There’s a joke that gets told on the regular around lower league soccer circles, that you go into lower league soccer to lose money. And it’s mostly true. You can look through the history of soccer in this country and find innumerable names of soccer clubs long dead and buried. Due to the fact that most clubs don’t make money and die young, investment can be a bridge to far for most companies, leaving clubs in even more dire situations. When investment is made, it’s heralded and celebrated and this article is in that vein.

Last month, Motorik FC Alexandria announced that up and coming kit designer Olive and York had decided to make an investment into the club by purchasing an ownership share. Kenneth Tebo, Motorik club president, spoke about the connection between himself and Michael Schafer. “I believe the partnership between Olive & York and Motorik FC Alexandria came about as a result of game recognizing game. Michael and I are basically just two average guys of modest means who have chosen to harness our work ethic and dedication to pursue our dreams. We seem to share similar ideals, values, and principles in our approach to our respective projects.”

O&Y’s design earned Motorik 14th on Protagonist’s Yearly Kit list.

From Schafer’s perspective, investing in Motorik was the result of some long-term planning. “It's an idea we've been exploring for awhile now, probably about 18-20 months or so. It started when we relocated to Miami…I try to make O&Y as much about advancing lower league as possible, mostly by helping clubs look amazing, stand out from the pack, hopefully earn more revenue for their clubs and get more eyes on them to encourage sustainability. I see investing in a club as taking this idea and commitment to a new level.”

And while O&Y wanted to invest in a club, it was Motorik that made itself an attractive and eventual target. “So, we've been working with Kenneth (founder and head honcho at Motorik) for the past year on all kinds of things - multiple jerseys, jackets, scarves, hats and beanies - you name it. One thing that always stood out is how completely dedicated to the club he is. He'll do whatever is needed, at any time for them. The other major part that made this such a good fit was the ideals of the club and how it aligns with our vision. Motorik is all about access for players who might not otherwise have an opportunity. The club doesn't charge any try-out fees (rare), doesn't charge players for their own uniforms (rare), and does everything possible to ensure money is not a barrier to playing. Because of this, they've historically been a team full of immigrants and players who might be pushed out of participating in other clubs. We just loved the fact that they stand behind their beliefs of soccer for all and really put it into practice. That's something we believe strongly in and so it seemed like a great fit. They are also making the leap to the UPSL this spring. so the timing to bring in an investor was perfect for them as well.”

That move to the UPSL is a big one, both from an investor’s point of view. (as mentioned above) and Tebo's. The club had played well last season in the American Premier League Championship Division finishing runner up and just outside of promotion. That kind of success in a local league prompted Tebo to consider a move into a national league. “So, the day after our promotion playoff defeat, I reached out to the United Premier Soccer League to see if they might have a spot for Motorik FC Alexandria. They had been courting me to join the league since our club's earliest genesis, but I could no longer take acceptance into the league for granted since we had suffered such an abysmal 2021/2022 campaign on the pitch. I am extremely grateful that they did accept us because the UPSL has built itself into a recognizable brand around the Beltway, and local players acknowledge the league as an ideal competitive platform for developing their talent and pursuing greater opportunities for their footballing careers.”

The UPSL’s growth in the last couple of years made the league even more attractive for Tebo and Motorik. “For player recruitment, it is also beneficial that the UPSL can count Major League Soccer academy sides and clubs affiliated with prominent foreign clubs like PSG, Cesena FC, Olympiacos, Villarreal, etc. amongst its ranks…Beyond what I've already mentioned, I am excited to join the UPSL because it will be the first time that Motorik FC Alexandria is a member of a league that operates nation-wide. Alexandria is pretty much the butt-end of the Northeastern Megalopolos, and I am extremely proud for us to be a part of this region and believe that the Northeast contains the greatest clubs and footballing minds that this country has to offer.”

O&Y’s USMNT WC kits blew up the internet.

The infusion of an investing partner (about 15% of the ownership) brings some added benefits as well, due to the nature of Olive and York’s actual business. The relationship between the club and kit provider began before they joined officially, and Tebo speaks glowingly about the quality of Olive and York’s business approach. “It all started with my decision to adopt Olive & York as the kit provider of Motorik FC Alexandria. Despite the buzz that our amazing kit designs have generated among the kit connoisseur crowd in the US & UK (our 2021/2022 Home Kit designed by the talented Koncept Kitz earned us the 8th spot in Protagonist USA's 21 Top Kits of 2021), our actual kit sales have always been fairly negligible…I was highly impressed with the amount of effort Olive & York invested in hyping their brand and advertising the gear of their client clubs, so I thought that taking them on as our kit provider could potentially lead to an increase in our sales which, in turn, would augment the sustainability of our club.” Now the club has a part-owner who has every reason to make them the best dressed in the country.

From Schafer’s and O&Y’s perspective that is exactly the plan. “O&Y will be focusing on merchandise, website, social media - basically connecting with the fans and bringing unique kits and merchandise that sets Motorik apart from other UPSL clubs. Kenneth and Coach Ayon Basu have built a great competitive team and environment, so we don't want to step in and try to mess around with any of the backroom stuff.”

For lower league soccer it’s the kind of story everyone wants to hear. A club, building a footprint in local soccer, getting investment from an up and coming soccer supplier. It’s a match made in heaven and hopefully a sign of more investment to come.

- Dan Vaughn