OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Former U.S. national team forward Jozy Altidore has joined NBA star Russell Westbrook as part of the OKC for Soccer ownership group, the organization announced Thursday.
The ownership group purchased the rights to the USL Championship team, formerly OKC Energy. The group plans to prepare the team for a new stadium scheduled to open in downtown Oklahoma City in 2028.
Altidore is a two-time US Soccer Player of the Year, a two-time World Cup player, and has played in the English Premier League and Spain’s La Liga.
“It is rare that a club and its path have been so deeply rooted in the community since its inception,” Altidore said in a statement. “This aligns perfectly with our ambition to create a world-class environment for soccer at all levels in OKC.”
Altidore joins a group that includes principal owner Echo Investment Capital, Altidore’s business partner Alex Lee, and the Chickasaw Nation.
“We are excited to welcome Jozy Altidore and Alex Lee to the OKC for Soccer family,” said Christian Canady, founding partner and CEO of ECHO. “Josie brings something you can’t manufacture: world-class reliability, 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.”
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