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New York Times
11 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Jonas Eidevall is learning to let go with San Diego Wave after Arsenal ‘pressure'
SAN DIEGO — Words like 'new' and 'build' are catnip for a coach in search of a fresh start. Still, Jonas Eidevall needed to see for himself just how blank the slate was with San Diego Wave FC. The beginnings of an answer took shape when Eidevall pulled up in January to the cluster of blue shipping containers that constitute the administrative side of the NWSL team's training facility in the sun-baked hills of Del Mar, about three miles away from the ocean. Advertisement 'I was stepping into my office,' he recalled to The Athletic, 'and it was a mess.' He paused. 'It just didn't have anything.' As in: pens and notepads, an ergonomic desk chair, a functioning printer? 'We were missing a door,' he said, a tiny smirk breaking across his face. After he resigned from Arsenal in October, Eidevall and his family uprooted themselves from Europe and traveled thousands of miles to this unintentionally open concept office. Even if there had been somewhere to hide, Eidevall didn't seem interested. Letting go and embarking on a journey toward building something special, sturdy and sustainable was the point, after all. The Wave head coach began his career with Lunds, a small club in Sweden, and endeavored to achieve the most with scarce resources. In north London, he was at the helm of one of the best women's sides in the world, expected to do the most with arguably the most, and quickly. Now, just over seven months into his tenure with the Wave, Eidevall has found solace in the space and support to progress slowly and loosen his grip on control. And so far, as the Wave sit fourth in the NWSL table and lead the league in both passes completed and goal scorers, the football has been flowing. 'This is my first head coach assignment where I haven't needed to win from day one, like as a must,' he said. 'In Lunds, we had to be promoted from the second division up to the first, and we were successful with that. When I was coaching Malmö (now FC Rosengård) in Sweden, we had to win the championship. Everything else was a failure, even if we were playing against other really good teams as well, but that was the direction from the club. 'It's the same thing at Arsenal. You need to win, you need to win trophies, otherwise you can't stay in the job, and that pressure comes from day one.' Advertisement At the same time, the Wave's appointment of Eidevall was a strong statement of intent from a club whose three years in existence had taken a volatile turn last season. Their 2024 campaign was marked by the abrupt firing of head coach Casey Stoney and a revolving door of perplexing hires deployed to triage the situation; Wave concluded their season in 10th, with retired U.S. men's national team star Landon Donovan as their manager. Front office changes followed in October — Lauren Leichtman and Arthur Levine took over from Ron Burkle as owners, and Cami Ashton Levin, formerly of the Kansas City Current, replaced Molly Downtain as general manager. Then there were the player departures — 14 between the start of the 2024 season and now. The exits of the Wave's U.S. women's national team players, all marquee signings, cut especially deep. Four months after Alex Morgan announced her retirement from professional soccer and a week after the Wave hired Eidevall, the club traded Jaedyn Shaw to the North Carolina Courage and agreed to a world-record transfer that sent Naomi Girma to Chelsea to compete in the Women's Super League that Eidevall had just left. Eidevall was named Arsenal's head coach in 2021 and led the women's team to two League Cups in 2023 and 2024, and their first Champions League semifinal in a decade in 2023. Sitting outside the Wave offices before a training session, he described the end of his tenure there as emotional yet brief. A brutal loss to Bayern Munich and another to Chelsea within four days made it impossible to ignore the writing on the wall, but the now-42-year-old knew that he wanted to make a quick transition. He had followed the NWSL from afar and was drawn to its unique characteristics and the challenges they could present a manager: the salary cap, which helps maintain what he called 'a closeness in the table', the travel to cities far enough away to experience climate change differently, and the jetlag that accompanies it. Eidevall was also intrigued by what he would not have at the Wave after working for a women's team affiliated with one of the top men's organizations in the Premier League. Bolstered by a staff in the ballpark of 40 people meant 'you have someone who is prepping everything for you, carrying all the equipment, making sure the balls are here, doing it with uncomfortable hours,' he said. 'When you're at Arsenal and you're working with the club and those players and those staff, that's very special. Those are memories you will have with you for life, but it also means: where do you go from doing that?' If coaching at Arsenal was a corporate job, the NWSL feels more akin to a startup to Eidevall. Advertisement 'When we look back to this time in the league, you will see this very much was like the startup time, like there's still a lot of things that you were adding on to, to make it a really professional league and environment,' he said. 