WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>Time for a soccer down here one v one and

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<v Speaker 1>for this one, we go to Jacksonville and catch up

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<v Speaker 1>with a friend of the network, President and CEO of

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<v Speaker 1>Sporting Club Jacksonville Sportingjax dot com on the worldwide Web,

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<v Speaker 1>Steve Livingston. Steve, great to see you. We got a

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<v Speaker 1>lot to talk about, don't we, brother.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, we got a couple of things.

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<v Speaker 3>Joan, great to see you again, and I'm glad to

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<v Speaker 3>see you working away there and getting the good news out.

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<v Speaker 2>So it was a pleasure.

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<v Speaker 1>I want to work backward here and start with the

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<v Speaker 1>most recent stuff and then go to the other announcement.

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<v Speaker 1>It was a really busy day and a big day

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<v Speaker 1>for the franchise where you now have an announcement about

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<v Speaker 1>women's professional soccer. It is the USL Super League that

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<v Speaker 1>you're now going to be a part of. You've got

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<v Speaker 1>a venue. Everything seems to be fitting in place now.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I mean the announcement the other day was monumental

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<v Speaker 3>for us.

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<v Speaker 2>Historic as well.

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<v Speaker 3>This is the first ever women's professional, high level women's

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<v Speaker 3>professional sports team that Jacksonville has ever had. Now we've had,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, athletes in terms of golfers and tennis players

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<v Speaker 3>that have come out of the area and represented it,

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<v Speaker 3>but really nothing on a team level. So the opportunity

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<v Speaker 3>to actually be on the ground floor with that, create it,

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<v Speaker 3>get it out there in the community and create this

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<v Speaker 3>pathway or make this connection between youth soccer all the

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<v Speaker 3>way up to professional soccer at a high level in

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<v Speaker 3>our community was it was just awesome. And to be

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<v Speaker 3>able to announce that with the mayor, who's our first

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<v Speaker 3>ever female mayor, just that the u n F, that

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<v Speaker 3>the timing was was just right and perfect, and we

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<v Speaker 3>couldn't be more excited and happy at the way the

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<v Speaker 3>announcement went.

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<v Speaker 1>How far back are we talking about here when it

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<v Speaker 1>came to the idea of okay, let's do this, when

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<v Speaker 1>it came to the USL Super League, to the announcement

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<v Speaker 1>earlier this week. How long a timetable are we talking

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<v Speaker 1>here to get everything right where you lined it all up.

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<v Speaker 2>That's a really good question.

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<v Speaker 3>So we really began the process in twenty seventeen, as

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<v Speaker 3>we've talked about before, but it.

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<v Speaker 2>Really began to crystallize.

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<v Speaker 3>Around twenty twenty, and then we had COVID and then

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<v Speaker 3>we were set back a little bit. But I think

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<v Speaker 3>in terms of the particular announcement around the women's team.

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<v Speaker 3>We've been working on that really for the last two

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<v Speaker 3>years or so. We always knew that we wanted to

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<v Speaker 3>lead with the women's team. We saw an opportunity there

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<v Speaker 3>to do something special, do something historic, and really that

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<v Speaker 3>this idea of creating something in the marketplace where fourteen

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<v Speaker 3>and fifteen year old girls that had potential didn't have

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<v Speaker 3>to leave Jacksonville to pursue their you know, their careers

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<v Speaker 3>or an elite level soccer in cities like Orlando or

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<v Speaker 3>Atlanta was something that really drove.

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<v Speaker 2>Us and really made it important. I get two dollars.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm a dad girl, and both of them played soccer,

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<v Speaker 3>and I wish they're kind of older now, but I

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<v Speaker 3>wish we'd I had something like that for those guys

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<v Speaker 3>to look up to, those girls to look up.

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<v Speaker 2>To rather when they were they were that age.

