Latest news with #ChrisLong
CBS News
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Saquon Barkley makes cheesesteaks at Geno's Steaks in Philadelphia after landing on Madden 26 cover
The honors keep rolling in for Saquon Barkley. On Monday morning, the Philadelphia Eagles' star running back was named the cover athlete for Madden 26. Hours later, one of South Philly's most famous landmarks — Geno's Steaks — celebrated the news in a big way with No. 26 himself on hand, making cheesesteaks in front of Birds fans. "It's amazing to be on the cover of Madden, it's something you dream about as a kid," Barkley said. Before Barkley's arrival, Geno's had been transformed into "Steakquon's," complete with larger-than-life size images of Barkley's Madden 26 cover on full display. Barkley can even be seen leaping over its famous cheesesteak roof topper. "I just went out there and actually took a picture of it because it's super cool," Barkley said. Barkley said he learned about becoming the face of Madden back in early spring. He was joined by Philly greats Chris Long and DeSean Jackson, along with former NFL receiver Chad OchoCinco to help celebrate. "It's pretty cool for a guy who just got here," Long said. "He's all over the roof of one of the most iconic buildings in the city in the less than a year. He deserves it all." Barkley spent the night grilling up some cheesesteaks before signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans, and he talked about that famous play against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9 that ended up on the Madden 26 cover. "A lot of people don't know, (on) that play I probably took the hardest hit of the year, I literally had to come out," Barkley said. "Madden is so iconic and such an iconic game," Barkley said. "Any time you can attach yourself to something iconic, it's special." Fans lined up early at Geno's eager to see Barkley. "I have been playing Madden since Madden 13, so it's a big deal. I love Madden," Anthony Girardo said. "He's so beloved after just one year, he instantly just kind of clicked with this city and it's just amazing," Rick Eaches said.
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Future Of Women's Pro Soccer Is Being Built In The Heart Of Kansas City
Angie and Chris Long have a luxury suite at CPKC Stadium, the new home of the National Women's Soccer League's Kansas City Current, but for the couple of hours before a game, they like to roam the grounds—walking the concourse, visiting the supporters' section or chatting up fans at a sponsored bar. 'There's a lot of gratitude involved in this, so you want to share that,' says Chris Long, who with his wife bought the franchise in 2020 and privately financed the construction of the $140 million stadium. The Longs, who in their day jobs oversee more than $34 billion in investments as cofounders of Palmer Square Capital Management at the firm's office seven miles away, recognize that CPKC Stadium is hardly just another building. When it opened in March 2024 along the banks of the Missouri River just north of downtown Kansas City, it was the first venue in the world developed primarily for a professional women's sports franchise. And while that milestone would be impressive enough on its own, the value that the 11,500-seat stadium has unlocked for the Current has been nothing short of transformative. The team, which previously played at Children's Mercy Park as a tenant under MLS's Sporting Kansas City, saw a 'more than $20 million revenue swing' in its first season at its new home, Angie Long says. By bolstering business lines such as premium seating and tapping into new streams, including concessions, naming rights and third-party events, the Current generated $36 million in revenue in 2024—the best mark in the NWSL and nearly quadruple the league's median of $9.5 million, according to Forbes estimates. The club is now worth an estimated $275 million, second only to $280 million Angel City FC despite playing in the fourth-smallest market in the 14-team league. The way the Longs see it, the growth has only just begun. The Current purposely held back in certain areas last season—limiting the number of non-NWSL events they hosted to keep the field pristine, for instance, and retaining some sponsorship assets until they had a better handle on what they were selling. With those guardrails being lifted, the franchise is projecting $45 million in revenue in 2025. The Current also believe they can reach break-even on an operating basis this year—a goal that remains far out of reach for most NWSL clubs. 