Charlotte just moved closer to the center circle of American soccer business. Major League Soccer and global investment firm KKR have launched Hometown Soccer Holdings, a joint venture that will centralize the commercial side of MLS NEXT Pro and base its main team of executives right here in the Queen City.
The new platform, run by veteran soccer executives Tom Glick and Chris Klein, is pitched as a way to build locally branded clubs and soccer-specific venues in mid-sized U.S. markets. League and investment officials say the shift is meant to turn many MLS NEXT Pro sides from quiet cost centers into full-fledged businesses, with dedicated ticketing, sponsorship and matchday operations layered on top of the player-development mission.
In a press release via MLS NEXT Pro, MLS and funds managed by KKR said Hometown Soccer Holdings is expected to serve as the league’s commercial engine and “support stadium development in new communities.” MLS Commissioner Don Garber called KKR’s involvement “a significant step forward for MLS NEXT Pro,” and the release noted that KKR has committed nearly $9 billion to sports investments since 2010.
HSH's Plan: Small Stadiums, Big Reach
The venture’s blueprint calls for moving many MLS-affiliated NEXT Pro teams into nearby mid-sized markets and building multipurpose stadiums in the 6,000 to 8,000-seat range, according to reporting by Sports Business Journal. Under that model, Hometown Soccer Holdings would run ticketing, sponsorship, merchandising and venue operations from a central hub, while clubs keep control over coaching staffs and player development.
Sports Business Journal reports that the strategy borrows from successful examples like Huntsville City FC and mirrors consolidation trends long seen in minor-league baseball, where back-office operations get streamlined so local teams can focus on what happens on the field.
The Charlotte angle came into focus quickly. The new company will be based in the city and expects to build out a central staff here to oversee team rollouts, according to Charlotte Business Journal. The outlet reports the joint venture took shape over months of internal conversations among MLS owners and investment partners before the deal was finalized.
Charlotte Already Has Next Pro Roots
Charlotte is not exactly new to the NEXT Pro map. Crown Legacy FC, Charlotte FC’s NEXT Pro side, started play at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews in 2023, according to the club’s matchday information. That setup has already given regional fans a look at reserve-team soccer and offers a live example of how the area can support Hometown Soccer Holdings’ local operations.
What This Could Mean For The Region
KKR’s participation brings deep private capital and an established sports-investment playbook to the project. Industry coverage notes that the venture plans to work with municipalities and civic leaders on stadium developments and community partnerships. That mix could generate construction jobs, seasonal event work and new entertainment options around the Charlotte region, while also reviving familiar debates over public financing and long-term local control, as Sports Business Journal observed.
MLS and KKR say more announcements from Hometown Soccer Holdings are expected in the coming months, and the venture’s materials list Cleveland, Jacksonville and Grand Rapids among early target markets. For now, the bottom line is clear: Charlotte will host HSH’s central operations, putting the region right in the middle of MLS’s plan to scale up lower-division professional soccer across the country.
