In the wake of the Athletic article that discussed the working conditions with Loudoun United, along with the subsequent announcement that Attain Sports, D.C. Soccer and Virginia Revolution would merge under a single entity, we were able to have a conversation with new Loudoun United President Nico Eckhart and General Manager Steven Birnbaum to discuss some reported aspects of the merger and additional topics. This interview, conducted the day before Loudoun’s recent win over Pittsburgh, has been slightly edited for clarity.

The District Press: So I guess the first question I have for both of you is when your respective opportunities first sort of came up?

Nico Eckhart: First of all, it’s nice talking to you, especially for somebody who’s kind of been around this area, you really understand the undertaking with what’s happening here. So we (Virginia Revolution) started in in 2018, (and) when I started this, it was more like community from a youth perspective, just coming from a playing side back home in Europe. But as we grew very rapidly, and brought in a lot more expertise, coaches who had been playing overseas and now live here in the United States. We knew that there’s more to this project than just the youth side. So in 2020 we bought Evergreen SportsPlex (and) put a lot of private money into it. We enhanced it (from) the restaurant to the rooftop bar, professional locker rooms now, professional gym, classrooms for the school, and a real Academy setup, but we needed a professional outlet. We started small, just because we always believed if the bottom of the pyramid is healthy, that’s the only way you can develop and be successful all the way on top. We started with the UPSL, and just had our home opener for 1,200 fans, which was great. But we knew there is an appetite to professional soccer, and as we explored different options with MLS Next Pro, USL, we saw the pathway that USL is the right fit for us. With (Loudoun) down the road, with the promotion and relegation just announced, where the league doesn’t own player contracts, it’s an easy way to integrate even Academy players into the system, and potentially move them into MLS or into Europe and that’s what we saw.

The conversations with D.C. United and Attain started a year ago through mutual connections, and we saw (that) we can bring a lot of positive changes immediately, like a professional training facility that the USL team does not have yet. And you know, from a soccer expertise and a pathway for youth development, with the USL a little bit behind as well. As we are a for profit business too, so when we first saw the numbers, we got a little surprised, let’s say it that way. And I think that’s why we were a little bit hesitant at the beginning, because we have a very healthy business where we care about the community. Jim (Miller, Revolution principal owner) and I are both integrated in Loudoun County, we have both kids, they all play, they love the sport. Jim has multiple businesses here in Loudoun County. So it was important to us (to know) who are the people we’re going into business with, what do they stand for? And also from Attain and D.C. United, who are the Revolution people? Do they really stand for the right thing? So I think that took a little bit longer than expected to come together to an agreement what we wanted to do.

I think that we addressed yesterday, especially Steven and I, the elephant in the room, that the merger at this point in time is probably the worst kept secret in show business, and it also is the worst time, doing it in the middle of the season. Because nobody can make any changes or immediate effect for the outcome. And I think that’s why bringing Steven in immediately was so important for us, as he is one of the big legends here in the DMV area, just with his history of D.C. United as a leader, as a captain, also from a national team perspective. I think the implementation immediately was really needed, where the old ownership didn’t have that expertise coming from a player focus first. As a typical American ownership, we want a sports team, but we want to lead it ourselves. And I want to applaud the ownership, Greg, Jason and Jim, that they brought in somebody like Steven, where they believe in that hey, we need to have somebody who understands the industry, understands the player, what it takes to win, to make the playoffs, and go beyond that. To build a fanbase around who is carrying the team to more wins, playoffs, and hopefully winning the championship, that what’s needed.