'We're scratching the surface in every single way,' says Angie Long, a Kansas City native. That bright future is even more remarkable considering Kansas City's previous attempt at professional women's soccer was a resounding failure. FC Kansas City began play in 2013 as one of the NWSL's inaugural eight franchises, but despite winning back-to-back league titles in 2014 and 2015, the team soon fell into disarray under Elam Baer, CEO of Minnesota-based investment firm North Central Equity, who bought the franchise in 2017. The same year, the NWSL bought back FC Kansas City and ceased its operations, transferring the rights to the club's players to the Utah Royals, an expansion franchise. The Royals came back on the market in 2020, however, after the Athletic detailed team owner Dell Loy Hansen's history of racist comments. The Longs, keen on getting into soccer in the wake of the 2019 Women's World Cup, partnered with Brittany Mahomes and her famous husband, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, to secure another NWSL expansion slot along with the rights to Utah's players, for a reported $3 million fee. The group immediately moved the franchise back to Kansas City and into Legends Field, which once housed MLS's Kansas City Wizards (now known as Sporting KC) and is the regular home of an independent baseball team. Revenue was a paltry $3 million for the club's first season, in 2021—an era when NWSL franchise values were still below $5 million, before Michele Kang reset the market with her $35 million purchase of the Washington Spirit in 2022. The modest beginnings didn't stop Kansas City's ownership from looking ahead. 'The facilities were always part of the master plan,' says Chris Long, whose team left Legends Field for Children's Mercy Park for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. 'We were always looking at risk and return, and we quickly figured it out, and I don't think it's too profound that facilities are a massive piece of the puzzle when it comes to really running a world-class franchise. What club out there that's been successful doesn't own and run their own facilities?' The Current announced plans for what would become CPKC Stadium in October 2021 and broke ground in March 2022, three months before opening an $18 million training facility 10 miles away in Riverside, Missouri. Railway company Canadian Pacific Kansas City bought the naming rights to the new venue in a 10-year deal, and in front of a sellout crowd, CPKC Stadium opened in March 2024 with the Current claiming a 5-4 victory over the Portland Thorns. The move didn't mean the Current could sell more tickets: Children's Mercy Park has a listed capacity of 18,467, roughly 7,000 more seats than CPKC Stadium has. But with higher prices across both single-game offerings and a robust season-ticket base of more than 8,000, the club more than doubled its ticket revenue in 2024 and sold out every match. The new stadium also features 12 luxury suites, which are priced at $110,000 per year and quickly sold out on eight-year contracts, and roughly 1,300 total premium seats, including 'loge boxes' and communal clubs. The stadium's design would allow for future expansion, which Angie Long predicts could happen in the next five to seven years. For now, though, the Longs want to cultivate a lively atmosphere and a feeling of exclusivity, pointing as an example to 9,314-seat Cameron Indoor Stadium, the home of Duke University basketball. And at the moment, CPKC's medium size is helping it carve out a niche in attracting non-NWSL ticketed events. For instance, the stadium played host to an international rugby match in March and drew an announced crowd of 10,518, a record for a U.S. women's national team match on American soil. It was also good marketing: More than 70% of the fans in attendance were visiting the venue for the first time. The benefits of the new stadium go beyond ticketing, however. The Current have seen similar growth with their sponsorships, adding premium partnerships with brands including Yeti, and having a permanent team store on site has driven up merchandise sales. 'You have ownership of so many more revenue streams, and you have ownership of your data,' says Laura Andriani, an executive at sports marketing agency Two Circles. 'Everything from the first marketing touchpoint to the survey a ticket buyer receives the day after going to a match and everything in between is now fair play for you to connect, understand and enhance the experience of your fan, which is ultimately going to enhance your revenues. So owning that entire ecosystem is wildly valuable.' Fan Favorite: Led by star midfielder Debinha, the Current sold out every match in 2024 and have a season-ticket base of more than 8,000. Jamie Squire/NWSL/Getty Images Despite that upside, most other NWSL clubs would face plenty of hurdles trying to replicate the Current's model—among them, finding the land, adhering to city and state regulations, and securing the money to fund the project—particularly with many franchises still posting annual operating losses of $10 million or more, according to Forbes estimates. Kang, the billionaire owner of the Washington Spirit, explored the possibility of building a stadium for her club, which is currently a tenant of MLS's D.C. United at Audi Field, but with so many existing venues in the area, she had to ask herself, 'Does the city really need another stadium?' 