USL San Diego: Executives quickly assemble for MLS dream
USL San Diego appointed the youngest principal owner in the league to begin play in 2020. But ultimately they seek an MLS franchise.
Rapidly preparing for play in 2020, USL San Diego named Andrew Vassiliadis club Chairman, the league’s youngest principal owner at age 36. He joins soccer legend Landon Donovan, Executive Vice President for Soccer Operations.
San Diego native Vassiliadis brings a unique set of marketing and business skills to the league. After college, he returned to his family’s large real estate business in the area and headed their philanthropic efforts as Vice President of the Vassiliadis Foundation.
Among other efforts, the organization helped the construction of the Advanced Surgery Ward of the University of California San Diego Jacob Medical Center and supports the San Diego Zoo.
In marketing, Vassiliadis spent 15 years in entertainment, highlighted by the launch of Another Way of Life LLC, which hosted music-related events around the world. He was the lead investor in the Mention My Biz app.
This app evolved into Well IQ. This platform lets patients give real-time feedback on the care they get from healthcare organizations and staff. At the same time, their software allows providers to reward their personnel for meeting objectives and goals.
Hear from @USLSanDiego Chairman Andrew Vassiliadis as the club builds toward its inaugural 2020 season in the @USLChampionship. #BeChampions pic.twitter.com/0qZsTSVL4k
— Nicholas Murray (@NJEMurray) October 1, 2019
Vassiliadis also has a recognized background in soccer. He coaches soccer, as well as volleyball, at this alma mater, the Francis Parker School. He has a record of supporting sports and education for youth that fits the missions of USL San Diego.
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Besides the mission of growing professional soccer in San Diego in USL, supporters see the move as more evidence of the long-term goal of MLS expansion. Behind the appointment of Vassiliadis and Donovan in the USL San Diego organization, the growing group of early supporters sees a long-term effort to bring MLS to San Diego.
MLS movers and shakers especially know Donovan, the MLS all-time assists leader who has also earned 157 caps for the U.S. National Team. At this time, San Diego leaders and media concede they now reside on the sidelines of any consideration for MLS expansion. They have a lot of work to do to get in the heads of the MLS Board of Governors. But that does not mean the MLS dream has fallen entirely flat.
Sacramento Republic FC have all but been finally approved for MLS expansion. That USL franchise’s co-founder, Warren Smith, also co-founded USL San Diego and now serves as president. He will quietly and systematically work to get San Diego on a list of future MLS expansion cities.
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Smith definitely has the most ambitious slate of executives who will not be at all content to push paper on their desks and run Keurig cups in the break room. The developing USL San Diego front office is a collection of ambitious Type-A executives who will finish assembling a competitive franchise. And in turn, they hope that will eventually draw MLS to their city.