In a big country, where is the perfect location for U.S. Soccer’s new home?
How Deloitte helped U.S. Soccer select Atlanta as the site for a game-changing facility
THE MISSION:
MAKING SOCCER THE PREEMINENT SPORT IN AMERICA.
The Situation
As a trusted advisor to and sponsor of the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer), Deloitte was uniquely equipped to help lead a search for U.S. Soccer’s new training center and headquarters location. Once constructed, this facility is expected to help U.S. Soccer continue working toward its overall strategic vision.
U.S. Soccer has an ambitious vision for its future. One where the U.S.’s player pipeline can produce some of tomorrow’s elite athletes. One where U.S. Soccer can build more pathways that will lead athletes and fans alike to all the sport has to offer. One to drive investment, research, strategic initiatives, and pilot programs to bring more people of all ages to the sport.
To do all of that, U.S. Soccer needed a central location to come together and drive its vision. By serving as both a training center and headquarters, the new facility would be a hub uniting the community, business, and sporting aspects of soccer, as well as serving as a catalyst for its continued growth. The training center could also provide accessible facilities and equity-driven programs to expand who could engage with the sport and establish a stable headquarters for coaches, referees, players, and membership alike.
But first, the team had to find the right location—and Deloitte was there to help lead the search.
THE SOLVE
Deloitte’s relationship with U.S. Soccer is built on qualities that anchored the success of this search: trust in Deloitte’s knowledge, experience, and process.
First, Deloitte and U.S. Soccer collaborated to develop a holistic vision for an expansive headquarters facility, which would include an impressive National Training Center—a feat that involved Deloitte’s high level of strategic vision and the ability to weigh myriad key objectives. Proximity to an international airport, including ease of travel to Central America, South America, and Europe; an ideal climate for year-round play; a growing and enthusiastic soccer culture; and the ability to reach diverse new fans were just some of the team’s important considerations.
The desired qualities of the new headquarters were weighed by a decision-making model—complete with more than 100 data points—to evaluate potential regions. RFPs were sent to the desired cities’ economic development teams. An extensive location scouting process and meetings with local economic development teams narrowed the search. Throughout the process, Deloitte leadership guided decisions by referencing a wealth of past business experiences, while strengthening the relationship with U.S. Soccer through Deloitte’s shared passion for the sport. And those discussions brough Metro Atlanta to the fore.
U.S. Soccer and Deloitte celebrate teamwork because it’s often the key to innovative solutions. Below is a sampling of the breadth of talent that brought U.S. Soccer’s vision to life.
Sports strategy team: Navigated the relationship with U.S. Soccer. By working with U.S. Soccer to determine its needs for this prospective headquarters, Deloitte’s sports strategy team was able to refine the strategy to help pinpoint the ideal location for the new facility. As the vision for the project evolved, Deloitte’s team was able to help maintain focus and guide decisions by leveraging a wealth of experience and a team that was uniquely well versed in soccer.
Location advisory group: Facilitated the location, strategy, and negotiation process. The team’s land valuation study, which included historical documents on the geographic region, helped clarify location strategy and the subsequent negotiation process.
Human capital team: Advised on change management. Having to consider employee relocation often introduces complex challenges, and the human capital team’s knowledge helped forecast potential obstacles.
A NEW NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER AND HEADQUARTERS IN METRO ATLANTA - THE PERFECT HOME
The Impact
By bringing more people to the sport, centralizing U.S. Soccer’s vast operations into one location, and supporting the overall strategic vision of U.S. Soccer, the new Metro Atlanta-based Headquarters and National Training center complex has the power to help transform soccer in the United States. Together, Deloitte and U.S. Soccer are paving the way for the sport’s success nationwide, giving more athletes and fans access to the beautiful game.
Growth
- Metro Atlanta's climate makes it an attractive location for year-round playing, while its size and proximity to one of the biggest airports in the world creates access for players and coaches from around the country
- Greater potential for programs and player pipelines to strengthen Senior, Extended, and Youth National Team performance
- By having a fixed home uniting the business and sporting aspects of soccer, the headquarters could become the site of programs that show young people the possibilities of careers in soccer apart from being a player or a coach
- Outreach and community engagement opportunities to build relationships with younger players, coaches and referees, and both new and existing fans
Equity
- Accessible facilities for more players of all levels across all forms of the game
- Having a stable home base for developing new programs and initiatives allows U.S. Soccer to pilot solutions to help bridge the gap between soccer and its newest fans/players—solutions that can then be further expanded nationwide
- Initiatives that help expand who’s able to play, such as youth who may not have access to soccer programs/facilities
- By establishing itself in Metro Atlanta, a city with a vibrant culture and broad diversity, the new headquarters can reach many audiences and bring in new fans and participants in the game
- A fixed headquarters location is key to deepening collaborations that can lead to equitable solutions for more players
Independence
- Greater autonomy to make environmentally conscious facility choices, such as watering techniques for the fields and constructing buildings with sustainability top of mind
- One central location for camps, clinics, and tournaments
- Having a permanent headquarters gives U.S. Soccer a stable site to conduct long-term research and programs aimed at growing the game nationally
- Increased revenue opportunities by owning facilities that can be rented
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