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<v Speaker 3>And I think that's something that's really come through and

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<v Speaker 3>some of the you know, the discussions that we've had,

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<v Speaker 3>some of the announcements, some of the work we've been

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<v Speaker 3>doing around Florida Elite, the youth club, and listening to

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<v Speaker 3>the girls there, they're absolutely thrilled by this opportunity to

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<v Speaker 3>look beyond what they're doing right now and see an

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<v Speaker 3>opportunity to represent you know, Jacksonville in the first coast

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<v Speaker 3>professionally here in women saw for the first time ever.

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<v Speaker 3>So that was definitely a big motivating factor in what

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<v Speaker 3>we've been doing here.

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<v Speaker 2>Of course we've now got the men's team.

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<v Speaker 3>As well to look forward to hopefully we get that

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<v Speaker 3>done in twenty twenty six, and that's something we're working

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<v Speaker 3>towards as well. So, yeah, lots of different things to

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<v Speaker 3>balance and spin, but you know, leading with the women

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<v Speaker 3>was always something we wanted to do.

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<v Speaker 1>And I know that you're looking for that right venue

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<v Speaker 1>in the right place to have that first home for them.

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<v Speaker 4>How long and.

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<v Speaker 1>Deep were the negotiations and trying to find a that

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<v Speaker 1>venue and then b settling on the University of North

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<v Speaker 1>Florida and Hadges. How far back did that go when

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<v Speaker 1>you guys were like, yeah, let's go here.

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<v Speaker 2>That went relatively quick, Johin, probably in the last six

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<v Speaker 2>months or so.

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<v Speaker 3>And you know, it was always a kind of plan

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<v Speaker 3>to you know, potentially kick off in the new stadium

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<v Speaker 3>with the women, but just with a timeline and how

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<v Speaker 3>that was working out and our negotiations with the city.

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<v Speaker 3>We began to realize fairly quickly that twenty twenty five

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<v Speaker 3>was going to be difficult to have us kicking off

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<v Speaker 3>from the new stadium, and we talked about this internally

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<v Speaker 3>a lot, you know, should we wait, should we wait

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<v Speaker 3>and roll the whole thing out together. And then we

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<v Speaker 3>looked at clubs like Rhode Island and someone's success that

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<v Speaker 3>they've had in kind of getting out in front of

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<v Speaker 3>things a little bit, beginning the team, beginning the club,

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<v Speaker 3>starting the brand.

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<v Speaker 2>And then graduating into the stadium.

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<v Speaker 3>I was involved in a similar situation up in Louisville

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<v Speaker 3>as well, where there was something established and then we

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<v Speaker 3>moved into the stadium. So I think at that point

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<v Speaker 3>we decided to a good old Scotty's term, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>grasp the thistle and go for it and go ahead.

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<v Speaker 2>With a launch of the women's team.

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<v Speaker 3>And from there it was then a case of well,

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<v Speaker 3>where we're going to play if the stadium's not ready.

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<v Speaker 3>But fortunately we've got a great facility in Jacksonville at

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<v Speaker 3>the University of North Florida Hodges Stadium. I was involved

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<v Speaker 3>with they are matter there ten years ago when we

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<v Speaker 3>played some matches there at the stadium. And it's a

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<v Speaker 3>great facility and it's been upgraded somewhat since then as well,

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<v Speaker 3>so things like field.

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<v Speaker 2>Surface, the floodlights are broadcast quality.

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<v Speaker 3>There's some other things that we want to kind of

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<v Speaker 3>improve around the stadium for our matches. Will be bringing

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<v Speaker 3>in things like chairbacks, great a club seat section. We'll

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<v Speaker 3>be enhancing some of the hospitality areas, will be working

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<v Speaker 3>on some of the field components and upgrading the locker

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<v Speaker 3>rooms and bathrooms, that sort of thing. But generally speaking

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<v Speaker 3>that that stadium has got great bones, a great structure,

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<v Speaker 3>and you know, it just it made that decision fairly easy.

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<v Speaker 3>And then the other great thing was the University of

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<v Speaker 3>North Florida themselves have been so supportive of us. They

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<v Speaker 3>really stepped up to it. When we told him what

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<v Speaker 3>we were planning to do and about our timeline, they

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<v Speaker 3>really embraced it.

