Orlando City's new owner, Zygi Wilf is likely worth around $6B. Dan DeVos, who became the majority owner when Rich DeVos passed away, is part of a family worth about $6B. The owners of Orlando pro teams are well off. Dan DeVos is rarely seen in Orlando. He and the family have chosen to make Alex Martins the face of local ownership. I don't know if Zygi Wilf will spend half the year in Orlando. I doubt it, but my guess is his brother(Mark) and cousin(Leonard) will be more visible in regards to their ownership.
Zygi Wilf is 71 years old and a real estate developer. He bought the Minnesota Vikings in 2005 for a reported $600M. He has built retail developments for years and don't be surprised if he eyes Orlando City's purchase as an entrance into changing the landscape around Exploria Stadium. In fact, the name of the stadium will be one to watch as well. Exploria came aboard in 2019. Reports speculated the agreement to be worth $2M per year. My guess is the Wilf family will study the current deal and determine the short and long term value of the naming rights on a building that has become a chosen destination by US National teams and international competition.
But Wilf and his family appear to see the value of soccer and the feeling is they will be aggressive in building a championship team. The MLS has welcomed the deep pockets of NFL owners and Wilf's are the latest example of that. But watch for their plans around the stadium and ideas for development. A number of MLS stadiums find themselves in the middle of popular downtown destinations to live, work and play.
Zygi Wilf wanted to own an MLS team. Flavio Augusto Da Silva wanted, or needed to sell. Wilf knows the team will be worth over $1B within a decade. By the time it's 2030, Wilf may own more than a soccer team and stadium. He may be the guy to truly jump start downtown development, And who knows, if the day comes the DeVos family wants to sell the Magic, there's a new $6B man in town...The Orlando sports scene just got richer...
Now, the Friday notes, Larry King style:
What is W, W, L, W, L, W, W, L, L, W, W, L, W, L, L, W, W? Your 10-7 NFL team...Prediction: Tim Tebow does not make it to Jags mini-camp next month. Urban announces that after further review, they've decided to not bring him in...Has Jeopardy offered Aaron Rodgers the host role yet? I didn't think so....Medina Spirit is in the Preakness because NBC wants the horse in the race. I'll try to beat him Saturday and throw a Midnight Bourbon/Crowded Trade perfecta at you...Name a Arizona Diamondback not named Madison Bumgarner...Now "Fish" was a great TV show years ago...Gus Malzahn and transfer portal- not yet done...Lakers-Warriors in a possible play-in game? I'm in...Lox on a bagel is unmatched...The new Pac 12 commissioner says he supports an expanded college football playoff. The new ACC commissioner doesn't want to rush to expansion. And we want these guys to be on the same page and expand this thing. Remember, the group will fast track expansion is ESPN. It has been and will always be about the money. ESPN will tell the ACC commissioner what to think and say at some point. For now, all this talk is nothing more than talk...Cowboys at Bucs to start the NFL season? Dak's return game? Bucs fly a title flag? Al Michaels has the under? What's not to like?...Do you ever wonder if your doctor was last in his class?...For the first time in 48 years there are no male American tennis players in the top 30. I miss John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Andrea Agassi...Nate Bjorkgren(you have no idea who that is) is the coach of the Indiana Pacers. He is likely to not be back next year. If Steve Clifford had a chance to get that job and the Magic were to let him leave would he take it? I am not sure Clifford would. But two years after the first round exit against Toronto, there is no way Clifford thought he'd be in the position he is. He saw the Magic break up his roster and plan a rebuild that might take 2-3 years. He didn't sign up for this and one has to wonder how long he wants to be a part of the rebuild...Whoever had the idea to put a clock on your oven was a smart person...
Final thought: Soap has been around for almost 5,000 years.
Photo Credit: Getty Images