Feb. 12, 2008 RUNNING THE SHOW Sakiewicz optimistic about Philly market
Nick Sakiewicz Red Bulls photo
By Michael Lewis
BigAppleSoccer.com Editor
Having experienced just about everything – the good, bad and ugly --in MLS since the first years of the league one certainly helps when you're trying to secure an expansion team.
Just ask former MetroStars general manager and president Nick Sakiewicz, who is part of the ownership group that is trying to secure a franchise for the Philadelphia market. Sakiewicz will be CEO and operating partner.
"The best way I can describe it is that you have a long list of stuff -- some that you do and some that you don't," Sakiewicz said in telephone interview from Philadelphia Tuesday morning.
"We tried this and it didn't work. We tried this and it worked really well. Let's try it in Philadelphia."
Sakiewicz was the general manager of the Tampa Bay Mutiny from 1996-1999 before becoming GM and president of the MetroStars from 2000-2005. He was president of Anschutz Entertainment Group New York/New Jersey in 2005 until he joined the group of Philadelphia investors trying to secure an expansion team in the 13-year-old league this past December.
It appears that FC Pennsylvania L.L.C., the owner-investor group that wants a team in Chester, Pa., has most, if not all of its i's dotted and t's crossed. It has the investors and the state backing for a soccer-specific stadium. Sakiewicz has plenty of background in the latter as the driving force behind Red Bull Park.
St. Louis is Philadelphia’s biggest competitor for the 16th MLS team, although Sakiewicz didn’t think they were in a race.
"I don't like to put a name on front-runner or running from behind," Sakiewicz said. "Frankly, we've never been in a race with St. Louis. That’s been you guys. We hope St. Louis comes into the league. They're a great city. I know Jeff Cooper. He's done a great job."
Originally, MLS gave the teams a Jan. 31 deadline, but at the MLS SuperDraft Jan. 18, commissioner Don Garber said the league would make a decision in 30-45 days.
Asked whether he thought MLS would make Philadelphia the league's 16th team soon, Sakiewicz replied," I don't know. That's a Garber question more than a question for me. We're having good, positive discussions with the league.
"Hopefully, we will make an announcement in the near future."
Sakiewicz's responsibilities mean he will be in charge of everything in the real estate development, the stadium (in Chester, Pa.) and the team for Keystone Sports and Entertainment, which will run the team.
"I am the guy on the ground operating the business," he said.
The team will not have a general manager, but a team manager in charge of the sporting end and a president whose dues will be the commercial end, which includes marketing and ticket sales.
In contrast to Tampa Bay and the MetroStars, where he inherited a ton of problems, headaches and baggage, especially in the latter, Sakiewicz likes starting with a blank slate.
"It's really fun," he said. "Here, you get to work in a market with a clean sheet. With the two teams, I ran, I inherited some history. This is a different challenge.
"This is a robust sports market with some great fans."