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<v Speaker 2>And we see this.

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<v Speaker 3>As part of a bigger partnership with UNF that will,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, last more than just the women's season. We

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<v Speaker 3>hope to continue, you know a couple of years with

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<v Speaker 3>that partnership, showing support for them and their programs, their

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<v Speaker 3>athletics programs, in particular their soccer programs at which they've

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<v Speaker 3>been doing.

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<v Speaker 2>Really well and as well.

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<v Speaker 3>Their men won their title for the first time in

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<v Speaker 3>about ten to fifteen years fairly recently. So again, we

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<v Speaker 3>want to be supportive. Part of what we're doing with

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<v Speaker 3>Sport and Jack's is to make a difference in the

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<v Speaker 3>community and which we operate, and this is one way

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<v Speaker 3>that we can certainly do that.

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<v Speaker 1>And you're going into instant rivalries within the state in

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<v Speaker 1>the league because of what's going on with Tampa Bay

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<v Speaker 1>Sun and what's going.

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<v Speaker 4>Down in Fort Lauderdale. You're diving into the deep.

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<v Speaker 1>Im what's the radius on that thistle that you're grabbing

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<v Speaker 1>diving in with these es.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a fairly big one pair the lab Stiff. So yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>that's for sure. You know, the rivalries are great. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>that's that's just it's just icing on the top of

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<v Speaker 2>the cape there.

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<v Speaker 3>And you're already been talking to some of the the

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<v Speaker 3>ownership teams and management teams at Tampa and Fort Lauderdale.

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<v Speaker 2>They're looking forward to having another, you know.

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<v Speaker 3>Florida team to be part of that rivalry. It helps

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<v Speaker 3>a lot in terms of preparation, things like pre season scrimmages,

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<v Speaker 3>those sorts of things. But yeah, we we hope to

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<v Speaker 3>develop a real healthy rivalry between those those two other

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<v Speaker 3>Florida clubs, and it will be exciting to you know,

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<v Speaker 3>to go down to Tampa to to have Fort lad

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<v Speaker 3>of Dale come up here, and you know, maybe we

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<v Speaker 3>can get together and come up with some kind of

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<v Speaker 3>version of the Florida Cup for women.

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<v Speaker 2>And work that out as well.

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<v Speaker 3>So yeah, we we definitely have a respect for what

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<v Speaker 3>the guys. Those guys have done in a short period

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<v Speaker 3>of time to get going with our Super League teams,

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<v Speaker 3>and we've learned a lot from them as well. So

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<v Speaker 3>we're looking forward to those rivalries for sure.

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<v Speaker 1>Steve Livingston, president CEO Sporting Jack's hanging out with us

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<v Speaker 1>here for a soccer down.

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<v Speaker 2>Here, one d one.

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<v Speaker 4>How much advanced scouting do you do? How when do

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<v Speaker 4>you hit the USL Championship season? Just wrap up? USL

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<v Speaker 4>Super League's going on right now?

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<v Speaker 2>How much? How much?

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<v Speaker 1>How many frequent flyer miles and miles on the car

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<v Speaker 1>at fifty eight cents a mile and flying and hotels?

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<v Speaker 1>Are you getting to scout what's going on in the

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<v Speaker 1>Championship and in the Super.

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<v Speaker 4>League is a part of your getting everything together?

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<v Speaker 2>Well? The great thing is I don't have to do

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<v Speaker 2>all that.

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<v Speaker 3>We have a technical team that helps us on that side,

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<v Speaker 3>so yeah, I just I just make sure they can

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<v Speaker 3>get to where they need to go. But our technical director,

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<v Speaker 3>Marisio Ruez, a former head coach at JU, has been fantastic.

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<v Speaker 3>He spends an awful lot of time going out and

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<v Speaker 3>scouting and looking around for us, both on the men's

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<v Speaker 3>and women's side.

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<v Speaker 2>He's also got a fairly.

