42 | Harlem River Yards New York City Football Club NEW YORK CITY FOOTBALL CLUB (NYCFC) is a professional soccer team, based in New York City, and competing in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference. It was announced as the League’s 20th franchise on May 21, 2013 and is the first and only Major League Soccer Club located within the five boroughs of New York City. Majority owned by City Football Group, which is in turn majority owned by H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, New York City FC plays its home games at Yankee Stadium. The iconic ballpark is also home to minority owner, the New York Yankees. In acquiring the franchise, City Football Group demonstrated to Major League Soccer the following key qualities • BELIEF IN US SOCCER - recognizing the unique, stand-alone investment opportunity in one of the most rapidly growing football markets in the world; • PASSION FOR THE CITY OF NEW YORK - building a soccer club in the heart of one of the world’s greatest cities which currently has no soccer team within any of the five boroughs; • STRONG CONFIDENCE IN MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER as a well-run league that continues to grow and compete with many of the leading soccer leagues in Europe and around the world. In 2010, Manchester City FC, also owned by City Football Group, built a rooftop soccer pitch at PS72 (East Harlem’s Lexington Academy), and in 2013, New York City FC was officially launched on that same pitch. Since then, the first-of- its-kind, synthetic grass pitch has provided hundreds of young people a safe place to play soccer, and City has proudly served more than 30,000 young people to date across the five boroughs. The Club kicked off their inaugural MLS season in March 2015 and has former US National Team captain Claudio Reyna as its Sporting Director and former World Cup winner Patrick Vieira as its coach. Representing the five boroughs is in the DNA of NYCFC, as it endeavors to reflect the best of the city in all its activities. Examples include: • YOUTH DEVELOPMENT The Club’s Youth Affiliate Program works with 11 local teams, and is designed to ensure a clear pathway for the local youth soccer community to reach the highest level of competition. The Club has recently announced a new girls academy program providing elite development trailing to girls from U-14 to U18 age groups in the tri –state area. • THE CLUB BADGE was a product of co-creation with fans who were invited to submit their own designs and create a ‘badge of badges’, and the final design was inspired by the old New York City subway token. • Color Scheme The inclusion of orange in the Club’s color scheme is homage to New York’s Dutch heritage, also found in the New York city flag and the stadium corner flags, merchandise and captains arm band are based on the New York colors. • AN INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT NYCFC is deeply committed to working with its local com- munity to create an inclusive and welcoming environment, reflective of the diversity of New York, and an identity shaped with and by the city. Such work includes fundraising and sponsorship partnerships with New York Ram- blers Soccer, NYC and the world’s first LGBT inclusive soccer club. The New York City Soccer Stadium will offer not only a premier soccer experience, but will create a sense of place, in the heart of a thriving community, with facilities designed to serve the needs of those around it Harlem River Yards | 43 Key Member Resumes NEW YORK CITY FOOTBALL CLUB MARTIN EDELMAN JON PATRICOF MEMBER OF THE BOARD FOR CITY FOOTBALL GROUP AND VICE CHAIRMAN OF NEW YORK CITY FC PRESIDENT OF NEW YORK CITY FC Martin Edelman was appointed to the Board of CFG (Manchester City) in September 2008. He is also Vice Chairman Jon is President of New York City Football Club. Previously, he was President and COO of Tribeca Enterprises, the of New York City FC. Since June 2000, he has been Of Counsel to Paul Hastings LLP, a New York City law firm. Mr. owner and operator of the Tribeca Film Festival and related business ventures. He was the first employee at Tribeca Edelman also currently serves as Chairman of Manchester Life Development Company and as Director of Equity Enterprises and helped build the company into a multi-dimensional business with a globally recognized brand, now Commonwealth, BXMT and Aldar. He is also on the Advisory Board at Columbia University’s Business School. Mr. 50% owned by Madison Square Garden. Prior to Tribeca, he was a member of the investment team at the Quadran- Edelman works on behalf of several philanthropic initiatives and is on the boards of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, gle Group and he worked in Corporate Strategic Planning at Disney. Jon received an M.B.A. with distinction from Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, Fisher Alzheimer Center and Tribeca Film Institute. Harvard Business School and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College. He