>>FCC. >> IF YOU BELIEVE THAT WEDDING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, YOU WILL PREPARE TO WIN AND COMPETE TO WIN. >> ON THIS EPISODE OF LET'S TALK CINCY, IT'S CONSIDERED THE MOST POPULAR SPORT ON EARTH. JEFF: WE ARE COMMITTED TO WINNING FOR THIS COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT IS WINNING A WORLD CUP OR BRINGING THE U.S. MEN OR WOMEN OR THE WAY WE ARE ENGAGING IN THE WEST AND --END. >> FROM WLWT, THIS IS LET'S TALK CINCY, PRESENTED BY WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP. PUT OUR FINANCIAL STRENGTH BEHIND YOU. COURTIS: HELLO, EVERYONE. I'M COURTIS FULLER AND WELCOME TO LET'S TALK CINCY. SEVEN YEARS AGO, SOCCER EXCITEMENT EXPLODED ON THE SCENE. FC CINCINNATI LAUNCHED AS A NEW TEAM IN THE UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE. BUT IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR THIS CLUB TO RECIEVE A MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER EXPANSION BID IN 2018. THE TEAM INITIALLY PLAYED HOME GAMES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI'S NIPPERT STADIUM. THEN IN 2021, TQL STADIUM OPENED IN THE WEST END OF TOWN. A HUGE MULTI MILLION DOLLAR FACILITY. TODAY, A ONE ON ONE WITH THE VISIONARY OF FC CINCINNATI. THE CLUB'S FORMER PRESIDENT, NOW CO-CEO, JEFF BERDING. JEFF: WE ARE VERY PROUD. WE THINK WE RAISE THE BAR. IT IS THE BEST SOCCER STADIUM IN THE COUNTRY. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT -- THAT BY MANY OFFICIALS IN THE U.S. AND WE ARE RECRUITING PLAYERS TO COME. THEY SAY THIS RANKS AMONG THE TOP STADIUMS IN THE WORLD. SOCCER SPECIFIC STADIUMS. WE ARE PROUD OF THAT. PEOPLE WOULD NOT EXPECT THAT CINCINNATI OHIO WOULD HAVE THE BEST SOCCER STADIUM IN THE COUNTRY BUT WE DID IT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO WAIT ON HIS EVERY TO PROMOTE CINCINNATI TO THE ROLES AND THIS SPORT HAS GLOBAL CURRENCY AND THE MINUTE YOU WALK INTO THE STADIUM, WE PRIVATELY FINANCED ALL OF THE STADIUM. AT THE TIME, IT WAS THE LARGEST SOCCER SPECIFIC STADIUM. THE MOST NUMBER OF PRIVATE SEEDS AND CLUB SEATS AND LOUNGES. ALL SORTS OF INTERESTING AMENITIES. WHETHER IT IS THE BEER CULTURE AND THE ICONS THAT MAKES CINCINNATI WHAT IT IS. THERE IS ALL OF THESE NEEDS -- NEAT ROCKS OF THE STADIUM BUT ALSO PEOPLE COMING TO ENJOY EVENTS LIKE THE WHO. COURTIS: WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR LOVER SOCCER? JEFF: I PLAYED SOCCER AS A KID. I WAS A GOALKEEPER. I HAVE THREE KIDS THAT ALL PLAY. MY SON AND YOUNGEST DAUGHTER WERE GOOD PLAYERS. I TRAVELED ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH THEIR TEAMS. I COACH MY KIDS. MY SON SCORED A GOAL AND MY DAD SAID CONGRATULATIONS, YOU SCORED MORE GOALS THAN YOUR FATHER. THEY CALLED IT A BEAUTIFUL SPORT AND WHEN I WAS COMING OFF CITY COUNCIL, I WAS INVITED TO JOIN THE BOARD AT MY KIDS YOUTH SOCCER CLUB. I TOOK A LEADERSHIP POSITION TO BUILD A BETTER CLUB AND MY KIDS WERE ROOTING FOR MANCHESTER UNITED THE WAY I WILL DEFER THE BIG RED MACHINE AND I WANTED MY KIDS TO HAVE A HOMETOWN TEAM BECAUSE I THINK PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS ARE THE WAY WE EXPRESS CIVIC PRIDE. I WANTED TO PLAY FOR THE BIG RED MACHINE AND I WANTED MY KIDS TO HAVE 18 THAT THEY OR THEIR KIDS COULD ASPIRE TO WAIT FOR THEIR HOMETOWN TEAM. A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE LOVE SOCCER. THAT WAS THE INSPIRATION. COURTIS: THE LOCAL OPERATE -- POPULARITY DOESN'T SURPRISE YOU. JEFF: THE NFL IS THE 800 POUND GORILLA. IN 2000 FOUR, SOCCER