Have you heard the news? Well if you didn’t it was announced on September 24th, 2024 that Gary Green owner of Union Omaha has sold his ownership stake in the Omaha Storm Chasers baseball team. This announcement came out of left field (no pun intended) and shocked just about everyone in both the baseball and soccer community alike in Omaha. Gary Green and Alliance Sports, the holding group for the team, have sold the Chasers to Diamond Baseball Holdings, the largest owner of minor league baseball teams in the country in a move that speaks to the continued commitment Green has towards Union Omaha.
DBH is owned by private equity group Silver Lake which has invested in large enterprises such as Fanatics the largest sports apparel seller in the U.S. and City Football Group the owner and operator of Manchester City, the leviathan of clubs across the world. This announcement marks the end of a pivotal decade for the Storm Chasers as they left their previous home Rosenblatt Stadium in 2011 and opened Werner Park after being owned by Omaha billionaire Warren Buffet. The team would go on and win multiple Triple-A titles under the stewardship of Gary Green. Now what does this mean for Union Omaha? Well let’s get to the nitty gritty details on what this announcement means for the future of the club.
The exact details of the sale have not been made public but what can be inferred is that Gary Green is going all-in on soccer in the city. With a stadium construction project on the horizon and no news on sources of funding from the city or state, a sale of the Chasers is a quick way to raise capital to make sure the project moves forward towards the announced breaking ground date of Fall 2024 and eventually opening before the season in 2026. This also gives questions about what will happen between operations on the front office side. Martie Cordaro has said that at the moment operations will stay the same in public interviews. Alexis Buolos and Martie will still be the heads of the club for the immediate future but that of course will most likely change as Union moves to their future home.
What this development also indicates is the potential growth soccer could have in Omaha and in cities like it across the nation. While minor league baseball can bring in reasonable expectations of growth year over year with MLB paying the salaries of the big hitters (no pun intended again) and the local clubs reaping the benefits of easy to please crowds and a restructured league system after covid. Soccer is not the same. As it grows in popularity across the nation it can be said it is the final frontier of American sports. Many MLS and NWSL owners have seen the money start rolling in recent years with skyrocketing valuations and TV deals, and many in the USL have seen that they too can get a slice of the pie with proper investment and backing from leagues and the federation.
No longer willing to let other operations stand in the way of success, Gary Green has made it clear that Union Omaha is his priority for the future. In an op-ed published in the wake of the announcement Green mentioned his commitment to the younger generation and newer developing fanbase in the area and a plan that “seeks to eliminate barriers like the “pay to play” model and provide access to top-level soccer programming. Omaha’s youth will not just have new fields to play on — they will be coached and mentored by professional players, fostering leadership and development opportunities that reach far beyond the game.” Such a commitment for the future of youth development is key in the future of the club’s success. Beyond identifying promising new professionals it is also vital to find it at home in their formal years. That along with the much anticipated professional women’s team has the possibility to be transformational for Omaha and should be followed with eager eyes as the months leading up to breaking ground inch closer and closer.
The sale marks the end of an era in Omaha but it also means it is building towards a future that started 4 years ago in a baseball stadium that is home to some of the most successful and well known professional teams in the country. While this sale may be final. The work is not and many wait with bated breath to see the success continue for Omaha whether it is on a dirt infield or a grass pitch.
Who Gives A Hoot? 