MLS Champion and US Men’s National Team / World Cup standout Altidore joins NBA star Russell Westbrook as high-profile athlete-investors in the project to bring professional soccer back to OKC

Echo Capital Investment makes strategic investment in Sogility, a fast-growing youth soccer training facility and proprietary tech platform co-owned by Altidore & Lee

OKC for Soccer, the ambitious project bringing professional soccer back to Oklahoma City, announced today that soccer legend and entrepreneur Jozy Altidore and his longtime business partner Alex Lee have joined the club’s ownership group.

Altidore and Lee’s involvement marks another significant milestone in the vision established by Christian Kanady, founding partner and CEO of Echo Investment Capital. Leveraging Echo’s Connective Capital model, OKC For Soccer is assembling a coalition of athletes, operators, and community leaders to build a sustainable, world-class soccer club in Oklahoma City, led by OKC For Soccer President Court Jeske.

In addition, in a move that underscores the Connective Capital strategy, Echo also announced a strategic investment in Sogility, a youth soccer training facility with locations across the US and SogilityGO the brand’s proprietary technology driven training platform, both owned by Altidore and Lee. This partnership will integrate Sogility's innovative training methodology into the OKC for Soccer ecosystem, enhancing player development at every level.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jozy Altidore and Alex Lee to the OKC for Soccer family,” said Christian Kanady, Founding Partner and CEO of Echo. “Jozy brings something you cannot manufacture: world-class credibility, a player’s understanding of what it takes to develop talent, and the ability to inspire the next generation from the locker room to the boardroom. Alex brings a builder mindset that can translate expertise into repeatable results. Together, they represent the next generation of sports ownership: strategic, technical, and deeply operational.”

Altidore, a two-time U.S. Soccer Player of the Year, brings a lifetime of experience at the highest levels of global and domestic soccer. His professional playing career began with the New York Red Bulls at the age of 16 and spanned two decades, with stints in the English Premier League, Spain’s LaLiga, the Dutch Eredivisie, and Major League Soccer. Internationally, he earned 115 caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team, scoring 42 goals and representing our nation at two FIFA World Cups.

Off the pitch, Altidore has become a burgeoning investor in sports properties, including his role as limited partner with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, equity partner in emerging leagues and teams such as TGL/TMRW Sports, SailGP, BayFC and his C-Suite role with Sogility.

“It’s an honor to join the OKC for Soccer Ownership Group. Christian and the team are building something truly unique in Oklahoma City and the region,” said Altidore. “It’s rare to see a club and its pathway so deeply rooted in the community from day one. It aligns perfectly with an ambition to create a world-class environment for soccer in OKC at all levels of the game,” added Altidore. “Alex and I are energized to build a pipeline here that leaves a lasting legacy for the next generation of players.”

Lee, who serves as CEO of Sogility, possesses years of expertise in operations and finance in sports, technology, and pharmaceuticals. Embedded within the soccer ecosystem from grassroots to the pro level, he will help drive the OKC club's administrative and technical growth.

“Strong clubs are built by owners who are present and strategically aligned,” Lee said. “What Christian and Echo have built is intentional and forward-looking. The leadership, the city, and the supporters are all moving in the same direction, and that alignment creates incredible momentum and opportunity to unlock an entire soccer ecosystem in OKC.”

Altidore and Lee join a distinguished ownership group that includes Christian Kanady, NBA superstar Russell Westbrook, the Chickasaw Nation, cultural entrepreneur Nick Gross.

“Together, our ownership group is united in building a durable, community-rooted club that reflects Oklahoma City’s upward trajectory,” Kanady said. “But it’s also more than a club. It’s a soccer platform unlike any other in the country. This is how you transform a team into a lasting community powerhouse.”

About Echo Investment Capital

Founded by Christian Kanady in 2010 and headquartered in the iconic Ziggurat building in downtown Oklahoma City, Echo is a multi-strategy investment firm committed to revitalizing American industries. Echo blends investments across energy, life sciences, national security, and media & entertainment, with notable investments in enterprises such as Wheeler Bio and Prairie Surf. The firm’s holdings include landmark commercial properties, a substantial oil and gas royalty portfolio, and majority ownership in Oklahoma City’s professional soccer club.

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