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<v Speaker 3>Strong position with US national team, so he does a

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<v Speaker 3>lot of the youth development for those guys too. The

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<v Speaker 3>other person that I have to kind of paying my

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<v Speaker 3>respect to is Becky Burley, the legend in women's college soccer,

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<v Speaker 3>who has a roller dex about the size of that

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<v Speaker 3>thistle that we've been talking about.

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<v Speaker 2>It's extensive. She knows everyone in the business and really

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<v Speaker 2>having that specialized intelligence, if.

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<v Speaker 3>You like, particularly on the women's side, has been incredibly important.

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<v Speaker 3>Our friends over at Florida Lee have been great as well.

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<v Speaker 3>Sean Bubb and his team phenomenal. They've run the most

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<v Speaker 3>successful w League team last year, you know, they won

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<v Speaker 3>the regular season and with some of plumb as well,

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<v Speaker 3>so they've been a great resource for us as well.

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<v Speaker 3>And you know, things like why scout, things like you know,

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<v Speaker 3>watching watching games, you know, using the technology to try

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<v Speaker 3>and stay up to speed. We're obviously have a close

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<v Speaker 3>eye on Super League. We also have a close eye

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<v Speaker 3>on some of the other rival leagues out there. But

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<v Speaker 3>I think one thing that we are really focused on

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<v Speaker 3>as a club is to develop talent locally and bring

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<v Speaker 3>that through the club and into the club and maybe onto.

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<v Speaker 2>Other clubs from there.

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<v Speaker 3>So our youth academy are set up is going to

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<v Speaker 3>be vital to that. And you know, we've all Northeast

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<v Speaker 3>Florida has been a great hotbed for particularly young female talent,

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<v Speaker 3>and the sad thing is they've had to leave the

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<v Speaker 3>market to be able to advance. Now we hope to

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<v Speaker 3>provide a solution to that, and you know, there will

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<v Speaker 3>be nothing better than to be able to see some

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<v Speaker 3>you know, talent that's been developed on the First Coast

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<v Speaker 3>make it into our pro teams, both on the men's

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<v Speaker 3>and women's side.

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<v Speaker 1>And obviously, since you've been reading my notes about what

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<v Speaker 1>to ask you about with all of these questions, I

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<v Speaker 1>want to get into the relationship now with Florida Elite

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<v Speaker 1>Soccer Academy. You're talking more than twelve thousand registered members

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<v Speaker 1>across First Coast. It's a merger combining your resources in

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<v Speaker 1>Florida Elites and you get pre pro and you've got

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<v Speaker 1>this merger here with the professional level operation. This is

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<v Speaker 1>something top down where you mentioned, Okay, we want to

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<v Speaker 1>keep folks home. This is that tent pole, that big

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<v Speaker 1>tent pole that you're really sitting there. You're planting your

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<v Speaker 1>flag with this and with the FBSA.

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<v Speaker 3>And it was definitely a kind of strategic decision on

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<v Speaker 3>our part to do that. We've been talking to Florida

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<v Speaker 3>Elite now for the last couple of years. They've always

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<v Speaker 3>been part of the USL family, operating the USL League

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<v Speaker 3>two and W League teams and a USL academy as well,

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<v Speaker 3>So that was any conversation for.

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<v Speaker 2>Us to have.

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<v Speaker 3>I think the more that we got to know Flora Elye,

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<v Speaker 3>the more comfortable we got in those discussions, the more

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<v Speaker 3>comfortable they got in terms of what we were bringing

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<v Speaker 3>to it. And I think we just realized at some

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<v Speaker 3>point the opportunity to bring these two organizations together, albeit

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<v Speaker 3>will be combining with them through our foundation, which is

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<v Speaker 3>a five oh one C three and their five oh

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<v Speaker 3>one C three and we'll continue to be a not

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<v Speaker 3>for profit organization that we'll look at developing talent into

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<v Speaker 3>our pro ranks. It became clear fairly quickly that the

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<v Speaker 3>best thing for both clubs was to combine, and you know,

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<v Speaker 3>we're really excited about it.

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<v Speaker 2>They are a world class youse soccer operation.

