Philadelphia investors have signed a letter of intent with Women's Professional Socccer regarding an expansion team for the 2010 season.
The Investor Group
Matthew Driver, CEO of the Delaware Valley’s Team Dynamic, LLC, will serve as managing partner of the Philadelphia WPS team. The investor group, which includes David Hershey, managing partner and owner of the NJ/NY Boat Show, will be comprised primarily of local members of the community with ties to the region’s many youth soccer programs. Driver plans to bring on additional investors within the next year.
In addition to serving as vice president of marketing for the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City, N.J., Driver’s list of soccer accomplishments is long, having served as first assistant coach of the MLS New England Revolution and founder of the South Jersey Barons, the first professional minor league soccer team in Southern New Jersey. Renowned for his innovative coaching philosophy focused on block defending and counterattacking schemes, Driver authored the book “Coaching Dynamics,” as well as produced and starred in three-best selling coaching videos. He holds several industry accreditations, including a USSF A License, NSCAA Premier License, NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, Brazilian A License and Scottish Football Association A-I License and has served as the State Director of Coaching for the NSCAA for the state of Delaware and as the Director of Olympic Development Program for Delaware.
Driver pioneered a minor league soccer system in the Delaware Valley and owns three WPSL teams - the AC Diablos in South Jersey; the CDSA Future in Dover, Del; and the Philadelphia Liberty in West Chester, Pa. - and one National Premier Soccer League (NPSL, Men) team in the immediate region. More than 100 of the nation’s top female college stars, many of whom aspire to play in WPS, already compete for Driver’s WPSL teams.
He is also the owner of the Youth Premier Soccer League (YPSL), the youth component of the WPSL and NPSL. Additionally, Driver operates a summer select youth program and runs camps and clinics servicing the Delaware Valley’s youth soccer clubs and associations. The minor league teams and their youth programs provide a natural connection to the local soccer community and are designed to help the Delaware Valley Region’s young players ascend the developmental ladder from youth to the minor to the pro ranks.
Synergies with MLS Philadelphia
Potential synergies between the Philadelphia WPS and MLS teams are already being explored. It is expected that the WPS team's home games will be played at MLS Philadelphia’s soccer-specific stadium to be built in Chester, Pa.
The WUSA Philadelphia Charge and Philadelphia's Soccer Background
Philadelphia, the nation’s fourth largest television market, provides a prime opportunity for WPS. The region, which extends from Eastern Pennsylvania to Southern New Jersey to Northern Delaware, boasts more than 400,000 registered youth and adult soccer participants. From 2001-2003, Philadelphia hosted a Women’s United Soccer Association team, the Charge, which exposed many fans in the area to professional women’s soccer. Moreover, even before MLS announced that it would establish a team in Philadelphia, nearly 2,000 eager fans pledged to buy season tickets.
More Information
Further details regarding Team Dynamic, LLC and the organization's WPSL teams and youth offerings can be found at teamdynamicsllc.com.
