NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 21: A view of the Williamsburg Bridge and the borough of Brooklyn behind ... [+]
Brooklyn will have its own professional soccer team starting in 2025, a spokesperson from the United Soccer League confirmed in our most recent interview.
The newly-born franchise, which is controlled by New York-based family office North Sixth Group, will begin competing in the USL League One, the nation’s third-tier of soccer, with the league’s official announcement expected in the upcoming weeks.
“This has been my baby for the last two years, I haven't told anybody about it,” NSG’s CEO Matt Rizzetta told me in an exclusive conversation.
“The vision is to bring world-class professional soccer to Brooklyn and to really turn Brooklyn into an international destination for soccer ahead of the 2026 World Cup.”
The Figures Behind The Deal
CAMPOBASSO, ITALY: Matt Rizzetta, CEO of New York-based family office North Sixth Group and majority ... [+]
While Rizzetta didn’t disclose the exact amount of the investment, he said that NSG “got great value” for a franchise in Brooklyn after a monthslong negotiation.
In 2025, the Brooklyn franchise will make its debut in the USL League One, the third-tier of the North American soccer pyramid. By 2028, the team might exercise the option to enroll in the USL Championship, the highest division of the USL and one level beneath Major League Soccer, as long as certain benchmarks, such as relocating to a more spacious stadium, are met.
(For context, the expansion fees to join the USL Championship and USL League One respectively sell for $20 million and $5 million.)
New York City Mayor Eric Adams C speaks at a launch ceremony of 2026 FIFA World Cup official brand ... [+]
Between now and the end of the club’s debut campaign, Rizzetta expects to inject over $10 million, with the largest chunk of these financial resources being directed towards operating costs like merchandise, promotional campaigns and housing for the players.
“The cost of doing business in Brooklyn is significantly higher [than it is in other cities across the U.S.]. Because we don't have unlimited resources, we have to elbow our way into a lot of these deals.” said Rizzetta in our interview.
“We have to make sure we are comfortable with the downside risk of the investment because for Brooklyn, the upside is enormous, as it has the potential to be one of the most valuable brands in American soccer.”
Brooklyn’s International Vision
Matt Rizzetta, majority owner of Campobasso 1919, with Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa
Rizzetta, 40, has been operating soccer clubs in Italy since 2020. He is currently a minority shareholder in Serie B side Ascoli and the majority owner of Campobasso 1919, Italy’s Wrexham-like club in which American television personalities Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are also investors.
Rizzetta explained that over a year ago, after talking with league executives from the MLS and USL, he was presented with the opportunity to buy into an expansion franchise in North American soccer. It took NSG several months to identify the target of its investment.
“We will invest, but we’ll do it under one condition: We want Brooklyn,” Rizzetta remembers saying.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 27: Justin Papadakis, Chief Operating Officer of the United Soccer ... [+]
USL Deputy CEO Justin Papadakis spoke about the league’s decision to grant Brooklyn and NSG a new expansion franchise.
“With world-renowned arts, food, music, and nightlife, a tremendous mix of cultures among more than 2.6 million residents, and immense local pride, Brooklyn is a perfect home for a professional USL club,” Papadakis said.
“Matt Rizzetta and his New York-based team at North Sixth Group are assembling a first-class ownership group that we are thrilled to welcome to the USL, especially given their local ties, experience in owning professional clubs in Italy, and expertise in creating, promoting, and scaling companies across various sectors.”
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 13: An aerial view of the Greenpoint - Williamsburg Waterfront on August 13, ... [+]
Rizzetta wants his franchise to follow the European model by being “independent and entrepreneurial in nature,” drifting away from North America’s traditional sports franchise models. Specifically, he pointed to how soccer clubs in North American leagues tend to be heavily regulated in most profit-making activities like player sales and the ability to strike independent sponsorship agreements.
“We like the idea of being a disruptive, more independent model that can be a challenger to the larger clubs in American soccer, leaning on the appeal of Brooklyn and our global operating skills and network as our differentiators.”
He also sees a lot of market potential in the borough’s demographic diversity, as Brooklyn’s population features ethnicities from all over the globe, including Asian, Hispanic and European countries.
“The ethnic communities will support their club if there are players of that ethnicity,” said Rizzetta. “And brands will follow as sponsors.”
Road to 2026 World Cup
HARRISON, NEW JERSEY - MAY 13: New York Red Bulls fans celebrate after a win against New York City ... [+]
Climbing through the ranks of North American soccer would contribute to boosting the team’s brand in the New York metropolitan area, a market that already boasts two MLS clubs, the New York RedBulls and New York City FC.
“There is already competition from the MLS teams in New Jersey and with NYCFC,” Rizzetta admitted. “We are entering a competitive market but we’re entering that market with experience and I think with a differentiated brand.”
Rizzetta’s vision is to make the new Brooklyn-based team a stepping stone for young, talented players who wish to launch their careers and get exposure on the professional stage.
“We are going to look to recruit under-20 national team players who are one or two contracts away from their first major deal,” said Rizzetta.
The soccer project doesn’t stop with the men’s side but aims to create a comprehensive platform that also includes a women's team and a youth academy. In a two years’ time, the franchise looks to have its own team competing in the USL Super League (USLS), a women’s professional soccer league that rivals the current National Women’s Soccer League and is poised to launch in August 2024.
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Lionel Messi of Argentina kisses the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 ... [+]
The Brooklyn franchise’s broader vision is to establish itself across all levels of North American soccer ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place in stadiums throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
As the nation prepares to host the world’s most watched sporting event, league executives believe this is the perfect time to give Brooklyn its own professional soccer team.
“Brooklyn is a globally recognized home for what’s cool now and what’s going to be cool next. We believe that the Brooklyn USL club will become a leading soccer brand not only in the United States, but also around the world,” said Papadakis.
“We look forward to working together with the club and the passionate soccer fans of Brooklyn as we continue to shape the future of soccer in America.”