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<v Speaker 3>They are one of the arguably one of the best

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<v Speaker 3>in the country. They do a fantastic job both in

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<v Speaker 3>terms of player of development and also running as a business.

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<v Speaker 3>The way that they run their operation put many professional

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<v Speaker 3>clubs in North America to shame.

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<v Speaker 2>So we really feel grateful and.

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<v Speaker 3>Honored to be able to make this combination with them.

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<v Speaker 3>We are not going to go in and change things around.

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<v Speaker 3>They have operated quite happily without us for the last

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<v Speaker 3>ten years. So for us, it's a learning exercise, particularly

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<v Speaker 3>on the youth side, and you know, we'll be relying

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<v Speaker 3>on their expertise now. Obviously we want to bring a

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<v Speaker 3>professional element to things, being able to upgrade facilities, upgrade processes,

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<v Speaker 3>bring an expertise and give the kids that are in

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<v Speaker 3>the Florida Elite ecosystem something to look up to, I

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<v Speaker 3>think is very important. So it was just a great

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<v Speaker 3>kind of combination between the two and really a no

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<v Speaker 3>brainer when it came down to it.

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<v Speaker 1>I was going to ask, when you have this train

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<v Speaker 1>going down the tracks that is Florida Lake and then

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<v Speaker 1>it reminds me of the scene in the Western movies

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<v Speaker 1>where you've got at the hero and he's trying to

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<v Speaker 1>catch the train and the train is speeding off and

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<v Speaker 1>the the guys either on the horse and he's got

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<v Speaker 1>to get off the horse and hop onto the train

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<v Speaker 1>to make sure everything's going on. I mean, what's it

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<v Speaker 1>like for Sporting Jacks to notice that train and go, yeah, man,

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<v Speaker 1>we've got to get there, and we've got to we've

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<v Speaker 1>got to be up to speed with them from the

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<v Speaker 1>second we hop on here.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, to be honest with you, I mean the way

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<v Speaker 3>the way that we look to the development of the club,

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<v Speaker 3>we weren't initially going to get involved in youth soccer

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<v Speaker 3>at all. We were just looking at setting up the

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<v Speaker 3>pro teams and really working with all of the youth

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<v Speaker 3>clubs in the area, and that's something that we're still

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<v Speaker 3>committed to. There's some lines drawn.

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<v Speaker 2>Within our market, if you like, but we have.

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<v Speaker 3>Been consistent in this from the start that we want

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<v Speaker 3>to work with everyone, and we are definitely a big

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<v Speaker 3>tent organization and open to working with all.

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<v Speaker 2>And every every youth club in the area.

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<v Speaker 3>I think for US, we you know, we knew it

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<v Speaker 3>was going to be a long process doing it that way.

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<v Speaker 3>We didn't want to come in and take anything over

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<v Speaker 3>or upset anybody, or set up our own youth program

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<v Speaker 3>or or anything like that.

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<v Speaker 2>And we knew it was going to be probably.

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<v Speaker 3>A ten year process before we got to the stage

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<v Speaker 3>that that Florida the leader at.

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<v Speaker 2>Right now in terms of the youth.

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<v Speaker 3>So we were actually approached approached by Florida Elite in

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<v Speaker 3>the first place, which was really really amazing that they

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<v Speaker 3>would they would think of us, I think in terms

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<v Speaker 3>of what we're trying to do and bringing.

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<v Speaker 2>A USL product, in terms of what.

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<v Speaker 3>We're trying to do, in terms of the facilities that

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<v Speaker 3>were developing the stadium development. They they I think they saw,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, an organization that was as ambitious as them

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<v Speaker 3>and wants to be as successful.

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<v Speaker 2>As they be.

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<v Speaker 3>So again, their leadership, Stephen mel Shawan Bubb I think

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<v Speaker 3>saw that opportunity and we sat down with them, and

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<v Speaker 3>you know, I didn't.

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<v Speaker 2>Know if they were serious to start with, but.

