Something big is happening in Oklahoma City. Court Jeske, President of Echo Soccer, is redefining what expansion looks like in modern sports, applying lessons from launching Nashville SC to design a new franchise model built on data-driven fan growth.

Echo Soccer is developing a 50-acre stadium district with a 10–11K seat Populous-designed venue, backed by an ownership group that includes Russell Westbrook. The goal? Create the busiest outdoor stadium in the U.S., host 80–90 events a year and anchor downtown OKC’s next wave of growth.

And because Echo will field women’s and men’s teams from day one, Court shares how language, community, and data play into building fan trust. Zooming out, we talk 2026: why the World Cup’s success will hinge on engaging non-host markets, how international club tours help, and why U.S. soccer is only 20% into its overall potential. 

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The 5 non-negotiables of a successful franchise and why Oklahoma City is positioned to nail every one
• Why Russell Westbrook’s investment matters far beyond the check, signaling a new era of OKC growth and alignment
• From ~100K followers / ~20K leads to Nashville’s 6,200 first-year ST holders, and the ONE avoidable tech mistake Court refuses to repeat
• How Echo Soccer is building women’s and men’s teams from day one, and training staff to use language that reflects equal footing

Resources and Links:

Connect with Court Jeske on LinkedIn.

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Next League is partnering with Sports Business Journal for the Rising Woman of the Year Award. Nominations are now open! Learn more here.