PORTLAND, Ore. – For almost four years, Merritt Paulson has been devoted to the task of bringing the Portland Timbers into Major League Soccer in a first-class way.
And now that the franchise has finally arrived, the owner and president can hardly believe that the home opener (April 14) is just around the corner.
“You can’t go through what we’ve gone through and not feel emotional about this,” Paulson said. “It has not been easy. It’s surreal.”
This week Paulson, 38, was been named to Sports Business Journal’s prestigious "Forty Under 40" list for the Class of 2011.
Since his purchase of the Portland Timbers and Portland Beavers in May of 2007, Paulson has waged a non-stop effort to build credibility, engage public debate and forge deals to make his vision happen. Along the way, Portland’s soccer fans have developed an appreciation for the owner who has shepherded the Timbers into MLS.
When Paulson first moved to Portland to take over two of the city’s historic minor league franchises, many of the Timbers faithful assumed he was a baseball guy. Paulson’s business, after all, was called Shortstop LLC and the bulk of his purchase was related to the baseball Beavers. What most people didn’t know was that Paulson had met with MLS commissioner Don Garber in 2005.
“A big part of why we chose Portland was because of [potential for] MLS,” Paulson said.
Paulson’s first major hurdle was negotiating a public-private financing deal with the City of Portland in the midst of an economic downturn. That process included a high-profile, and sometimes contentious public debate about the value of public investment in sports venues.
But Paulson ultimately got the deal made and a $31 million loan from the city.
[inline_node:330678]And in the lead-up to the 2011 season, Paulson secured key founding partnership deals with Providence Health & Services (Oregon), Alaska Airlines (jersey sponsor) and JELD-WEN (stadium naming rights).
Recent announcements regarding a new training facility and a new youth academy framework demonstrate Paulson’s commitment to a long-term vision for soccer success.
“You build your reputation through doing,” Paulson said. “I’m candid and direct and I pride myself on being a straight-shooter. I’m going to do what I say I’m going to do.”
Even before MLS came into the picture, Paulson used the expertise he gained working for the NBA to secure better TV deals for the Beavers and Timbers. Then he landed the Triple-A All-Star Game. And he established a community fund. That came within Paulson’s first few months in Portland.
Not everything has gone according to plan since. Paulson’s vision for the Beavers did not pan out. When he was unable to secure a suitable financing plan for a new baseball stadium for the Triple-A San Diego Padres affiliate, he was forced to sell the team.
Losing the baseball team gave Paulson more time to get soccer done right. The Timbers brand is committed to authenticity and a genuine fan experience unlike any other.
“I’m so emotionally invested in this thing,” Paulson said. “[The home opener] is certainly the biggest sporting event in my life. I don’t think I’ll be weepy, but the watching the team suit up and play for the first time [last weekend] was very impactful.”