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<v Speaker 3>Then we get into conversations with it and we realized

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<v Speaker 3>that that there was a lot of kind of shared

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<v Speaker 3>goals here, shared vision, a lot of you know, want

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<v Speaker 3>to do things the right way, be.

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<v Speaker 2>Excellent and world class, and our approach.

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<v Speaker 3>And I think it was more from their side that

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<v Speaker 3>they felt comfortable with what we were doing, the new

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<v Speaker 3>guys on the block, you know, the new kids in town,

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<v Speaker 3>if you like. And at the same time, I think

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<v Speaker 3>we felt very respectful to them and what they were doing.

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<v Speaker 3>So again, it wasn't something that we were looking for,

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<v Speaker 3>but it's something that developed and something that's brilliant and

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<v Speaker 3>you know, essentially accelerated our plans.

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<v Speaker 2>And programs by ten years or so, which is just phenomenal.

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<v Speaker 1>What are you the most excited about for twenty twenty

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<v Speaker 1>five and what do you think as you're piecing everything together,

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<v Speaker 1>the Sporting Jacks still needs the most spit and polish

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<v Speaker 1>going into twenty twenty five.

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<v Speaker 3>It's a good question, John, you know, I think for

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<v Speaker 3>where it kind of begins and ends in terms of

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<v Speaker 3>what we are doing as a club is stadium and facilities.

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<v Speaker 3>Really without that you can't really achieve what you need

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<v Speaker 3>to achieve long term and you can't fulfill that larger

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<v Speaker 3>vision of creating something that's going to be meaningful to

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<v Speaker 3>the community.

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<v Speaker 2>And that then you can start doing stuff in.

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<v Speaker 3>The community to influence and make the community a better place.

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<v Speaker 3>We really need to start with the stadium and the facilities.

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<v Speaker 2>That's the most important thing.

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<v Speaker 3>That's what gives us the credibility, that's what gives us

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<v Speaker 3>the opportunity to bring in partners, sponsors, to grow the brand,

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<v Speaker 3>to grow the club. So I think our focus as

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<v Speaker 3>an organization will for Elite continues and they will continue

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<v Speaker 3>under the Sport in Jack's brand in the new.

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<v Speaker 2>Year to develop youth and develop.

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<v Speaker 3>Talent and grow the game and that respect, our immediate

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<v Speaker 3>priority is to get our stadium development going, get that

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<v Speaker 3>stadium coming out of the ground and you know, be

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<v Speaker 3>in a position to play soccer in that stadium sometime

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<v Speaker 3>in twenty twenty six. That's our goal, and that's a

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<v Speaker 3>real ambitious goal. But at the same time, it's vitally

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<v Speaker 3>important that we get that done because without it, we're

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<v Speaker 3>really nothing. We're just another clubs that's renting a facility

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<v Speaker 3>somewhere and that's not long term. So again to meet

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<v Speaker 3>our long term aspirations of long term goals. Really focusing

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<v Speaker 3>on on that stadium is important. And I guess then

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<v Speaker 3>the second thing is, you know, I shouldn't say second

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<v Speaker 3>thing because it's parallel, is getting a women's team up

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<v Speaker 3>and running off the ground, getting the right people in there,

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<v Speaker 3>finding the right players, launching that in a you know,

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<v Speaker 3>a world class way at UNF So we're kind of

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<v Speaker 3>owning parallel cracks there. To answer the question, those are

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<v Speaker 3>the two things that we're really focused on.

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<v Speaker 1>Steve Livingston, President and CEO down at Sporting Jacks. It's

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<v Speaker 1>been a big week. It was a happy Thanksgiving. It's

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<v Speaker 1>a great early December, and you know we're going to

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<v Speaker 1>keep knocking on your door when things keep happening. Thanks

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<v Speaker 1>for the progress report. Great to see you, my friend.

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<v Speaker 1>We will catch up with you sooner than you think

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<v Speaker 1>because things are really going to start hopping. Thanks for

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<v Speaker 1>dropping by for a one v one my friend.

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<v Speaker 2>Thanks Sean, it was a pleasure.