United Soccer League Adds Weatherford Capital as Strategic Partner

Joins BellTower-led investor group as USL advances USL Premier and prepares to introduce promotion and relegation

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Soccer League (USL), the largest and fastest-growing soccer organization in the United States, today announced that Weatherford Capital, a private investment firm headquartered in Tampa, has joined BellTower Partners' strategic investment in the league. Weatherford Capital will provide deep sports expertise, a broad national network, and operational insight to advance the USL's multi-tier men's and women's ecosystem.

"Weatherford Capital is an ideal partner for the USL," said Alec Papadakis, Chief Executive Officer of the United Soccer League. "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."

This investment comes during a period of significant momentum for the USL. The league recently announced USL Premier as the official name of its new Division One men's professional league, set to launch in 2028 as part of an interconnected three-tier system that will introduce promotion and relegation for the first time in American soccer or any major U.S. professional sport. The USL's Gainbridge Super League continues to grow in its second season, while new teams and stadium-anchored developments are underway in markets nationwide.

"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. The league's multi-tier model and national reach make it an attractive opportunity for investors as professional soccer continues to expand in the United States."

Founded in 2015 by Drew, Sam, and Will Weatherford, Weatherford Capital is a private investment firm with more than $1 billion in assets under management and offices in Tampa, Dallas, and Chicago. The firm invests across technology, financial services, business services, sports, and public-sector markets, with a focus on mission-driven platforms positioned to scale over time. USL marks Weatherford Capital's latest sports investment, joining a portfolio that includes IMG Academy, a leading sports education institution; a minority stake in the Tampa Bay Rays; Collegiate Athletic Solutions (CAS), which provides strategic capital to collegiate athletic programs; and Curve Sports, a youth baseball platform that unifies coaching, athlete 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."

BellTower Partners made its initial strategic investment in the USL in September 2025, 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.

About the United Soccer League
Founded in 1986, the United Soccer League (https://www.uslsoccer.com/) is the largest and fastest-growing soccer organization in the United States, impacting more than 200 communities nationwide. It is the first and only organization to offer a complete youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women under one ecosystem. The USL operates four men's leagues: the newly announced USL Premier (Division I), the USL Championship (Division II), USL League One (Division III) and USL League Two (pre-professional). On the women's side, it oversees the Gainbridge Super League (Division I), which launched in 2024, and the USL W League, the country's top pre-professional women's league. The USL also runs the USL Academy and USL Youth programs to support talent development and youth engagement.

With long-term media rights deals across CBS Sports, ESPN, TUDN, and Peacock, the USL is the most accessible soccer league in the country.

About BellTower Partners
BellTower Partners (https://belltowerpartners.com) is a private investment firm supporting operating platforms focused on scalable, lasting growth. Deploying patient and permanent capital, the firm acquires meaningful ownership stakes in well-positioned businesses. BellTower's integrated operator and investor perspective enables trust-based partnerships with management teams to accelerate business building and value creation over the long-term.

Since its founding in 2023, BellTower's investments have grown to include significant interests in industry leaders such as Ascot Group Limited (https://www.ascotgroup.com/), a global specialty insurance company, Patricof Co (https://www.pco.com/), a private investment and advisory firm focused on the world's elite athletes and the broader sports asset class, and AMAG Technology (https://amag.com/), a global leader in integrated high-security access control, identity, guest, and video management solutions.

BellTower was founded by Kewsong Lee, the former CEO of The Carlyle Group. Prior to Carlyle, Mr. Lee was a partner and a member of the Executive Management Group at Warburg Pincus, where he spent 21 years. Mr. Lee currently serves as the Chair of Ascot Group Limited, Chair of Patricof Co, Chair of the Lincoln Center Theater Board of Directors (https://www.lct.org/) and Vice Chair of the Partnership for New York City (https://pfnyc.org/). He previously served on numerous public and private boards including TransDigm, Aramark, and Arch Capital.

About Weatherford Capital
Weatherford Capital is a private investment firm with over $1 billion in assets under management. Founded in 2015, the Firm aspires to partner with visionary founders and leaders to build enduring companies critical to the long-term growth of the economy, spanning technology, financial services, business services, sports, and public-sector markets. Through a relationship-driven approach rooted in long-term stewardship of capital and deep experience in public-private partnerships, Weatherford Capital seeks to empower organizations to create lasting value in sectors where regulation, governance, and public engagement shape how businesses and consumers operate. For more information, visit www.weatherfordcapital.com.

SOURCE United Soccer League