Jozy Altidore joins OKC for Soccer ownership group

OKC for Soccer has announced that former United States men’s national team forward Jozy Altidore and his longtime business partner Alex Lee have joined the club’s ownership group as the project continues preparations for professional soccer’s return to Oklahoma City.Christian Kanady, founding partner and chief executive of Echo Investment Capital, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Jozy Altidore and Alex Lee to the OKC for Soccer family. 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 said: “It’s an honour to join the OKC for Soccer ownership group. Christian and the team are building something truly unique in Oklahoma City and the region. "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.“Alex and I are energised to build a pipeline here that leaves a lasting legacy for the next generation of players.”The announcement said Echo has also made a strategic investment in Sogility – a youth soccer training facility and the SogilityGO training platform – both owned by Altidore and Lee, with the partnership intended to integrate Sogility’s methodology into the OKC for Soccer ecosystem.Lee, the chief executive of Sogility, said: “Strong clubs are built by owners who are present and strategically aligned. 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.”OKC for Soccer said Altidore and Lee join an ownership group that also includes Kanady, NBA player Russell Westbrook, the Chickasaw Nation and cultural entrepreneur Nick Gross.