And I think the immediate impact is the short term fixes, we met with the players yesterday, signing Pedro Santos to a long term deal. Addressing the immediate fixes with staff, some shortages there, some immediate help and support. And then bringing in the top practice facility, really on the East Coast for the USL, where we have some adequate showers, locker rooms, gym, but then also showing that pathway to the little guys, where they look down the hallway and see these pros like working in, out, living the dream, what everyone is aspiring to be. But now, they stand for something more than just a team, now they represent the club. They represent the community, where before, it was not really integrated into it. It’s always nice and shiny saying, ‘Rooted in Loudoun,’ you know, the roots are very, very short (and) we have to replant that. I think that’s what Revolution really is standing for, for a community impact. We’re not going to be able to plant Revolution fans into Segra immediately, because these people are busy with playing, (or) driving their kids all over the place. So it’s really for us now, it’s the main focus. How do we bring people within a 50 mile radius into a stadium, create a new atmosphere, a better atmosphere? And really influence and also listening to the community, like what is really needed? From a fan experience to the kids, like potentially building a small, mini field and pitch for the kids, getting rid of some of the containers, construction fence and building something worth with the players. Because at the end, the USL wants to be a tier one league, let’s treat it finally as a tier one environment and professional entity. Because right now, when I look at it as a fan, and have been a fan of (Loudoun) for the last seven years, nothing brought me there. And it’s a hard story to tell to our (Revolution) families right now. Why would they go to Segra if they (already) have a bar, right? Everything (at Raventek), the kids can run around safely on Field Two and have their experience. So there’s a lot of work to do for us on the long term, but ownership, I think, is really behind it (and) bought in. I think there was a great meeting yesterday for the first time with everyone. I think everyone is coming out of the meeting excited, we all met this morning. Steven is still there. I think everyone is flying and excited, with a big game against a rival.

DP: Steve, a similar question in terms of when this came to you, but also how much thought is there in terms of potentially spreading yourself a little thin as it relates to your work (as Sporting Director) with DC Power, or has that not been a consideration at this point?

Steven Birnbaum: I was approached a couple months ago, and Nico and his team and the Revolution people, and really understanding what they stand for, going out to their training facility and seeing everything that they’ve done, because I hadn’t seen it before, and I heard all about it. Seeing what they stand for, and showing the promise that is out here coming to Loudoun, also here at Segra and understanding the opportunity out here, bringing Loudoun up was something that I can pass on, you know, to be involved in. I believe in this community and soccer in the DMV, especially out here for families that live an hour from the city that don’t necessarily have (the) opportunity to get into the city for a D.C. United game. Where you have a tier one professional soccer team out here that just needs a little bit of love. And I think that, you know, I kind of opened that credibility that Nico was talking about. (So) my job is to really bridge the gap and help support the players, support the program, and really trying to build this up to be something special. And in teaming up with the Revolution people, it’s really given me that opportunity and that support to aid me in this transition, back me in that and give a little bit more credibility and firepower moving forward. So I’m really excited about this opportunity.

In terms of DC Power, of course, it’s going to be a big lift for both teams, but I’m willing to take it on right now. It’s a lot of work, and I’m excited about it, I think there’s just a big opportunity in both spaces and to bring these types of teams to community out here and as well as DC, it’s just a very great thing. I’m a DC local now, and so I’m trying to get as much as I can out of our community.

DP: Nico mentioned that he had met with the team. Is there anything different in terms ofmeeting these guys, as opposed to meeting the Power? With Florian Valot and Tommy McCabe and a couple of the other guys you may have actually ran up against them once or twice. Is there, like, a different dynamic involved and what type of concerns, aside from what’s already been out there, did they voice, if you’re willing to share that?

SB: I think the relationship I’ve had, I played with Moses Nyeman, Drew Skundrich, Pedro Santos, I played against Flo and a couple of other guys in the team. So I’ve known them, we’ve known each other. We’ve passed each other in the building at D.C United as well. So the relationship is strong. I think it was important for Nico and I to address the team yesterday as a collective front, and tell them the vision, both short term and long term, and to reassure them that we’re here to support them and empower them. That was our biggest message. They really took to it. And I think they are trusting us with that responsibility, so it’s very important for Nico and It, and the rest of the staff to understand players’ needs and players’ wants as well, to make this a little bit more professional. And that’s our job right now.

DP: Nico, talk a little bit about how RavenTek has come along from when you first inherited it. Do you see the challenge as evolving Segra similar to that or are they kind of like a different monster?