'That's also an exciting part about beginning to build something.' Like a door to his office, the players needed upgrades, too. 'Now here we have a kitchen,' Eidevall said, gesturing to one of the newest containers in the facility, one for cooks to prepare food, 'but we built that this year. We were eating on the sofas in the players' lounge' before having a designated dining space. Both are improvements from the catered food the team was served, which Eidevall said 'came with varied quality.' The scrappy foundations remind him of how he began his coaching career: delivering the morning paper at the pale indigo of dawn to supplement the $50 monthly pay he received, which covered only half of his monthly public transportation fees. Eidevall has distinct memories of lugging team equipment onto city buses because he didn't have a car. This, too, took place early in the morning so that others on the team wouldn't see the lengths he had to go through. 'When I'm looking back at it now, it seems crazy,' he admitted. 'I'm not going to say I've done it all, but I've done a lot.' That's the perspective he hopes to offer, while also taking advantage of the opportunity to incubate in San Diego. 'I'm very ambitious, but if you really want to be successful, it's about how do we make other people feel involved, how do we create buy-in,' Eidevall said. 'If you don't feel part of something, it's really difficult to do that. But that means things have to go a little bit slower.' He spoke of this with an air of luxury — and perhaps it is for Eidevall, considering how the expectations in his previous coaching roles demanded the opposite. Looking back on his time with Arsenal, Eidevall realizes his response to the pressure borne by those expectations was, at times, a disservice to the players. 'I took a lot of responsibility and accountability in that, but I also took a lot of control,' he said. 'A lot of control.' It was a respectable formula, but he wonders now about the sustainability of assuming such a commanding role within a team. Advertisement Eidevall has prioritized collaboration with his staff in San Diego, inviting player input early on, but it hasn't always gone as planned. The team's 2-0 home loss against the table-topping Kansas City Current in April was instructive. In Eidevall's mind, it was a match he 'took a step backwards as a coach' and allowed the pressure to perform to pull him away from his objectives. 'I saw this Kansas team and all the strengths they had, and I went into it being, like, 'How do I save my team to get a result in the game?'' he recalled. 'I went into it with a game plan that was all in my head, a lot of control, a lot of structure of how we're gonna deal with these things.' Despite ending the match with a figure of 67 percent possession, the Wave conceded twice within the first 25 minutes and never recovered. 'After the game, I saw a team that looked a bit broken,' Eidevall said, 'not because of the results, but because of the feeling that we hadn't done what we were about, and a group of players that probably felt like they had not been allowed to express themselves that way. They felt a little bit hurt from me, as a coach, not trusting them in that moment. 'They were triggering a lot of fears into me, being like, 'Are we good enough to do this?'' Compared to the other teams he has coached, he is using far fewer presentations with the Wave. The whiteboard and crest-colored magnets still emerge on the pitch during training, but Eidevall prefers the fluidity of interchangeable magnets to a rigid deck. 'I have to let them be part of the process,' he said. 'It's such an easy thing to say, 'We're going to do it together,' but here I have my planned PowerPoint with already all the solutions on it.' To then encourage players to speak up would be disingenuous, he believes, and further emphasizes the power imbalance between coach and player. This has not meant Eidevall offering players the same carte blanche that drew him to Southern California but he is exacting in his expectations. He does not hesitate to make known when players' executions fall short of that. It is not about ceding control, but creating an environment for exchange where everybody can learn from those around them. Advertisement Goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, who has been with the team since its inception, said the collaboration with Eidevall has been critical in building their relationship. 'Sometimes he'll be getting into a player on the field in the game, and I'll look at him and be like, 'Let me take this one. Let me have it because I can do a better job right now, and I'll handle this how it should be handled a little bit differently,'' the 30-year-old Canada international told The Athletic. 'Me and him have a better understanding now. I don't think at the beginning we did, but he has allowed me to take on that responsibility a bit more.' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Forbes
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
As Juneteenth Marks Its Fifth Year As A National Holiday, Are Companies Participating? It Depends.
