It’s been a minute since I got a chance to clear my schedule (and my head) to write something, and, wow, is there a lot to talk about! On the pitch, Vincenzo Candela has the lads playing like it’s the end of the season, with the Owls up to second in the League One table (first in points per match). Off the pitch, the new stadium draws ever closer and a new member of the leadership team joins to help us see it through.
With a lot to cover, let’s get into it.
Búhos Sweep USLC’s Indy Eleven, Then Belt Greenville; Borczak Key To Both
Union Omaha returned to winning ways and a different kind of Cup glory with another 1-2 victory in Indianapolis to end April. They then followed that up with a professional 2-0 home win against Big Green Belt rival Greenville Triumph to begin May. And while no one was really panicking after a competitive 1-0 loss against MLS side Colorado Rapids in the US Open Cup and a third straight league loss to Richmond Kickers (1-2 on the road) four days later, it was nice to see those matches as apparent blips on the radar vice the beginning of a downward spiral.
The latest two wins saw goals by Pato Botello Faz (vs. Indy), Kempes Tekiela and Diego Guitierrez (vs. Greenville). But out of the goal contributors, it’s been Dylan Borczak who has really started to cement himself into Coach Vinnie’s attack.
In addition to the scorers above, Dylan found the back of the net against Indy while also setting up Pato’s opener and earning (in my eyes at least) player of the match consideration. He then went on to set up Kempes’ strike against the Triumph while creating two chances, putting both of his shots on target, and causing problems for the visiting defense for most of the match. He’s really starting to gel with the rest of his teammates and provides a lot of excitement when he gets the ball in the final third. He wasn’t the flashiest signing of the offseason, but he’s starting to become one of the most critical.
His rise in playing time has corresponded somewhat with Sergio Ors Navarro’s absence after his early injury in the first match at Indy Eleven. Prior to that point, Dylan had 12 league minutes and a 90-minute feature against amateur side BOHFS St. Louis in the US Open Cup. Since then he’s featured in all six matches, starting four of them and only failing to get 45 minutes in the loss at Colorado Rapids. As much of a threat as Sergio is, Vinnie was going to need someone not just to soak up those minutes but to take the opportunity to step up and seamlessly transition into the attack. Dylan has done just that. And with no words on the extent of Sergio’s injury or any timeline for his return, he’s going to have to keep it up. Thankfully, it looks like he’s up to the task.
Nebraska Governor Approves Turnback Tax Measure, Advances Stadium Effort
It may not be a ribbon cutting for a permanent home, but it almost felt like it on Thursday when the supporters found out that the Sports Arena Facility Financing Assistance Act Board approved a turnback tax plan for what will one day become Union Omaha’s new home. The excitement is understandable as Búho Nation has been waiting on news of a new stadium for about as long as the club has been in existence.
When a previous effort and site fell through last year, there were a lot of nervous folks counted among the supporters. We always knew that Werner Park was not a viable long-term solution, and it got more difficult as a solution at all when Gary Green and Alliance Sports sold the hosting Omaha Storm Chasers to Diamond Baseball Holdings at the end of 2024. The team could not remain without a home and hope to continue to grow within the community or within the USL as the league’s ambitions started to expand.
The effort to get a new stadium, being critical to the club’s plans, was also never a sure thing. They’ve had to navigate the city’s politics and planning, including convincing a new mayor and the city council of the utility and value of a stadium, while being sensitive to some legitimate budget concerns that Omaha is facing. This on top of finding the right site, getting the right design, and satisfying their target demographic as well as the league (who seems to prefer centrally located/downtown stadiums).
Oh yeah, and then there’s Governor Jim Pillen.
The Governor’s resistance to any of these types of measures is well-documented. On a board that requires the Governor to be a part of an approving majority for these plans, Pillen had specifically stayed away from board meetings at times, effectively blocking any of the proposals moving forward without outright killing them. When he did, finally, attend Thursday’s meeting, nine of the ten other proposals that went before the board at the same time as Union Omaha’s stadium plan were harshly rejected.
With a recently corrected $646 million budget deficit (followed immediately by a $72 million dollar hole that appeared after this year’s tax collection was calculated), many have supported the Governor in his approach to anything extra that might be seen as a drain on public funds vice an investment. Despite receiving unanimous consent from the Omaha City Council and calm heads in the club’s front office, we all understood that his support of this initiative was far from guaranteed.