NE: I think they are two different monsters, RavenTek is a private property right, where Segra is a community-owned field. Conversations have already started with the county. The county, I think, understood that Segra was built temporarily, and in a way, it was built unfortunately through one of the tough times in sports during COVID. And I think that’s why we’re still paying for the COVID times. It’s not going to be an immediate fix, there’s reinvestment from the county, because the project has never been finished. That’s why we still see that gravel. That’s why we still see containers there. So I think it’s a different monster in a way, but I think Loudoun County wants a professional team here, and it’s tier one status, (and) it needs to work together with us on reinvesting and putting more resources into it, but I think everyone is really excited about it. So I think we’ve only had very positive conversations with it. It was a great home opener, where we had lots of county support there too. So we’re looking forward to it, but it’s going to take a little time. I think there’s some short term things and TLCs we can immediately address, but then on a bigger scale, we really enhance the locker room situations. We need to address the fan experience from a VIP to other stands to food to drinks to kids’ zones. (Whether) it’s a beer garden or certain things that would really makes a fan experience special, that’s what we have. I think the county sees that they want something like that. I think the area where Segra is located, surrounding Bolen Park, it’s an ideal area where we can bring other businesses in and local community leaders. So I think when down the road we look back (at Segra) the same way we look back now at RavenTek Park, I think it’s really exciting as it’s a diamond in the rough, and I think now there are a lot of people really like looking at that and trying to polish it.

DP: Obviously you’re doing a good portion of this on the fly. And you mentioned that Pedro is about to sign for the rest of the year. Is there the thought to try and add more players at this point? Because I know for the off season, it was really more retention focused, and (Loudoun has) been signing guys on short term deals. Is there a thought of trying to get a player or two, or lock up players that you looked at?

NE: I think Steven obviously is going to lead really everything in that way, Steven and I collaborate, but it’s really led by Steven and Ryan (Martin). We had a great meeting yesterday, ownership with Ryan, where we gave Ryan our full support, and I think it that was very important. But if I were to wrote a story right now, think I would the story would be really the team, what the team has done in this season right now with certain uncertainties, because the deal has been dragged out so long where they have really come together as a real brotherhood, and melded as a team where everyone is fighting for each other. And even if there’s some shortages, like, you know, the equipment manager left (at the) beginning of the season (or) certain front office people left, that it brought the team together. I think if maybe we would have done the deal at the beginning of this season, I don’t think maybe the team would have been together like this. Sometimes I say certain things just happen in life, and this is one of those things. I think what needs to be really covered is what the team has done. Because they have never been that successful. They have never been playing that great. It’s exciting to watch. Even though they just crashed out of the Open Cup, I truly believe they were the better team. I believe in stability. I believe in a team, where sometimes you need to keep certain things together, that skeleton. And I think we have that right now. I think the Pedro Santos deal, that’s why Steven is there right now. I mean, it’s, it’s happening momentarily, I think, as we speak? So that’s done today, and there’s certain people we’re looking at it right now, and Steven can maybe talk a bit more about it, but that’s really led by experts like Steven, like Ryan. And I think the other elephant in the room is, really, we’re not a D.C. United 2.0 reserve team. That’s not who we are, we’re an independent, strong, winning-oriented franchise who wants to finally make the playoffs for the first time ever. But also is a good partner to a local MLS club, (so) if we see and Steven sees and Ryan sees a good fit off a loanee, who would make an impact to the team and but it also helped them, right? It doesn’t have to be just D.C. United, (if) it’s a good fit for us, then I think it’s a good collaboration. Everything else is just pushed on the throat (then) it’s just not going to work, people will just clash. So that’s what we stand for, and that’s why I’ve been in Revolution. I think they’re very successful because we’re all about collaboration and teamwork, we’re in the team business, and I think that’s that makes us strong.

SB: Just to echo that, I think my job and our job is to do what’s best for Loudoun United and finding the right pieces. Pedro Santos is one of those. We’re always looking at pieces to add. I think you no matter what we’re doing, we’re always trying to get better. We’re always trying to improve the roster, whether it’s loans contracts, we’re not gonna make any crazy decisions in this collaborative process with Ryan. So it’s a lot of processes to go through, but as Nico said, this is about enhancing Loudoun United right now, and they can be a better organization club from a roster perspective as much as we can. Whether that’s loans from MLS teams, loans from other teams, signing players in general, we’re going to do what’s best for the club.

DP: Playoffs obviously is a goal, but what would you consider in terms of short, intermediate, long term markers that you would want to hit in what you’re doing.

SB: The short term is continuing this winning streak within the league and continue building off of this incredible start of the season. It’s been amazing what these guys have overcome, been able to do so far to start the season with a lot of uncertainty around the club. That’s the short term goal, to keep winning. I think in the medium term, it’s to continue to build the roster, as well as where we can on the operational side, staffing, and then the long term goal is to have that pipeline. In terms of starting with the academy, and having that all the way streamlined, that’s a very long-term project, but winning now is our main goal, and making playoffs and making push for the Cup. You can see the roster’s performing, and we have the talent right now, so it’s continuing to put that together and building on top of it.

