Weatherford Capital joins strategic investment in United Soccer League

Weatherford Capital, a private investment firm based in Tampa and run by former House Speaker Will Weatherford, has joined strategic investment in the United Soccer League (USL), the league announced.

Weatherford Capital is adding its expertise and portfolio to lead investor group BellTower.

“Weatherford Capital is an ideal partner for the USL,” league CEO Alec Papadakis said.

“They bring extensive experience across the sports landscape and a disciplined investment approach. Through their work with leading institutions, teams, and platforms, they understand both the business of sports and its impact in communities and are highly respected and admired in Tampa Bay. Alongside BellTower, their belief in what we’re building reinforces our vision for the league and the path we’re charting for professional soccer in the United States.”

Weatherford Capital, founded in 2015 by Weatherford and his brothers, Drew and Sam, has more than $1 billion in assets under management, with offices in Tampa, Dallas and Chicago. In addition to sports, the firm makes investments across technology, financial services, business services and public-sector markets.

The investment in USL adds to the firm’s sports portfolio after investing in IMG Academy, a leading sports education institution. The firm is also a minority stakeholder in the Tampa Bay Rays, Collegiate Athletic Solutions, which provides capital to collegiate athletic programs, and Curve Sports, a youth baseball platform unifying coaches, athletic development and performance testing.

“As a Tampa-based firm, we’ve seen firsthand how professional sports can transform a community and create lasting economic value,” said Drew Weatherford, Founding Partner of Weatherford Capital and co-founder of Collegiate Athletic Solutions.

“Sports is completing its transition into a core institutional asset class, and soccer in the United States is one of the most compelling opportunities within that shift. The USL’s scale, multi-tier structure, and national reach give it a differentiated long-term growth profile, and we look forward to supporting the league as it enters its defining era.”

The latest investment in USL comes as the league is undergoing significant momentum. That includes the announcement of USL Premier as its new Division One men’s professional league, which will launch in 2028 as part of an interconnected three-tier system introducing promotion and relegation for the first time in U.S. soccer or any other American professional sport.

The USL’s Gainbridge Super League is also continuing to grow, now in its second season, as new teams and stadium-anchored developments unfold in markets across the U.S.

“We are pleased to welcome Weatherford Capital as a partner in USL,” said Kewsong Lee, Founder and CEO of BellTower Partners and Vice Chair of the USL Board.

“As institutional capital continues to flow into sports globally, USL’s scale, structure, and long-term growth profile position it as a compelling platform at the intersection of sports, community development, and investment.”

BellTower Partners made its initial strategic investment in the USL in September, when Lee joined the USL Board as Vice Chair. Initial investors included Advaya Capital, a data analytics-focused investment firm, as well as significant family offices and ultra-high net worth individuals.

Weatherford Capital’s participation further broadens the league’s investor base at a time when institutional capital is accelerating around soccer in the United States ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.