Thus, it was with mighty rejoicing that we read the news of Governor Pillen and the Board approving the turnback tax plan and clearing probably the biggest and most unpredictable hurdle between us and the Owls’ new home. We’ll still be cautious until we see shovels in the dirt at the location, but there is now some serious optimism that we’ll be home by 2028.
(To read Gary Green/Union Omaha’s statement about the approval and the FAQ about what this means going forward, click here. Both documents provided by Union Omaha’s media relations. For more on the Board meeting in general, check out the Nebraska Examiner’s coverage here.)
Union Omaha Announces Nick Hall As New President And Chief Revenue Officer
As the ink was drying on the Turnback Tax approval, Union Omaha was readying another key leadership announcement. Nick Hall, lately the President of Birmingham Legion FC, has agreed to become the new President and Chief Revenue Officer, helping fill a void left by former President Martie Cordaro’s departure in February.
Nick was promoted to President in Birmingham earlier this year after Jay Heaps divested some of his CEO responsibility to take on the head coaching position following the January departure of Mark Briggs to Dallas FC. Prior to that, he had been the club’s first Chief Business Officer beginning in March 2025.
The rest of his resume includes two years at MLS’ St Louis City SC as the Vice President of Hospitality and Strategy, as well as 5 years as Executive Vice President, General Manager of the Fredericksburg Nationals, the Single-A affiliate of MLB’s Washington Nationals. It was at this post where Nick would help guide this team through the COVID-19 pandemic and the construction of the 5,000-seat stadium that would become their new home. It’s expected that his experience with that stadium project, plus his stops at some notable soccer destinations, will prove invaluable as Union Omaha continues its marketing expansion and preparations for a (hopefully) 2028 stadium opening.
In the official club statement, Gary said of Nick, “He has a proven track record of building brands, launching new venues, and driving revenue through authentic community connection. As we look ahead to our downtown future and continued growth, his experience and energy will be instrumental in shaping how we engage fans, partners, and the broader Omaha and Nebraska communities.”
In his introductory comments, Nick referenced the club’s previous successes and said, “My focus is to build on that foundation by creating unforgettable fan experiences and meaningful partnerships that fuel long-term growth.” This is consistent with Nick’s immediate focus when he took over in Birmingham as well. In an interview captured on the Birmingham Sports Media YouTube channel (here), Nick described his “focus is on growing the brand,” mentioning his outreach efforts to do so through “marketing, getting people excited to be at those Legion games, and working on that fan experience…” These are all things that the die-hard supporters have asked for, while also understanding that the front office has been doing their best with the resources they have. The hope is that Nick’s is able to help make good on these things that both the fans and club have wanted to see.
Welcome to Bùho Nation, Nick! We look forward to connecting with you very soon.
What’s Next
As if all of that wasn’t exciting enough, there’s actual soccer to be played this week! The Owls welcome Portland Hearts of Pine to Morrison Stadium on Saturday, May 9. Kickoff is at 7pm CT, but you’ll want to get there for the Omaha Parliament Tailgate beginning at 4pm.
Omaha and Hearts traded blows last season, with each winning on their home field. This year’s first matchup will feel different not only because of venue, but because the teams are going in the opposite direction.
Portland comes in having just lost 3-0 to give Fort Wayne FC their first win in USL League One history. Though the Hearts have managed to pull out a few draws, their goalscoring form has been poor. They have only scored seven goals in seven league matches, with six of those being in two 3-1 wins against New York Cosmos. They’ve been shut out five times in all competitions this year, including their 1-0 crashout of the US Open Cup to amateur side Vermont Green.
Their defense has managed to keep the team 7th in the table, having given up only 7 goals in the league so far. Goalkeeper Hunter Morse has 12 saves in his 5 league appearances, charting a 75% save rate to keep Portland somewhat stable at the back.
More of interest to the Búho Nation is the potential return of Lagos Kunga. Lagos departed after missing all of last year for the Owls after sustaining a leg injury in preseason. Though he hasn’t seen a ton of minutes, the prevailing opinion is that he may have still been working his way back to form following the injury. He has begun getting some minutes off the bench, though hasn’t made a major impact—yet. With him missing the Fort Wayne match in midweek, it’s possible we get to see him return to Omaha. Hopefully not too triumphantly, though, as he can be a massive threat when he’s on his game.
Successfully navigating Portland would put Union Omaha at the top of the table only to see a showdown at current leaders One Knoxville SC on Wednesday, May 13.
The excitement of this week is going to lead us into a huge stretch that will set the pace with about a third of the season complete. Get ready, Bùhos.
Who Gives A Hoot? 