WAS NOT AMONG THE 10 MOST POPULAR SPORTS IN AMERICA. BY 2014, SOCCER ALSO FOURTH OR FIFTH. THERE HAVE BEEN A ENORMOUS GROWTH IN SOCCER. I DID RESEARCH FOR ENGLISH -- ENGLISH PREMIER GAMES. WE ARE AMONG THE TOP MARKETS IN THE COUNTRY AND I THINK THE SECOND IN THE MIDWEST. THE NUMBER OF YOUTH PLAYERS WAS AMONG THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY AND AMONG THE TOP IN THE MID--- MIDWEST. THERE WAS NO DOUBT THAT THERE WAS A FOUNDATION HERE. IT HAD NOT BEEN DONE THE RIGHT WAY TO GIVE OURSELVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAMS SUCCESSFUL. I WENT ABOUT THE PLAN AND CARL LINDNER'S KIDS PLAYED SOCCER AND HE HAD A PASSION FOR SOCCER AND HIS FAMILY RAN THE REDS. THEY KNEW HOW TO RUN A PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ENTERPRISE. WE PARTNERED AND HERE WE ARE. >> UP NEXT. THE FCC BRAND AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE ORGANIZATION. WHEN LET'S TALK CINCY CONTINUES. ♪ ♪ ♪ COURTIS: WELCOME BACK. MORE NOW OF MY ONE ON ONE WITH FCC'S JEFF BERDING. HE TALKS A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE RISE IN POPULARITY OF CINCINNATI'S NEW SOCCER TEAM. JEFF: WHEN CARL AND I WATCHED FC CINCINNATI WITH OUR PARTNERS, WE STATED OUR GOAL WAS GETTING TO MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER. CINCINNATI IS A MAJOR SPORTS TOWN. WE HAVE THE OLDEST BASEBALL TEAM AND THE BENGALS, FOUNDED BY ONE OF THE GREATS, PAUL BROWN, AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT THAN LEXINGTON AND LOUISVILLE AND DAYTON AND OTHER NICETIES WHAT ARE PROFESSIONALS -- BUT OUR PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS CAP WHAT AS TO THE TOP CITIES. -- CATAPULT US TO THE TOP SPACE --CITIES. WE TOOK THAT ON KNOWING IT WOULD BE EXPENSIVE AND RISKY. LEAVING THE VERY ESPECIAL CONFINES -- EAT -- BS -- ASPIRATION WAS BEING A TOP TEAM. JEFF: -- COURTIS: THIS IS PRIMARILY, PRIVATELY FUNDED. JEFF: WE HAVE AN ENORMOUSLY GENEROUS OWNERS. CARL LINDNER AND MEG WHITMAN AND MANY OTHERS. ICONIC LEADERS. THIS IS A LAZY INVESTMENT. THIS IS NOT A SPORT THAT IS YEAR OVER YEAR GENERATING PROFITS TO THE OWNERS BUT WE BELIEVE OVER TIME THAT THIS WILL PROMOTE CINCINNATI INTO AN MORE CONNECTED WORLD. WE BUILT THE STADIUM AND WE DID GET PUBLIC SUPPORT. IT WAS NECESSARY SO WHEN YOU WALK ON THE PLASTER, WE HAVE PARKING -- AND MOVING THE UTILITY LINES. WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH. --HELP. WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE STADIUM, ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN PRIVATELY FINANCED. IT IS EASIER WHEN IT IS PUBLICLY FINANCED. THAT WAS A DETERMINATION WE MADE IS PASSED ON WHAT WE WOULD DO. COURTIS: YOU HAVE A PROMOTION. TALK ABOUT THAT. JEFF: WHEN YOU ARE AN ENTREPRENEUR BUILDING A STARTUP, I AM ROLLING UP MY SLEEVES AND WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM. WE HAD SIX PEOPLE AROUND MY KITCHEN TABLE. LEAVE THE STADIUM AND COME HOME AND PEOPLE WILL COME AT 6:00 AND WE PUT TOGETHER THE PLANS. WE GREW TO 150 PEOPLE. AS WE OPENED THE STADIUM, WE WERE HAVING GROWING PAINS WHERE WE NEEDED TO RESTRUCTURE TO BE MORE GROWN-UP AND NOT SUCH A STARTUP. WE WANTED THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT BUT A BETTER STRUCTURE. I AM THANKFUL AND I HAVE A LOT OF GRATITUDE FOR CARL AND ALL OF OUR OWNERS TO PROMOTE ME TO CEO AND IT RECOGNIZES THAT I AM AT BY BEST WHEN I AM A MACRO LEVEL LEADER WHERE I CAN CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON CULTURE AND HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE AND TO GROW, WHETHER THAT BE MORE ADVANCED IN THE STADIUM, THE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS, SPORTS BETTING IS LEGAL IN OHIO. MAKING SURE SOCCER STAFF HAS THE RESOURCES AND TO MAKE SURE THE FAN EXPERIENCE IS GREAT INSIDE THE STADIUM AND THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME. I CAN DO THAT AND HAVE KEY LEADERS ON THE DAY-TO-DAY AND THIS ALLOWS ME TO BE WHERE I AM BEST AND THAT IS TO CONTINUE TO BE AMBITION SLEEP FOCUS ON GROWING NOT ONLY THE CLUB BUT HOW THE CLUB FIT INTO PROMOTING AND GROWING DECISION. >> STILL TO COME, FCC'S COMMUNITY INVESTMENT AND NEW VENTURES ON THE HORIZON. WHEN LET'S TALK CINCY RETURNS. ♪ COURTIS: THE SUCCESS OF FC CINCINNATI HAS NOT HAPPENED WITHOUT SOME GROWING PAINS. DECIDING ON WHERE TO BUILD A STADIUM AND THE IMPACT THAT WOULD HAVE ON A NEIGHBORHOOD RESULTED IN, AT TIMES, VERY EMOTIONAL DISCUSSIONS. THE WEST END WAS SELECTED AS THE NEW HOME FOR THE CLUB AND WITH IT CAME A RATHER UNIQUE 30-YEAR COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT, TOTALING MORE THAN $50 MILLION. JEFF: IT HELPS THAT I AM A FORMER CITY ELECTED OFFICIAL. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH CONTENTIOUS HEARINGS AND ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO OUR TEAM -- I'VE TRIED TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO OUR TEAM THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE IT CLEARLY DISTINGUISH TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE IDEOLOGICALLY OPPOSED TO THE OBJECTS AND PEOPLE IN THE WEST END WHO HAVE FEAR BECAUSE CHANGE HAS NOT BEEN GOOD TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE WEST END AND WE HAD TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS AND GOING GO TO DOOR IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. I ANSWERED QUESTIONS AND TALKED ABOUT THE PROJECTS AND I SAT THROUGH THE HEARINGS AND LISTENED TO THEIR CONCERNS AND IT LED TO THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT. WE HAVE EXCEEDED EVERY PROVISION IN THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT. A $50 MILLION AGREEMENT TO THE WEST END. WE STARTED A YOUTH SOCCER PROGRAM. KIDS NEED TO KNOW THEY CAN DREAM BIG. SOMETIMES IN SPORTS, THAT GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO DREAM. IT GIVES U.S. TEAM AROUND YOU -- IT GIVES YOU A TEAM AROUND YOU WHEN YOU HAVE ANNIVERSARY -- ADVERSITY, YOU WON'T SUFFER ALONE. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BRING SOCCER TO THE WEST END. MAYBE WE WILL HAVE A WOMAN'S TEAM. I AM PROUD THAT WE DID THAT ON THE STADIUM AND WE EXCEEDED ALL OUR INCLUSION GOALS. OVER 70% INCLUSION. ALMOST $200 MILLION SPENT WITH WOMEN OWNED ENTERPRISES AND MINORITY BUSINESSES. NO ONE REACHED THAT LEVEL. YOU WILL BE ASKED TO SEE PEOPLE FROM THE WEST END WELCOME YOU TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE ARE INVESTING IN PROGRAMS AND WORKING WITH THE CITY OF CINCINNATI. I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE MAYOR. THERE IS TOO MUCH VIOLENCE AND I OFFER, IF CINCINNATI PLAYERS CAN BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU CAN GET THE BENGALS AND THE REST TO DO THE SAME, LET'S MAKE A CONVERSATION AND MAKE IT A MODEL ON HOW WE CAN INTERVENE IN A WAY THAT GIVES PEOPLE HOPE AND WE HAVE A PROGRAM IN TAFT HIGH SCHOOL SO PEOPLE CAN ANSWER -- INTERN WITH FC CINCINNATI. WE ARE DOING ALL OF THESE THINGS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT TO BE A