Deon Graham is the co-founder and CEO of the Fort Lauderdale United FC, a Division 1 women’s soccer team in Broward County, Florida. The team was launched in 2023 as the only professional women’s soccer team in South Florida. As per Forbes, the teams’ practice and field games will be held in Davie at Nova Southeastern University (NSU, Florida).
Football, or soccer, as it is known in the United States, is becoming one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, Forbes stated, adding that the sport’s fan base is over 3 billion. Graham said he showed interest in women’s soccer when his daughter started playing the sport.
“My interest in women’s sports came because my daughter plays soccer. I’ve played soccer my whole life as well. I’m rooted in the Fort Lauderdale community, and the people here know me and my family. I’ve always tried to do what was in the best interest of my community. Being the CEO of Fort Lauderdale United gives me another platform to provide opportunities for women to play professional sports, specifically soccer,” he told Forbes.
Graham is among the few blacks who are into soccer, noting that federations have stringent guidelines on how to grow the sport: owners have to have a specific net worth, and there has to be one primary principal owner.
“For Black owners, if we don’t collaborate and partner, we won’t get these opportunities. Because the kind of bar they set is virtually impossible for most of us to achieve, it takes having good partners, being crafty, providing value to someone, and taking a chance,” he said.
He added, “My partner Tommy and I complement each other in this way. He has the financial understanding of building stadiums, and I have the experience and knowledge of building brands and marketing. So, you may not have the capital, but you can own a professional sports franchise through collaboration with the right mix of experienced expertise.”
According to Graham, when he was growing up in Broward County, the only team they knew was the Miami Dolphins. However, he wanted his county to have something of its own, hence the formation of Fort Lauderdale United FC.
Through this team, Graham is hoping to create more opportunities for professional soccer players. He said that he wants to bring a winning culture and a culture of inclusivity to the female soccer team. In August, the inaugural season for the Fort Lauderdale United FC women’s soccer team kicks off to compete in a United Soccer Super League.
Known also in the entertainment and spirits industries, Graham is a marketing genius thanks to his work in those industries but he also played soccer when he was young and as an adult. His marketing skills got him inducted into the inaugural class of Adweek’s Marketing Vanguard Awards and recognized in The Forbes Entrepreneurial CMO List. These factors make him the right person to lead Fort Lauderdale.
