Professional Athletes Yannick Ngakoue (NFL), Tommy Pham (MLB), and Jeff Teague (NBA) Join Stuart in Investment
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 12, 2023) –
D.C. United have today announced a group led by local real estate executive and longtime strategic corporate partner to the club, Jordan Stuart, has taken an ownership stake in Loudoun United FC and will assist D.C. United in supporting the efforts of newly appointed controlling owner, Attain Sports & Entertainment. Joining Stuart are NFL defensive lineman Yannick Ngakoue, MLB outfielder Tommy Pham, and retired NBA Champion Jeff Teague.
The founding of Loudoun United FC as the first professional soccer team in northern Virginia was one of several steps of investment into the sport and the local northern Virginia community taken by the D.C. United ownership group in recent years. Accompanying the establishment of the club was the development of a 5,000-seat stadium – Segra Field – in Leesburg, Virginia, which serves as the home for Loudoun United in addition to professional rugby, concerts, local sporting events, and more.
"This diverse and highly accomplished group with deep and varied experiences in professional sports serves to strengthen our growing momentum in Loudoun,” said Jason Levien, D.C. United Co-Chairman and CEO. “Stuart has a passion for soccer and it's continued growth in Northern Virginia and we are appreciative to have him, Ngakoue, Pham, and Teague as our partners."
Stuart has been a licensed real estate agent in the DMV since 2009 and a strategic corporate partner with D.C. United for more than five years. Locally, he leads the Next Move Nation's Capital real estate team within Keller Williams Capital Properties and has been a close confidant of Levien since 2018. In 2021, he was appointed as the Director of the Keller Williams Realty Sports + Entertainment community made up of over 750 real estate agents across the U.S. and Canada. Stuart played varsity Men’s Soccer and earned a BA in Political Science as a 2005 graduate of Haverford College in Haverford, PA. Stuart now resides in Northern Virginia with his wife Stacey and their three active young sons who can be found as avid supporters at both Loudoun United FC and D.C. United home matches.
“We are pleased to welcome Stuart, Yannick, Tommy, and Jeff to the ownership team,” said Greg Baroni, CEO and Managing Partner, Attain Sports & Entertainment. “I look forward to working together with this team of leaders and athletes to create new opportunities to present soccer as affordable, family friendly entertainment, enhance the fan experience, and continue to strengthen Loudoun United FC’s connection to the community.”
“The United Soccer League is the total package and I believe in the product. From the technical side and management of the teams to the fan experience and matchday atmosphere, it is appealing for all ages,” said Jordan Stuart. “Alongside my passionate partners we’re confident we can continue to take Loudoun United to the next level and help the league maintain its upward trajectory.”
Yannick Ngakoue is a native Washingtonian and University of Maryland alum. As a high school senior, Ngakoue was the Gatorade Football Player of the Year for Washington D.C. He is currently entering his 8th NFL season as a Pro Bowl edge rusher and became the fifth player in NFL history to record eight or more sacks in each of his first seven seasons in the NFL. Ngakoue said about the partnership: “It’s been a longtime dream of mine to own an interest in a professional sports franchise. To do so, at home in the DMV makes the realization of that dream that much more special. I very much look forward to growing my partnership with the entire club and bringing value through my relationships while making new ones along the way.”
Tommy Pham is set to enter his 9th season in Major League Baseball with the New York Mets. “Being a huge soccer fan, I’ve followed the sport closely for a long time. From an investment perspective, the continued growth domestically was highly intriguing to me,” Pham said. As an entrepreneur off-the-field, Pham is a stakeholder in more than a dozen venture capital investments and is ready to hit the ground running with Loudoun United FC as his first foray into professional sports ownership.
Originally from Indianapolis, IN, Teague has been in search of sports-related business ventures since his retirement after playing 12 seasons in the NBA. Teague quietly invested with Stuart in Arlington, VA residential real estate in 2018 following the announcement of Amazon HQ2 coming to the area. As a professional basketball player, Teague was drafted out of Wake Forest and became an NBA Champion in 2021 as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. An avid sports fan, the opportunity to diversify into soccer ownership in advance of World Cup 2026 alongside a well-respected and experienced ownership group is extremely exciting for Teague as he continues to expand his roots into Northern Virginia.
Jamel Barnes of True Vision Management facilitated Teague’s investment and serves as an advisor on his business ventures. Anthony Paul of The Hamilton Group Wealth Management and Adisa Bakari of The Sports & Entertainment Group PLLC facilitated Ngakoue’s investment.
For tickets to Loudoun United FC at Segra Field or additional information on memberships and more, please visit: www.loudoununitedfc.com.
About D.C. United
One of the founding clubs of Major League Soccer in 1996, D.C. United are among the most decorated teams in the United States with 13 domestic and international trophies.
D.C. United have called the District home for the past 27 seasons and play their home games at Audi Field in the Buzzard Point neighborhood of Southwest, Washington, D.C, which opened in 2018. In addition to D.C. United games, the 20,000-seat soccer-specific stadium hosts over 100 events year-round, including the District’s premier arts, culinary, and music festival, Unite the District Fest. Audi Field is also home to America’s number one sportsbook through a partnership with FanDuel Group.
The Black-and-Red have won the MLS Cup four times (1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004), the Supporters’ Shield four times (1997, 1999, 2006 and 2007) and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup three times (1996, 2008 and 2013).
For more information and club updates, please visit www.dcunited.com and find us on social media @dcunited.
About Loudoun United FC
Loudoun United FC (LUFC) is the highest-level professional soccer franchise in Loudoun County, Virginia. The club plays in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship, one of the most successful professional soccer leagues in the world. LUFC was founded by Major League Soccer club D.C. United in 2018. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.loudoununitedfc.com.
About Attain Sports and Entertainment
Based in McLean, Va., Attain Sports and Entertainment owns and manages the Baltimore Orioles Double-A affiliate Bowie (MD) Baysox, the MLB Draft League Frederick (MD) Keys, a yet to be named Atlantic League baseball team based in Frederick, Maryland, and is the controlling owner of the United Soccer League (USL) Championship Club Affiliate Loudoun United FC. The company was formed in 2021 to present sports as affordable, family-friendly entertainment with a commitment to community engagement, customer service, innovation, and the professional growth and development of its employees. For more information, visit www.attainse.com.