CATALYST OF IMPROVING LIVES. I WOULD OFFER, DELIVERING AND EXCEEDING IN EVERY WAY THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED BUT WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED STOP -- START. -- STARTED. COURTIS: YOU HEARD JEFF BERDING TALK ABOUT BIG DREAMS. MOST WOULD AGREE THE SUCCESS OF FC CINCINNATI HAS BEEN PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. THE NOW $700 MILLION FRANCHISE IS VERY MUCH PART OF THE SOCCER DISCUSSION ON THE WORLD STAGE, EVEN THOUGH CINCINNATI CAME UP SHORT IN ITS BID TO BE A HOST CITY OF THE 2026 WORLD CUP. THE CLUB IS POSITIONED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER THAT WILL BENEFIT NOT ONLY THE TEAM, BUT ALSO OUR CITY AND THE REGION. JEFF: U.S. SOCCER PUT OUT A CALL FOR AMERICAN CITIES TO BE A PART OF THE BID BACK IN 2017. WE JUST COMPLETED OUR FIRST YEAR AS A MINOR LEAGUE TEAM. WE HAD 25 SOMETHING EMPLOYEES AND I THOUGHT, WHY NOT CINCINNATI? I KNEW WHERE WE WERE HEADED. AGAIN, I WANT MY HOMETOWN TO BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE TOP CITIES IN THE COUNTRY AND I DO THE WORLD CUP, 10 TIMES BIGGER THAN A SUPER BOWL, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A SUPER BOWL HERE IN THE WORLD CUP IS 10 TIMES THE SUPER BOWL. IF CINCINNATI COULD BE ONE OF THE TOP CITIES IN THE COUNTRY RECOGNIZED HOSTING WORLD CUP MATCHES, WE HAVE TO GET IN ON THAT. I WORKED WITH THE SPORTS BUREAU AND I WAS IN TOUCH WITH THE COUNTY AND WE PUT TOGETHER OUR BID AND MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T THINK WE HAVE A CHANCE. COURTIS: LET'S TALK ABOUT SPORTS BETTING. HOW WILL THAT PLAY INTO FC CINCINNATI? JEFF: WE WERE EXCITED. I WAS AT THE BENGALS WHEN FANTASY FOOTBALL WAS INTRODUCED AND FANTASY. ALL -- AND FANTASY FOOTBALL WAS IMPORTANT TO DRIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH NONTRADITIONAL FANS. FIRST GUYS WERE PLAYING FANTASY FOOTBALL AND NOW THE GIRLFRIENDS, WIVES, SISTERS, MOMS ARE ALL PLAYING IT. NOW WE ARE WATCHING THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME THAT WE HAVE NO INTEREST BUT WHO IS GOING TO WIN THE WEEK? WHAT ALL THE DATA SAYS IS THAT SPORTS BETTING, WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY LEGAL IN EUROPE AND ASIA, IT DOES DRIVE ENGAGEMENT AND SOCCER NEEDS TO GROW THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT SO LITTLE FRIENDLY BETS ON GAMES, IT HELPS DRIVE THE LEVEL OF INTEGRATION -- ENGAGEMENT. WE THINK IT IS GOOD FOR US ALL THE TEAMS IN THE LEGISLATION WERE GIVEN THE RIGHTS A SPORTS BETTING LICENSE WHERE WE PARTNER WITH A THIRD-PARTY WHO WILL INDEPENDENTLY WANT IT AND WE WILL HAVE EIGHT BRICK AND MORTAR SITE AS WELL. WE WILL HAVE -- I LIKE TO SAY A BW THREES SPORTS BED. WE WILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY WITH THAT AS WELL AS PHONES. WE LIKE PEOPLE TO DOWNLOAD THE FC CINCINNATI SPORTS BETTING WITH OUR PARTNER AND THEY CAN HAVE FUN WITH IT IF THAT IS HOW THEY WANT TO EXPERIENCE SPORTS. WE ARE VERY COMMITTED TO REPRESENT AND -- REPRESENTING AND BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AT CINCINNATI. WE ARE THRILLED THAT WE ARE WINNING SPORTS GAMES. PETE ROSE TOLD ME IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE IF YOU BELIEVE WINNING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, YOU WILL REPAIR AND COMPETE AND SACRIFICE TO WIN. THAT MEANS YOU WIN LIFE. WE ARE COMMITTED TO WAITING FOR THE COMMITTEE, WHETHER IT IS WENDING THE WORLD CUP OR BRING TO THE U.S. MEN OR WOMEN OR THE WAVES ARE ENGAGING IN