'I'm not a real estate developer,' Kang explains. 'My focus is going to be really growing women's sports, and I'm not going to get rich by game day, selling tickets.' Even Angie Long acknowledges that a franchise can be successful without owning its stadium. In fact, Angel City, which plays at Los Angeles' BMO Stadium as a tenant of MLS's LAFC, nearly matched the Current with revenue of $35 million in 2024, thanks in large part to an impressive stable of corporate sponsors. At the same time, the Current's unique situation has the Longs projecting revenue to climb by more than 25% annually, which should widen their financial advantage on most of their NWSL competitors, and a mixed-use development sprouting up around CPKC Stadium could fuel even more growth. The privately financed $1 billion project, which started construction in March, will add bars, restaurants, hotels, offices and residential space to the surrounding 23 acres in a three-phase process, the first of which is expected to be completed next year. The increased foot traffic could drive up the price of partnering with the Current—for example, a study by Klutch Sports Group and the Royal Bank of Canada found that these types of projects raise the value of naming rights deals by 58% when the venue and accompanying district are sold together. The Current's success certainly has other NWSL ownership groups paying attention—and changing expectations for how the league does business. Denver, which in January was awarded an expansion franchise for a $110 million fee, has publicly announced plans to build a 14,500-seat stadium. Boston Legacy FC, which won its expansion bid in 2023 and will begin play alongside Denver in 2026, has committed to a $200 million renovation of the existing White Stadium, splitting the cost with taxpayers (although a lawsuit has aimed to stop the project). Commissioner Jessica Berman has said she believes the NWSL could grow as large as the 32-team NFL, and as it contemplates future expansion, the league office recognizes the value that comes with team-controlled stadiums—not only in terms of revenue but also in the better broadcast windows a team can claim for its schedule when it isn't having to negotiate with a landlord for certain dates or times. Infrastructure will be a major consideration in expansion bids going forward, along with factors like the market and the credentials of the ownership group. To be sure, the NWSL is a long way away from matching established men's pro leagues, where having a world-class stadium is often taken as a given, but the Longs already believe that what they have accomplished in Kansas City will eventually be the league's standard, rather than an exception. 'It's raised the bar,' Chris Long says. 'I think the trend is just beginning.'
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
KC Current owners Angie and Chris Long expand to multi-club model, purchasing Danish club HB Koge
Kansas City Current owners Angie and Chris Long are expanding their global soccer footprint, acquiring HB Køge Women, a top-flight Danish women's soccer club competing in the country's highest division. The Longs made the purchase through their investment firm, Ballard Capital. The Longs worked with the seller, George Altirs, and his team at Capelli Sport to separate the women's team from the men's side, allowing them to buy only the women's club. Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang did the same with French women's club OL Lyonnes in 2023, as did Chelsea when it sold its women's team to sister company BlueCo earlier this year. Advertisement The Longs did not set out to build a multi-club organization when they invested in Kansas City Current, but those plans have changed. 'We were looking for a place where we can integrate with the community and build this together,' Angie Long told . 'It is something that we've loved about what we've done in Kansas City, and finding a location where we felt we could attract and develop talent was really important. Denmark, and Køge especially, we think really offer that opportunity.' Founded in 2009 through the merger of KøgeBøldklub and Herfølge Bøldklub to become HB Køge Pigefodbold, the club won the championships three straight seasons from 2021 to 2023. The club also competed in the UEFA Women's Champions League during that time. HB Køge plays its home matches at the Køge Stadium, which it shares with the men's side. The stadium is currently under renovation, paid for by the previous owners. Advertisement With the investment from the Longs, the club is planning to build a women's youth soccer academy in Scandinavia. The couple is also planning to make a significant investment in the business side to build franchise value over time. 