Greg Baroni eyes controlling stake in Loudoun United
Greg Baroni, a tech executive who owns two local baseball teams, is close to finalizing a deal to buy a controlling stake in Loudoun Unitedthe second-division pro soccer team owned by D.C. Unitedthree people familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday.
Less than a year ago, Baroni’s Attain Sports and Entertainment purchased the Bowie Baysox — the Baltimore Orioles’ Class AA affiliate — and the Frederick Keys, a collegiate summer team that, until 2021, was an Orioles’ Class A affiliate for 31 years.
Baroni would become operating partner of Loudoun United, which is preparing for its fifth season in USL Championshipone level below MLS, said two people speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss the matter. D.C. United, they said, would continue to own a considerable share in the team, though details were not immediately available.
Loudoun United plays at Segra Field, a 5,000-seat stadium in Leesburg.
Loudoun’s ownership change would come as MLS and USL continue to cut ties. For player development purposes, MLS teams for years had an ownership stake or affiliation with clubs in USL Championship or USL League One, a third-division circuit.
Last year, though, MLS largely set out on its own in developing players by launching a third-division league, MLS Next Pro. D.C. United continued operating Loudoun United in USL Championship, but long-term, is aiming to operate an MLS Next Pro team in the Baltimore area.
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