June 8, 2009 THE NEXT GAME IN TOWN FC New York's owner talks about his vision of soccer in New York
FC New York co-owner Doug Petersen talks about his team, which will make its USL debut in 2010. Photo courtesy of FC New York
By William Smith
BigAppleSoccer.com Correspondent
You really can’t blame local soccer fans for looking at next year’s calendar longingly. With the Red Bulls enduring a catastrophic season and the U.S. National Team playing less than tantalizing soccer in World Cup qualifying, it’s easy to look ahead a year and dream of what might be.
So, if you are looking for a feel-good story in 2010, you might want focus instead on USL-1, which FC New York will be joining as an expansion club next season. The addition of the club will expand the USL’s First Division to 13 teams.
The team’s ownership group, led by New York natives Jo-Ellen Treiber and Doug Petersen, announced their arrival during an April 1 press conference and are prepared to make a long-term impact on the New York soccer scene. In fact, they are working late into the night at it as this writer learned when Doug Peterson was good enough to respond to my submitted questions deep into the night via e-mail one evening last week. He and I discussed a variety of topics, which, for the benefit of the reader, was broken down into three topics:
* Off the field issues
* On the field issues
* Long term vision
Off the field issues
BigAppleSoccer.com: The New York area has a mixed history with regard to professional soccer. The New York Cosmos were a great success, but eventually burned out in a sea of red ink. The MetroStars/Red Bulls have failed to connect with New York sports fans in general and the NY area soccer fans in particular. The Long Island Rough Riders slid backwards from the USL-1 to the PDL. Why do you feel you will succeed where others have failed? What will you be doing differently?
Doug Petersen: The Cosmos were a great success and that was 25 years ago. The New York Field Club of the old American Soccer League did okay until the Depression started. What is different today is that there is at least one full generation of fans now that grew up playing soccer and they want a local team to follow. The diversity of the population over the last five years from "futbol friendly" countries has grown. Also with soccer getting more TV coverage and Dish and Verizon Fios and whatever, it makes it easier to enjoy watching the sport and that was close to impossible 25 years ago. As for the MetroStars/Red Bulls, they are over in New Jersey and we are looking for fans East of the West Side highway. The Long Island Rough Riders. I have great respect [for] Jim Kilmeade (a member of FCNY's advisory board) and his efforts as GM in their years of greatness and I have no comment on the years since then. We believe our plans will succeed because this is a business for us and we treat it as such and we have some great people advising us like Jim Kilmeade, (Former MetroStar and Rough Rider) Travis Rinker, Mark Francis and Almut Von Biedermann along with solid professional counsel. As for what we will do different? I‘d rather not speak about what others have done, but we will be open to ideas and do our very best to connect with the great and diverse fans of New York.
BAS: One of the big complaints about RBNY is that they have been outside of the city and not accessible by mass transit and won't be until Red Bull Arena opens up in 2010. Though you will be "NYC's team", you will be playing your home games at Hofstra University initially, which is also not reachable by subway. How will you overcome this perception of being just another suburban soccer team?
Petersen: Let me state that our plans are to be "New York's" team and concentrate on fans from the five boroughs plus Nassau/Suffolk. As for Hofstra, Jack Hayes and his team have been wonderful to us and their stadium is great. We know that we need our own facility and that is something we will work hard to attain. Hofstra is temporary, but can be reached by bus and train at nearby Hempstead station. The "perception" is really based on one's point of view.
BAS: Are there any plans to play any of your games within the city limits in 2010? If so, where?
Petersen: We hope to play a number of matches within the city limits, but nothing today is set.
BAS: When we will FC NY merchandise by available for purchase?
Petersen: We plan to have our home kit in stores for Christmas.
BAS: The team was announced with great fanfare on April 1, 2009, but very little has been heard since. What sort of work is going on behind the scenes?
Petersen: Well, the fanfare was years in the making. It’s only been 60 days. There is a lot going on out of public view. Exciting stuff; which is why we are doing this interview at 9 p.m.
BAS: What sort of advertising will the team be doing in the run-up to the 2010 season? When will the web-site be updated?
Petersen: Advertising is still getting sorted. We have ads for La Tribuna Hispana and what we like to call Guerilla marketing. The new website is on the shelf ready to go, we are waiting on finalizing the domain address.
On the field issues
BAS: There are rumors on the internet that FC NY has agreed to terms with Sheffield United and that they will be your partner in 2010? Is this true? Is an announcement imminent? If this is not true, is the team still seeking a partner and is that announcement imminent?
Petersen: We have had extensive discussions with Sheffield United along with other fine clubs. Once a partner is determined, we will have an announcement. Our discussions with clubs has been on going since the fall and we want the best all-around situation for F.C. New York. New opportunities (clubs) have sought us out since learning about us from April 1.
BAS: What is the scope and depth of any partnership with a European team? Will there be player exchanges? Shared facilities?
Petersen: Partnerships participation varies with each club we speak with. The challenge for us is comparing the features and benefits of each.
BAS: What sort of budget are we looking at in 2010 for player salaries and transfers?
Petersen: We will take a conservative approach as we build our club, but we want to win!
BAS: Has any thought been given to signing a "bigger name" - type player to steal some publicity from your cross-the-Hudson rivals who will be opening a new stadium in 2010?
Petersen: Sure, I think about that, but I really think big names will be built in New York. My son wanted me to call Christian Vieri because he thought Vieri would love to come to New York, I told him to find his telephone number.
(Writer’s note: I don’t have Vieri’s phone number, but he IS on Facebook. He can be reached at: www.facebook.com/people/Christian-Vieri/1476396424)
BAS: What is the timeline for hiring a coach, scouts, signing players, etc?
Petersen: Some coaches are being interviewed now, but we want to get our partners input first if we can. The rest will follow.
BAS: Will FC NY be emphasizing local talent or casting a worldwide net in terms of hiring staff and signing players?
Petersen: We have thought for some time that there is a large pool of talented players in our backyard. We need to find them and give them a venue to showcase their skills. The USL rules allow us to carry seven foreign players and we have our own people around the globe scouting, not to mention the interest (CV's, video's, etc.) that come unsolicited to our office.
BAS: Where do you see the team playing in five years? In its own stadium? A rented facility? In Queens? Long Island?
Petersen: Certainly in our own stadium, it’s vital! I love Queens! Heck I was born there, but Nassau officials, since April 1, have stepped up and expressed their desire to offer possibilities for us. We want to be a good corporate citizen.
BAS: Is the plan to be the best team in the USL or eventually move into MLS?
Petersen: We like the USL model as do all the possible partners we have spoken to. Controlling our own players and the ease of moving players through the transfer windows makes it the better choice for us.
BAS: Do you feel that a merger between the USL and MLS is inevitable, especially if your team begins to outdraw and outperform its "cross-the-Hudson" competition?
Petersen: I believe the image of the USL will quickly catch up to the on the field performance of the league (which certainly gives the MLS a run for their money at every match-up). I don't have time to ponder mergers theories or aliens in Roswell. We will continue to work hard to win the fans of New York.
