, Petersen said it is unlikely the team will spend frivolously on players in the beginning.
“We’re going to do the best we can with the budget we have knowing that we have to start small,” he said. “It would be less than prudent to spend money unbridled because we’re looking over the long term.”
While a coach and the players have yet to be selected and while it’s not quite the MLS team they were hoping to land, Laveglia and his group are excited about supporting a professional team that will play in New York City.
“So what if it’s not MLS? It’s still USL and it makes New York look even better if we can get a couple thousand people behind the goal singing for a second division team,” Laveglia said. “But in our eyes, this is the club for the city, the club people should embrace.”
dbutler@fiveborosports.com
“We just wanted to do whatever we could to bring the game to New York City on a professional level,” he said. “We started off as a grassroots organization based on some rumors.”
The Borough Boys finally have a team to cheer on, but it’s not a New York City-based MLS squad. With the New York Mets’ ownership focusing more on baseball and newly opened Citi Field, the announcement was made last week that F.C. New York will play in the United Soccer Leagues’ First Division, a second-tier league below Major League Soccer according to the U.S. Soccer Federation.
On Wednesday night, the supporters met the club they’ve been waiting to root for as Doug Petersen, who makes up the ownership group with Jo-Ellen Treiber, answered questions from members of the Borough Boys at Acquista Trattoria in Fresh Meadows.
“Just the fact he took time out of his schedule to meet a small group of supporters shows he’s really interested in what the supporters think and what they have to say and that’s important to us,” Laveglia said.
For about two hours in an informal setting, Petersen addressed several issues about the future of F.C. New York and how it relates to the supporters’ group.
While F.C. New York will call Hofstra University’s Shuart Stadium its primary home in 2010, Petersen said there is a likelihood venues inside the five boroughs would be utilized as well, listing Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island, Columbia’s Baker Field and Belson Stadium at St. John’s as possibilities.
“Hofstra is not the answer,” Petersen told the supporters. “We don’t want to be there for more than a year or two.”
The long-term plan, Petersen said, is to have a soccer-specific stadium of their own in Queens with the area by John F. Kennedy Airport and Willets Point two potential destinations.
“Yeah, in the short-term people will say they play at Hofstra, but listening to Mr. Petersen, their long-term goal is to be New York City’s team,” Laveglia said. “So now this city has a team and it’s time to support them.”
When asked about the possibility of F.C. New York following USL-1 teams like the Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers to Major League Soccer in 2012 or 2013, Petersen said the “MLS model is not good for us in terms of acquiring players, transfer fees and perspective partners. … There is no plan today to go to MLS.”
But Petersen also pointed out that he wouldn’t rule that out in the future.
As for a potential partner, Petersen said he is currently negotiating with four different European-based clubs and expects to finalize a deal by the middle of this month. From there, he said, the club will begin to hire its coaches and technical staff.
“Whoever the coach will be, whether they be American or foreign, they’re going to really have to be versed in what we’re doing,” he said.
Petersen called the past week “berserk,” with calls and résumés flying into his Garden City office.
“I had a two-time member of the national team knock on my door today and a former coach in MLS knock on my door,” Petersen said.
While USL clubs don’t have the salary cap restrictions seen in MLS, Petersen said it is unlikely the team will spend frivolously on players in the beginning.
“We’re going to do the best we can with the budget we have knowing that we have to start small,” he said. “It would be less than prudent to spend money unbridled because we’re looking over the long term.”
While a coach and the players have yet to be selected and while it’s not quite the MLS team they were hoping to land, Laveglia and his group are excited about supporting a professional team that will play in New York City.
“So what if it’s not MLS? It’s still USL and it makes New York look even better if we can get a couple thousand people behind the goal singing for a second division team,” Laveglia said. “But in our eyes, this is the club for the city, the club people should embrace.”
dbutler@fiveborosports.com