DP: Is the thought for you to see where you are at the end of the year and make a decision on what you want to do? Have you thought about what you’d want to do at the end of the year?

SB: It hasn’t been thought of right now honestly. I’ve been thrown into both of these goals willingly and excited, taking them kind of head on and trying to navigate my way, and making things are organized so that I can allot a certain amount of time, (since) each role is extremely important. But you know, right now, we’re just trying to put things together, and I’m committed to this. And so in terms of at the end of the year, I’m not sure, but right now, you know, they’re both going and I’m excited about them.

DP: It seems to me based on what you’ve said, even circumstantially with your youth base, combined with what you have at the various levels, it seems like you’re kind of building a an organization akin to North Carolina FC and the Courage. Is that the long term idea?

NE: From a USL perspective, there are two aspects. One, the stadium, we’re looking at a Louisville, they’re the poster child of the stadium over there. And then to me, who’s in the United States doing an extremely great job, is (the Philadelphia) Union from a youth academy side. So I think you need to have goals. You need to have goals and aspirations, where you want to be. We know the Academy for us is going to take time because right now, we’re probably in a tier two environment here, from the talent we have in house, just because we’re so young still. we have not, you know, I always (say) the culture takes time, the DNA to build that in the young kids to grow up. I still remember, because in the US, it’s all about badges, if you don’t have a badge, you’re just becoming a developmental club, and get in the kids leave for something else. I think this is the first time in (the) history of the Revolution where people look at us now very differently. They look at us and think, ‘wow, we can see ourselves coming here early on, and it’s not just graduating into high school or into college, it’s a professional pathway now.’ The goal is for us over the next years to develop that one kid who makes it all the way. (So) for Christian Cziommer, who’s our technical director on the youth side here (and) who has done phenomenal job overall, there is going to be more pressure on him to develop these kids here. Down the road, maybe on the women’s side too. But right now, it’s really the men’s focus, where we’re not turning the first team into an academy team, it’s really, the one or two kids we’re trying to bring into the first team, who then make it all the way. Right now the team has an exciting kid you know, who is one of the top scorers of the league, and it helps having a Pedro Santos. They are leading, holding some hands, and have that oversight. And having a Steven Birnbaum there from the leadership team is so important, and I think that’s the culture we stand for. That’s the reason I think we’re juggling so many balls right now, because Steven and I are people also really invested in the community. We have now over 2,500 kids in the (Revolution) program, and I’m very proud that I still know almost 99% of them, they know me and I don’t think that will ever change, because that’s why I love the sport.

DP: What would you say to someone seeing that this is another (ownership) group for Loudoun, what makes this different? What would you want to tell that group of people that are wondering what’s going on down there?

NE: We live by a slogan here at Revolution, it’s “One club, one home, one family.” It’s different now where, you know, I talk, I’m very big on the graduation from a team to a club, and a club, I think is more than coming to the stadium and experience a game. I think at the club is the central point where I come home from in Germany, where communities really build around. Unfortunately I’m at that age where I retired and don’t play anymore, but now I’m giving back in different ways. I feel like, especially in Europe, (but) what we’re trying to do here too is to keep the people who played for the club, to bring back to the club to give back now. So it’s like a full circle, where now we’re integrating the younger kids to turn them into fans, where that turns into aspiration to become a player, from players now, to give back to the kids as coaches, as leaders and so on. Because sports has always been a huge part of us, in a way, where we did business together with old teammates, we have families together, we get invited as coaches to weddings, to birthday parties, to graduation, and so it’s a full cycle now. And I think there was really no integration into the community where now there’s people are getting curious, like, ‘oh, I think there’s something happening right away.’ It’s not just a new franchise where all of a sudden people think, you know, it’s going to be like a crazy fan atmosphere. You know, it’s going to take a little time where the roots have to grow a little bit bigger, but it’s, I think, a very exciting time for it.

SB: It’s going to be a slow surge in terms of getting the community behind, but we’re going to show it by our actions, things like stadium improvements, whether that be with roster improvements from my side, but it’s all about helping make it like from the teams was like in having that familial community, and Revolution has a really good pulse of that.

At 6-1-0, Loudoun United holds the best record in the USL Championship. Their next home game is Saturday, May 10 when they host Lexington SC.