The Post Game Podcast #73 Justin Papadakis: Inside the Business of Building Soccer Teams & Stadiums
Justin Papadakis is the Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer of the United Soccer League (USL), one of the fastest-growing soccer organizations in the U.S. He oversees stadium development, club expansion, and the league’s long-term strategy to reshape American soccer from the ground up.
Justin breaks down how the USL is using real estate to build thriving soccer communities across the country and what it means for the future of the sport.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro to Justin Papadakis
2:00 – The Papadakis family story: Soccer's impact
3:40 – Stadiums as real estate catalysts: Lessons from LA Live
5:05 – Breaking out of the "minor league" model
8:10 – Why the USL thrives in mid-sized cities like Albuquerque & Boise
10:00 – Antelope Valley success: Building hyper-local fan pride
12:40 - Real market drivers: Not population, but ownership & stadium quality
13:30 – Inside the USL’s in-house real estate team
14:50 – Working with cities: How stadium deals take 2–10 years
16:45 – Aligning community stakeholders for long-term impact
19:20 – Why the USL is building stadium districts
20:20 – Soccer fan behavior vs. NFL & MLB: What’s different
21:35 - TIF financing: How stadiums fund themselvs
23:50 – New Stadiums: Rhode Island, Louisville & next-gen builds
27:10 – How does the league make money?
28:45 - Taking a long term view on media
30:40 – Regional rivalries + the Jägermeister Cup
32:00 – USL team valuations top $100 million
33:40 - Soccer as an alternative investment
35:30 – Career advice for college athletes
37:20 - Front office job growth in the USL
38:20 – Where to find USL & how to get involved
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Email me: joe.poduslenko@gmail.com