OnGoal, LLC. hopes to live the MLS dream.

By: Michael | February 6th, 2007

In August of 2006, a group of investors calling themselves “OnGoal, LLC.” bought the Wizards for $15 million dollars. They are local, committed, and willing to invest in the team up front in order to produce results. It is my opinion that an owner like this is exactly what MLS should be all about. Nick Garcia (an 8-year veteran defender with the Wizards) summed it up nicely: “With OnGoal on board, I think we’ve got a great group that’s prepared to spend the money to do more with what we have here. I think they’re for real and want to give us all the resources to succeed. Now, as this season starts and goes on, and seasons after this, all the onus is going to be on the players to use those resources to succeed.” When the players realize that the guys upstairs are on their side, that’s definitely a good thing.

Even more pleasing, OnGoal, LLC. has put its money where its mouth is, beginning with doubling the size of the Wizard’s staff: two trainers where there was once one means each player will get more of the specific attention needed throughout the course of the season.

They also recently completed a deal to build a training facility in Kansas City itself that will double as a youth soccer/amateur league facility. The $2 million investment will most assuredly pay off, as involvement in they local community - especially in a smaller market like Kansas City - is the best way to build a loyal fan base. Considering the Wizards were dead last in home attendance last season, they can use all the star-eyed youngsters they can get playing games on a Wizards-built field.

…and in a small change that I think is perhaps the most significant, they built official offices away from Arrowhead stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs foccer team. The Arrowhead has served the team well over the years, but a soccer-specific stadium, as is the buzzword around the league, is integral to the long-term success of the team. A separate office complex will go far in building an away-from-the-Arrowhead mentality in the organization.

So hats off to OnGoal, LLC. for giving hope that the next two years in Kansas City will be better than the previous two!

TRAINING CAMP UPDATE:

The Wizards have completed their first three days getting ready for the 2007 season, and there is the typical “We’re thrilled to get started again, everyone’s great, everyone’s in shape, yadda yadda” that always comes out of early Spring Training, but past that, not much to report.

Head coach Curt Onalfo, it seems, has focused the early training to getting the players’ fitness back up to speed and improving communication. Some news that did come out of camp is that after working the team especially hard for the first two days, he announced a surprise day off for today. Enjoy the rest, boys.