HARRISON, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 19: Mya Jones #18 of San Diego Wave FC celebrates her goal with the NWSL ... More logo and Honoring Juneteenth digital signage behind her during the second half of the National Women's Soccer League match against the NJ/NY Gotham FC at Red Bull Arena on June 19, 2024 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Ira L. Black - Corbis/Getty Images) Happy Birthday, Juneteenth! America's newest federal holiday celebrates its fifth year of celebration in 2025. In a year that has been marked by so much change related to the narrative, acceptance and visibility of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) across America—from the military to education and boardrooms —Juneteenth serves as a reminder of why acknowledgment and recognition in America is so important. And it serves as a cautionary tale of what can happen to groups of Americans if people in charge are left unchecked. Juneteenth is much older than five years old on a nonfederal level, as it commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the end of slavery—two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. While celebrations began as early as 1866 (159 years ago), it wasn't until June 17, 2021, that President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, officially making it a federal holiday. This recognition came amidst a national reckoning on racial justice, spurred by the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and a broader examination of systemic racism in the United States. In 2021, Juneteenth was signed into law as a federal holiday on a Thursday, two days before June 19, which fell on a Saturday. Virtually no one celebrated the day, primarily because it was a weekend, and the notice was too short to prepare anything at scale. But are companies celebrating America's youngest federal holiday? The short answer is: it depends. WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 17: An attendee adjusts his Juneteenth-themed hat during a neighborhood ... More Juneteenth festival on June 17, 2023 in Washington, DC. Two years ago, President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Juneteenth commemorates the day on June 19, 1865 when a Union general read orders in Galveston, Texas stating all enslaved people in the state were free according to federal law. (Photo by) While large market cap firms such as Omnicom, L'Oreal, Paramount, NBC Universal, IPG Mediabrands, the NFL and Disney, among others, are acknowledging the holiday by closing their companies for the day, many small and midsize companies are either positioning Juneteenth as one of their 'flex holidays,' where employees can select a preset number of holidays they prefer to take as paid time off, or simply not recognizing the day beyond an email message to employees. On the flip side, some companies such as Urban One, a leader in the space of Black-owned media, is recognizing the holiday by giving employees both Thursday and Friday as days off to honor the holiday, creating a long weekend for colleagues and staff. With companies engaging with this holiday via a spectrum of approaches, it's hard to tell exactly how much this holiday will evolve across the hallways of corporate America. New Scrutiny On Corporate DEI Since the 47th President took office, upon the passing of his the Executive Orders targeting DEI, there has been an overhaul in corporate language (link) and programming (link) around ensuring the actions organizations are taking are not only legal but also reflect authenticity. One of the key challenges for companies is avoiding the trap of performative activism—actions that appear supportive but lack meaningful impact. Posting a Juneteenth message on social media or hosting a one-off event may garner positive attention in the short term, but without sustained action, these gestures can ring hollow in the realm of public opinion. WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 17: U.S. President Joe Biden signs the Juneteenth National Independence Day ... More Act into law in the East Room of the White House on June 17, 2021 in Washington, DC. The Juneteenth holiday marks the end of slavery in the United States and the Juneteenth National Independence Day will become the 12th legal federal holiday — the first new one since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was signed into law in 1983. (Photo by) The Power Of Meaningful Engagement The best way for companies to approach Juneteenth is not as a marketing opportunity but as a genuine way to celebrate the day. To ensure that Juneteenth observances are impactful and authentic, companies should consider the following best practices: ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 19: Actress/singer Serayah McNeill attends Ebony Juneteenth Celebration at ... More The Gathering Spot on June 19, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo byfor Ebony) Whether you're employed at a company, a solopreneur or simply a community member, look within and go beyond symbolism. Use the time to reflect on your own practices, engage in honest conversations about equity and take concrete actions to address systemic inequities—every day. Each one of us has an opportunity to leverage Juneteenth as a way to honor those who have come before us—and to build a better future for all Americans.