THE WEST END AND THE WAY WE ARE WORKING WITH THE MAYOR AND THE COUNTY TO GROW -- THE CITY AND TO SUPPORT RESTAURANTS AND JOBS. OR GIVING SOMEONE SOME RELEASE AFTER A WEEK OF WORK. THAT IS THE POWER OF SPORTS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND BUILD IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN BE PROUD OF THAT THEY CALL FC CINCINNATI THEIR HOMETOWN TEAM. >> NEXT, THE LASTING SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FIRST CONCERT AT TQL STADIUM. WHEN LET'S TALK CINCY CONTINUES. ♪ ♪ COURTIS: TODAY, -- LEASE TODAY, --FINALLY TODAY, SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL HAPPENED THIS YEAR. THE WELL KNOWN BAND THE WHO PERFORMED IN CINCINNATI FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN 40 YEARS. THE BAND HAD NOT PERFORMED HERE SINCE THE TRAGEDY IN DECEMBER OF 1979 WHEN SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND INJURED, WHEN THEY WERE CRUSHED OUTSIDE RIVERFRONT COLLISEUM, AS THE CROWD PUSHED FORWARD, TRYING TO GET INTO THE CONCERT VENUE TO SEE THE WHO. JEFF BERDING HAS BEEN A LONGTIME FAN OF THE WHO AND HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN CONVINCING THE GROUP TO PLAY THEIR RETURN CINCINNATI CONCERT AT TQL STADIUM, THE FIRST CONCERT AT THE NEW VENUE. COURTIS: THE WHO CONCERT. IT COMES TO TQL AND I WAS ASKING YOU HOW DID THEY SELECT TQL? JEFF: BECAUSE I ASKED. I INVITED THEM TO COME. FROM A FRIEND, I GOT THE EMAIL OF THE MANAGER. THEY WERE PREPARED TO COME TO KNOW THAT -- NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUT COVID KNOCKED OUT THOSE STATES IN OUR STADIUM WAS GOING TO BE -- AND OUR STADIUM WAS GOING TO BE COMPLETED BY THE TIME THEY WOULD COME BACK. I SENT AN EMAIL TO A MANAGER AND SHARED WHEN I WAS A KID, IF YOU -- THE WHO WAS IMPORTANT TO ME. THE MUSIC SPOKE TO ME IN INFORMATIVE YEARS. -- MY FORMATIVE YEARS. I UNDERSTOOD FROM A DOCUMENTARY THAT MEMBERS OF THE BAND HAD SUFFERED GUILT FROM THE TRAGEDY AND I FELT THAT INVITING THEM TO COME BACK INTO THE CITY IN OUR STADIUM WOULD GET AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HEALING IN A IMPORTANT WAY FOR THEM MUCH LIKE THE MUSIC WAS PART OF MY GROWTH AS A KID AND IN SOME WAY, I SAID IN MY YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED ON THE RIVERFRONT WEST YESTERDAY. THAT WAS OLD CINCINNATI AND THE COLISEUM WAS NEW BACK THEN. TQL WAS THE NEW STADIUM AND SOCCER IS THE FUTURE. I SAID WE WILL LET YOU BE THE FIRST CONCERT AND YOU CAN BE THE NARRATIVE OF CINCINNATI. WHAT WAS THEN, NOT GREAT AND WHAT IS NOW THIS GREAT FUTURE WITH WHAT WE ARE DOING IN THE WEST END AND LET THE WHO BE THE NARRATIVE OF WHERE WE HAVE BEEN TO WHERE WE HAVE GONE AND HAVE HEALING FOR THE BAND MEMBERS AND THE FAMILIES AND THOSE WHO DID -- THE WHO DID IT ANONYMOUSLY WELL AND INVITE -- ENORMOUSLY WELL AND INVITED THE VICTIMS OF THE FAMILY'S LOSS AND HONOR THEM IN THE CONCERT. I TALKED WITH SOME OF THE BAND MEMBERS AND PETE TALKED ABOUT HOW THIS WAS IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO HEAL A WOUND THAT HAD NEVER CLOSED AFTER WHAT HAPPENED IN 1979. I ATTENDED THE SHOW WITH ALL MY CHILDHOOD FRIENDS IN SAINT CATHERINE'S. IT WAS A GREAT SHOW BUT IT WAS ALSO IMPACTFUL AND I WANT TO LIVE AN IMPACTFUL LIFE AND I AM GLAD WE PLAYED A PART OF YOUR. -- A PART HERE. COURTIS: BY THE WAY, THE WHO MADE A DONATION FROM THE CONCERT TO THE MEMORIAL THAT PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FINNEYTOWN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN HONOR OF THE