currently sits on the board of Tribeca Enterprises. FERRAN SORIANO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CITY FOOTBALL GROUP AND MEMBER OF THE BOARD FOR NEW YORK CITY FC JONATHAN STEMP Born in Barcelona, Ferran has more than 20 years of business experience in ten countries, in the industries of con- INFRASTRUCTURE CONSULTANT, PROLEISURE sumer goods, telecommunications, aviation and football. Born in London, England, graduating with a DMS from the University of North London, Jon is the founder of Proleisure, He served at Futbol Club Barcelona as Vice-Chairman and CEO for the period 2003-2008 and joined Manchester a global sports’ infrastructure company that specializes in scoping, planning and delivering major infrastructure projects City Football Club as Chief Executive Officer in September 2012. Ferran has negotiated deals with some of the in complex multi- stakeholder environments. His client list includes UFC and England Rugby. Jon has advised on and sport’s highest profile players, including football superstar Lionel Messi and led on some of the most significant TV led the Infrastructure strategy for City Football Group (CFG) since 2008, including the City Football Academy projects in and merchandising deals in the industry, including a ground-breaking non-profit making shirt deal with UNICEF. He Manchester, Melbourne and New York as well as the expansion of the Etihad Stadium Manchester. The CFG has overseen the creation and expansion of City Football Group which began in June 2013 with the acquisition, projects have produced proven and measurable regenerative impacts on the local communities, enabled strong partner- together with their New York Yankees partners, of New York City FC, Major League Soccer’s 20th franchise. ships between clubs and local municipalities, empowered education providers and engaged local suppliers and services. Marty Edelman and Jonathan Stemp worked together on +$1b of housing and football related developments globally. RANDY LEVINE PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK YANKEES AND MEMBER OF THE BOARD FOR NEW YORK CITY FC PAUL JEFFRIES Randy Levine earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from George Washington University in 1977 and a J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law in 1980. He sits on the Board of Trustees at George Washington University. He is a member of the DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR NEW YORK CITY FC New York Bar and is a 1973 graduate of Oceanside High School in Nassau County on Long Island. Since the 2000 season, Paul Jeffries is a market leader in youth and community development. He is currently the Director of Community he has served as President of the Yankees. During his tenure the team has won World Series championships in 2000 and Development for NYCFC in addition to serving as head of the non-profit foundation, City in the Community. Prior to 2009. In 2007, he was named to BusinessWeek’s list of the 100 most influential people in sports, at number 77. He is also joining the Club, Paul served as the Executive Director for City Soccer in the Community, a non-profit organization Of Counsel with the national labor and employment law firm Jackson Lewis P.C. In 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016 Levine won that built fields and delivered youth programming in underserved communities across the US. He served a Director Emmy Awards as Executive Producer for YES Network’s Forbes Sports Money show. for Downtown United Soccer Club (2006-2014) and as Regional Director for United Soccer Academy and US Sports Institute (2004-2006). During his tenure, he managed youth sports programs throughout the tri-state area for over 80 communities working closely with local municipalities and community based organizations. He is the published author of the Youth Soccer Player Handbook and holds a Masters in Sports Management from Columbia University. 44 | Harlem River Yards Key Member Resumes NEW YORK CITY FOOTBALL CLUB CLAUDIO REYNA SPORTING DIRECTOR FOR NEW YORK CITY FC Claudio, a former United States National Team Captain, had a storied playing career which spanned 12 years in Europe with Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg, Glasgow Rangers, Sunderland and Manchester City. Claudio’s international career included 4 World Cups between 1994 and 2006, as well as the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games in Barcelona and Atlanta. In total, Claudio made 112 appearances for his country and was the first American player to be selected to the FIFA All World Cup team at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea. Claudio’s significant achievements led to his induction into the U.S National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2012. After his retirement in 2008, he launched the Claudio Reyna Foundation to nurture, encourage and develop soccer in America while fighting poverty and childhood obesity.