Business Wire
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
e.l.f. Hits the Pitch With San Diego Wave FC and Kansas City Current
OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--e.l.f. Cosmetics, a brand from e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE:ELF), scores again in its commitment to by teaming up with not one but two standout National Women's Soccer League clubs—San Diego Wave FC and Kansas City Current—through immersive, fan-first experiences that bring beauty, sport and community together. e.l.f. Cosmetics teams up with San Diego Wave FC and Kansas City Current through immersive, fan-first experiences that bring beauty, sport and community together. Earlier this year, e.l.f. became the first official makeup and skincare partner of the NWSL and was named Presenting Partner of the NWSL Challenge Cup through 2027. 'As a brand, we don't just show up—we show up with purpose,' said Patrick O'Keefe, Chief Integrated Marketing Communications Officer at e.l.f. Beauty. 'Soccer in the U.S. is experiencing incredible growth, reflecting both its global popularity and cultural relevance. We're leaning in to help level the playing field and change the game for women in the sport. Teaming up with San Diego Wave and Kansas City Current for these fan-first moments—and through our partnership with the NWSL—is about more than visibility; it's about creating meaningful impact. From the players on the field to the fans in the stands, we're here to Empower. Legendary. Females. and inspire the next generation to dream bigger, play harder, and always show up as their bold, authentic selves.' In San Diego, e.l.f. joins Wave FC as a Presenting Sponsor on June 22, 2025, at the Club's Pups at the Pitch match. As part of the match, Wave FC is partnering with The Animal Pad, a local dog rescue, to feature adoptable pups in-venue, including a photo moment as Wave FC players arrive to Snapdragon Stadium. Alongside the Club, e.l.f. will help shine a light on the rescue dogs — bringing to life its purpose to stand with every eye, lip, face and paw as a cruelty-free brand. Fans will have the opportunity to adopt the dogs at the match. 'We're thrilled to team up with e.l.f. Cosmetics for Wave's first-ever Pups at the Pitch match and to officially kick-off their larger NWSL partnership here in San Diego. This fun and inclusive event celebrates the unique bond between our fans and their furry friends—something that aligns perfectly with e.l.f.'s bold, joyful spirit. Together, we're bringing a fresh, feel-good energy to Snapdragon Stadium and creating unforgettable matchday moments for our Wave community,' said Alyssa Haynes, San Diego Wave FC Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships. On August 16, 2025, e.l.f. will head to Kansas City Stadium as the KC Currents take on Orlando Pride. 'Ahead of our August 16th match against Orlando Pride, e.l.f. is partnering with the Kansas City Current to create a one-of-a-kind activation at CPKC Stadium, the first stadium in the world purpose-built for a women's professional sports team,' said Kansas City Current SVP of Commercial Missy Jenkins. 'We are excited to partner with an industry-leading brand that raises the bar for fans and the community. This opportunity will amplify our fan experience ahead of a great matchup on the pitch.' Both matches will feature experiential, on-site activations designed to celebrate fandom and inspire the next generation of players. The e.l.f. Training Center will invite the community to test their soccer skills, recharge in a glow-up recovery area, and envision their future se.l.f. as a soccer star through a photo experience and custom trading cards. A storytelling wall will highlight iconic female soccer legends, and the events will be livestreamed on e.l.f. You!, the brand's Twitch channel. e.l.f. continues to show up in unexpected places to support women who are breaking barriers and redefining what's possible. A bold voice for women's empowerment, e.l.f. also supports the Billie Jean King Cup, Kendall Coyne Schofield and the National Women's Hockey League, professional race car driver Katherine Legge, Paralympic swimmer Anastasia Pagonis and the Wonder Women of Wrestling Varsity Tournament, among other initiatives that democratize access for all on the playing fields. About e.l.f. Cosmetics e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF) is fueled by a belief that anything is possible. We are a different kind of company that disrupts norms, shapes culture and connects communities through