'We think there are so many opportunities to elevate the community and the team to continue to compete at a really high level on the football side,' Chris Long said. The amount of the investment was not disclosed, but a Current spokesperson told the deal represents one of the most significant women's sports transactions in Denmark history. The Longs became interested in owning a women's soccer team after the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. A little over a year later, they teamed up with former soccer player Brittany Mahomes and her husband, NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes, to make their vision come true. Advertisement The group announced they had purchased the Utah Royals FC from Dell Loy Hansen and moved the NWSL club back to Kansas City. The team began play in the 2021 season and rebranded as the Kansas City Current in 2022. The following year, the Longs funded the construction of a $120 million venue, CPKC Stadium, which opened in 2024. The Current is the most financially successful team in the league with $36.3 million in revenue, according to 's latest valuations. Last month, the Longs broke ground on a $1 billion mixed-use development on land adjacent to the stadium that will include about 2 million square feet of retail, office and residential space. In addition to their recent investment in Denmark, the Longs are actively looking to expand their presence in women's soccer through the acquisition of additional clubs. 'We've been very active looking across geographies already for the better part of 15-18 months to find incredible soccer and the ability to impact the community and drive beyond business improvement,' Chris Long said. 'But it's important to us that we do it right,' Angie Long added. 'We do it with excellence. And I think this offers an opportunity to learn how to first become a multi-club model, and then to really build on it.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Kansas City Current, NWSL, UK Women's Football 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Principal Owners of Kansas City Current Acquire Danish Football Club HB Køge Women
Angie and Chris Long create an international multi-club model with their newest investment in global women's football KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ballard Capital, an investment company controlled and owned by Angie and Chris Long, has signed an agreement to purchase HB Køge Women, a premier women's football club in Denmark. HB Køge plays in the Kvindeliga, which is the highest division of Danish women's football and has a storied history as a top club in Denmark prioritizing investment in women's football. Purchasing HB Køge Women represents another historic investment by the Longs as the Longs had to first work collaboratively with the seller to separate the men's and women's teams so the Longs could solely purchase the women's team. This deal also represents one of the most significant women's sports transactions in Denmark history. Importantly, this acquisition is a continuation of Angie and Chris Long's unwavering commitment to investing in women's soccer at the highest level while raising the bar for players, supporters, and communities both nationally and internationally. HB Køge Women will begin the next chapter focused on returning to play at the highest level in Europe, boosted further by a significant investment by the Longs into building the preeminent women's youth football academy in Scandinavia. "We are thrilled to have this opportunity to partner with HB Køge Women, the supporters, and, of course, the broader community," said co-owners Angie and Chris Long. "We are incredibly proud of everything the Kansas City Current has built, and we look forward to using that blueprint and working closely with key partners in Denmark to further elevate HB Køge Women and the region. Our goal is to win Danish League championships while competing successfully at the highest levels within the global football ecosystem." Located approximately 30 minutes south of Copenhagen in Køge, HB Køge plays in the Kvindeliga, the highest level of women's football in Denmark organized by the Danish Football Association (DBU). HB Køge was founded through the merger of historic clubs Køge Boldklub and Herfølge Boldklub in 2009. HB Køge won the Kvindeliga, the highest division of women's football in Denmark, three straight seasons in 2021, 2022, and 2023. HB Køge also competed in the UEFA Women's Champions League in 2021, 2022, and 2023. "We are incredibly appreciative to George Altirs and his team at Capelli Sport for their prior stewardship of the club, their significant investment, and the opportunity we now have to lead this premier women's club into the future," said Angie and Chris Long. "We look forward to continuing the close partnership with Capelli Sport as the preferred kit and athleticwear partner of HB Køge Women." About the Kansas City CurrentFounded in December 2020, the Kansas City Current is led by the ownership group of Angie Long, Chris Long, Brittany Mahomes and Patrick