Sports are not just entertainment or a shared pastime. They have profoundly changed lives and families. Justin Papadakis, deputy chief executive officer and chief real estate officer of the United Soccer League, knows this firsthand.
Born the son of a Greek immigrant, Papadakis grew up with a love of soccer. Papadakis’ father and uncle, Alec and Nick, respectively, moved from Athens, Greece, to Canada during their youth and developed a passion and talent for soccer. Their athleticism gave them incredible opportunities including high school and college scholarships. This propelled their professional careers, with Alec going to law school.
“Growing up, for me, soccer always had this superpower to change lives, and certainly changed my family’s life and trajectory of my family,” says Papadakis. Through his father and uncle, he saw the relationship between economic development and sports. Understanding the impact sports could have on individuals and their communities, it only made sense that Papadakis would enter the sports industry. That’s not where his career started, however.
Before taking a leadership role at the United Soccer League, Papadakis built anchored shopping centers for tenants such as Walmart and Target. During his time at SITE Centers (formerly DDR Corp.), Papdakis learned about building relationships and the importance of collaboration, which would prove to be invaluable.
Papadakis joined the USL team in 2014, first as president, commerical ventures. Based in Tampa, USL was acquired by NuRock Soccer Holdings (co-owned by Papadakis’s father) in 2009. A family affair, Papadakis, his father and uncle are all involved at USL. Their vision is a unified one, to create the best possible experience for fans.
The Papadakis family understands how much of a thrill it is to see professional soccer live. “The fan journey is key,” Justin Papadakis explains. From young kids to seniors, going to a game and cheering on your team can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Stadiums are “true community assets,” he elaborates. Sports has the special ability to bring people of all backgrounds and ethnicities together.
“There’s nothing comparable to when we announce a new soccer club coming to a market, the excitement that our city, our fans our youth soccer players have for now having a team of their own and that’s something that is definitely the best part about my job,” Papadakis says. “What I love the most is getting to be a part of building community assets and community living rooms because it’s really one of the only places that everyone in the community … comes together to support one thing and that’s their club. And being a part of that is extremely meaningful and getting to watch new teams launch and know that will be a part of the fabric of that community for generations is something that I’m really proud of.”
It’s an exciting time for soccer, and Papadakis recognizes this. Women’s sports are becoming more popular than ever. USL oversees many women’s teams and believes this is a key investment for the future of the game. The league’s municipal partners are “willing to take that chance” because women have not been given the opportunity to truly shine on a national level, both professionally and amateur, Papadakis explains. “The question of if women’s sports will work is not even a discussion now, the question is how big, and I think we’re going to see that the answer to that is as big or bigger than men’s sports, and that’s what’s so exciting for us to play a part in.”
With USL’s teams, young girls can watch their idols play live and get inspired. This brings Papadakis joy, as he has a daughter of his own and hopes she will find a love of soccer as she grows up.
USL’s national influence is a collaborative effort. Papadakis would be the first one to admit this. There are many stakeholders involved when creating and maintaining local teams. Without invested municipal, community and corporate partners, teams cannot be introduced even when there is great momentum and fandom in the community. “We’ve been creating relationships with these people, with our city partners… and they want soccer to be a part of their community,” he says.
Papadakis believes that many are interested in the sports industry because it’s not only financially lucrative, but it’s an investment in the community. Businessowners can earn while making a powerful impact. “That’s the magic formula that I think is why sports has grown so much as an asset class and will continue to grow as an asset class for the next decade,” he elaborates.
With his dual role, Papadakis is on the road frequently. He travels three weeks every month, meeting with partners around the country. Currently, USL has more than 50 soccer clubs and is exploring about 70 new markets. His travels give him “limited” free time but when he is home, he spends as much time as he can with his wife and two young children. Papadakis credits his wife for her understanding of his busy schedule and for being a wonderful mother to their children.
Papadakis is the definition of sports legacy. Both his father and uncle were able to build amazing lives due to soccer. Seeing the gift the game brought to his family, Papadakis has devoted himself to creating thoughtful soccer experiences for players, owners and fans. It’s the ultimate way to pay it forward and a rewarding career, too.