positivity, inclusivity and accessibility. e.l.f. Cosmetics, our global flagship brand, makes the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip and face by bringing together the best of beauty, culture and entertainment. Our superpower is delivering universally appealing, premium quality products at accessible prices that are e.l.f. clean and vegan, all double-certified by Leaping Bunny and PETA as cruelty free. We are proud to have products made in Fair Trade Certified™ facilities. Learn more at About San Diego Wave Fútbol Club San Diego Wave Fútbol Club, founded in 2021, competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Since its inception, the Wave has quickly emerged as one of the premier clubs in global women's soccer - setting the NWSL single-game attendance record, reaching the playoffs in its inaugural season, and capturing its first trophy with the 2023 NWSL Supporters Shield. In 2024, the Club continued to make history, ranking #2 worldwide in women's soccer attendance. Committed to excellence on the pitch and impact off it, the Wave is deeply rooted in the San Diego community and proudly led by the Leichtman Levine Family. The team plays its home matches at Snapdragon Stadium, a state-of-the-art venue in the heart of the city. For more information, visit About the Kansas City Current Founded 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 The National Women's Soccer League is the premier women's professional soccer league in the world featuring national team players from around the globe. The clubs are Angel City FC, Bay FC, Boston, Chicago Stars FC, Houston Dash, Kansas City Current, NJ/NY Gotham FC, North Carolina Courage, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns FC, Racing Louisville FC, San Diego Wave FC, Seattle Reign FC, Utah Royals FC, and Washington Spirit.
Reuters
13-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Alex Morgan joins San Diego Wave ownership group
May 13 - Two-time Women's World Cup champion Alex Morgan is purchasing a stake in San Diego Wave FC, her former team in the National Women's Soccer League. The former longtime U.S. Women's National Team captain was announced as the club's newest minority investor Tuesday. "San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career," Morgan said in a statement. "I believed in Wave FC before a single match was played, and I still believe this club has the power to change the future of women's sports. I'm proud to invest in that future and not just as a player, but now as an investor." Morgan, 35, retired from the NWSL last September. The striker was one of the club's original signings in December 2021 and she scored 16 goals in 2022 to capture the league's Golden Boot. A World Cup winner in 2015 and 2019 and Olympic gold medalist in 2012, Morgan retired from international play as the USWNT's fifth-highest scorer with 123 goals in 224 appearances. Morgan has also invested in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 professional women's basketball league that debuted this year. With the Wave, the two-time U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year joins the club's controlling owners, the Leichtman-Levine family. "Alex has always fought to positively impact this game beyond the pitch," Lauren Leichtman, controlling owner of the Wave, said in a statement. "She used her platform to lead, to advocate, and to build something meaningful in San Diego. "Her decision to invest is not only a continuation of her leadership but also a reflection of her belief in what we are building." --Field Level Media
Forbes
13-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Alex Morgan Becomes Minority Investor In San Diego Wave FC
Alex Morgan becomes a minority investor in her former NWSL club, San Diego Wave FC just eight months ... More following her retirement. Former captain and U.S. Women's National Team forward Alex Morgan officially joins her former NWSL team, San Diego Wave FC as a minority investor. 'It's really been incredible for me to go from being a player, to watching the game, and now as an investor,' Morgan told Forbes in an exclusive interview. 'I think every athlete goes through their own transition from active to former player, but for me, the love for the game doesn't stop. To be on this side of it now and just appreciate the game and enjoy watching the Wave and seeing the success that they have on the field and experience it as a fan is new and I just really love it.' Over eight months ago, Morgan announced that her 15-year playing career was officially coming to an end in just 72 hours. The announcement was also paired with the news of her being pregnant with her second child. Although it's been just over a month since Morgan gave birth to her second child, Enzo, her drive as a professional continues to grow as she transitions into her new role as a minority investor for the Wave. 