LA Times · Jan 7, 2025
Why one pro soccer team in Orange County has 1,463 shareholders
Owners of the Orange County Soccer Club and their families gather before a game in July.David McNeil always wanted to own a professional soccer team.
“It was a bucket-list thing,” he said.
Unfortunately, that bucket wasn’t holding the $500 million it would cost to buy into MLS or even the $20 million it would cost to join the second-tier USL Championship. He and his wife, Sheri, could spare a few hundred dollars, however, so when the Orange County Soccer Club offered the chance to become a stakeholder in the team for as little as $100, they put $12,500 in — and David added a line to his LinkedIn page identifying him as the owner of a pro sports franchise.