Mahomes. The team competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The Kansas City Current plays its home matches at CPKC Stadium, the first stadium purpose-built for a professional women's sports team. Named The Most Ambitious NWSL Club for two consecutive seasons by ESPN, the Current is proud of its many precedent-setting accomplishments. To receive updates on the Current visit About HB Køge WomenHB Køge Women was founded in 2009 through the merger of historic clubs Køge Boldklub and Herfølge Boldklub. Located approximately 30 minutes south of Copenhagen in Køge, the club plays in the Kvindeliga, the highest level of women's football in Denmark organized by the Danish Football Association (DBU). HB Køge won the Kvindeliga and competed in the UEFA Women's Champions League three straight seasons in 2021, 2022, and 2023. About Ballard CapitalBallard Capital is an investment company owned by Angie and Chris Long with a primary focus on sports and entertainment. View original content: SOURCE Kansas City Current
New York Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
KC Current owners Angie and Chris Long expand to multi-club model, purchasing Danish club HB Koge
Kansas City Current owners Angie and Chris Long are expanding their global soccer footprint, acquiring HB Køge Women, a top-flight Danish women's soccer club competing in the country's highest division. The Longs made the purchase through their investment firm, Ballard Capital. The Longs worked with the seller, George Altirs, and his team at Capelli Sport to separate the women's team from the men's side, allowing them to buy only the women's club. Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang did the same with French women's club OL Lyonnes in 2023, as did Chelsea when it sold its women's team to sister company BlueCo earlier this year. Advertisement The Longs did not set out to build a multi-club organization when they invested in Kansas City Current, but those plans have changed. 'We were looking for a place where we can integrate with the community and build this together,' Angie Long told The Athletic. 'It is something that we've loved about what we've done in Kansas City, and finding a location where we felt we could attract and develop talent was really important. Denmark, and Køge especially, we think really offer that opportunity.' Founded in 2009 through the merger of KøgeBøldklub and Herfølge Bøldklub to become HB Køge Pigefodbold, the club won the championships three straight seasons from 2021 to 2023. The club also competed in the UEFA Women's Champions League during that time. HB Køge plays its home matches at the Køge Stadium, which it shares with the men's side. The stadium is currently under renovation, paid for by the previous owners. With the investment from the Longs, the club is planning to build a women's youth soccer academy in Scandinavia. The couple is also planning to make a significant investment in the business side to build franchise value over time. 'We think there are so many opportunities to elevate the community and the team to continue to compete at a really high level on the football side,' Chris Long said. The amount of the investment was not disclosed, but a Current spokesperson told The Athletic the deal represents one of the most significant women's sports transactions in Denmark history. The Longs became interested in owning a women's soccer team after the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. A little over a year later, they teamed up with former soccer player Brittany Mahomes and her husband, NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes, to make their vision come true. The group announced they had purchased the Utah Royals FC from Dell Loy Hansen and moved the NWSL club back to Kansas City. The team began play in the 2021 season and rebranded as the Kansas City Current in 2022. The following year, the Longs funded the construction of a $120 million venue, CPKC Stadium, which opened in 2024. The Current is the most financially successful team in the league with $36.3 million in revenue, according to Sportico's latest valuations. Last month, the Longs broke ground on a $1 billion mixed-use development on land adjacent to the stadium that will include about 2 million square feet of retail, office and residential space. In addition to their recent investment in Denmark, the Longs are actively looking to expand their presence in women's soccer through the acquisition of additional clubs. 'We've been very active looking across geographies already for the better part of 15-18 months to find incredible soccer and the ability to impact the community and drive beyond business improvement,' Chris Long said. 'But it's important to us that we do it right,' Angie Long added. 'We do it with excellence. And I think this offers an opportunity to learn how to first become a multi-club model, and then to really build on it.' (Top photo of Angie and Chris Long: HB Koge)