'This really hits so close to the heart, just being able to invest in something that represents the city that I live in, the sport I grew up playing, the team and organization that I spent every day of the last three years committing most of my time with,' said Morgan. 'It's great to now be able to give back the learnings I made as a player into that on the business side and as an investor.' In October 2024, the Levine Leichtman Family officially purchased the Wave for an NWSL record of $120 million. With Morgan's retirement in September 2024, the conversations about her involvement on the business side followed soon after. 'This was really always part of the plan, to move from player to investor or co-owner,' said Morgan. 'It was always something I wanted to do since I moved to this city, play for this city and this club and to make it one of the biggest and successful clubs in the world. I think that I can really help in doing that as a player and now on the other side of it, I'm really excited that I'll be able to do that from the business side.' As an athlete, Morgan scored 123 goals for the U.S. Women's National Team and scored 23 goals and made 50 appearances for the Wave in the first three seasons of the club's existence. Morgan concluded her career as the all-time leading scorer and assist leader, with 28 goals and 11 assists for the Wave. Since Morgan's retirement, she's continued to pave a way for girls and mom's through the Alex Morgan Foundation. However, in her newest opportunity as a minority investor, her focus will be to provide mentorship to Wave players. The former forward has a wealth of knowledge as she participated in the NWSL for 12 seasons and also played overseas for Olympique Lyonnais Féminin in France from 2016-2017 and with Tottenham Hotspur in England from 2020-2021. Additionally, Morgan has also won awards at the highest level from being a two-time World Cup champion (2015, 2019), Olympic gold medalist (2012), and winning the U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year (2012, 2018) award. With deep ties to the city, San Diego has become home for her family and following her retirement, September 8 has officially been recognized as Alex Morgan Day by the San Diego City Council. Although the NWSL season is several weeks into the regular season, the Wave are currently ranked No. 4 in the NWSL standings with a 4-2-2 (wins, draws, losses) record. Instead of being on the field, Morgan now spends game days with her family supporting the Wave from the stands. 'Alex has always fought to positively impact this game beyond the pitch,' said Lauren Leichtman, Controlling Owner of San Diego Wave FC. 'She used her platform to lead, to advocate, and to build something meaningful in San Diego. Her decision to invest is not only a continuation of her leadership but also a reflection of her belief in what we are building.' Fans celebrate Alex Morgan at her final game on September 8, 2024 at Snapdragon Stadium. Following the shift in player dynamics from the offseason trades and signings, Morgan looks forward to building relationships with the new players on the team as she not only advocates for women's sports but puts it into action by coming alongside her former team. Morgan and her husband, Servando Carrasco, founded Trybe Ventures in 2022 where they've invested in health tech, sport tech, media, CPG, and emerging sports properties. 'This investment for me and my husband is something that we have been really passionate about,' said Morgan.'I had the hope of being able to do it soon after I retired and so it's incredible to be able able to follow through with something that you kind of started to put in place four years ago. 'I feel confident in what I'll be able to bring to the Wave and the value I'll be able to add, so, having this come now as we're building our family and continuing to dig into this community, I feel like it couldn't have come at a better time.' San Diego Wave FC will face Gotham FC on Friday, May 16 at 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET and will reunite at Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday, May 25 at 7pm PT/10pm ET as they host the North Carolina Courage.
