“Redwood City and the Peninsula is where my wife and I raised our kids, founded businesses, and became active members of the diverse, colorful, and vibrant community we called home. This unique strip of land surrounded by water and connected by bridges holds a special place in my heart. It’s why the team and I at Bay Cities FC are driven to give back to this community - building an enduring and impactful asset for Redwood City and the surrounding region. Winning on the pitch is important, but continually impacting the youth and communities of our region is what we’re all about.” - K.C. Watson (Co-Founder, Business Development & Strategy)
REDWOOD CITY, CA- This week in Front Office Friday, Bay Cities FC would like to introduce Co-Founder and Lead of Business Development & Strategy, K.C. Watson.
This is sports, how does business mix in with the beautiful game? K.C. Watson is the answer to this question. I asked K.C. to go into detail about his past work in Software Entrepreneurship and his current role with Bay Cities FC. He said, “My background in software entrepreneurship and business building positions me to bring a unique lens to Bay Cities FC. As in professional soccer, success in business is predicated on a strong team that works together toward a common goal. I look to bring my deep experience in both setting aggressive goals and assembling high-achieving teams and partners to meet them. I am energized by the diverse and high-performing team we are attracting to Bay Cities. My role is to help shape business strategy and execution at Bay Cities. This includes oversight of critical revenue pathways, the raising of capital, and our domestic and international partner strategy.”
When creating a home base for a professional soccer team, it is important to have members on your team that are faces of the community you are calling home. K.C. Watson is one of the team members that calls Redwood City Home. When asked what the Redwood City and Peninsula community means to him, K.C. replied, “Redwood City and the Peninsula is where my wife and I raised our kids, founded businesses, and became active members of the diverse, colorful, and vibrant community we called home. This unique strip of land surrounded by water and connected by bridges holds a special place in my heart. It’s why the team and I at Bay Cities are driven to give back to this community - building an enduring and impactful asset for Redwood City and the surrounding region. Winning on the pitch is important, but continually impacting the youth and communities of our region is what we’re all about. My family recently relocated to Madrid, Spain, but regardless of where we are, Bay Cities will always keep us tethered to the place we love. We’ll continue to Bridge The Bay - international style!”
As you have read in all of the Front Office stories thus far, this Summer 2021 Tour was a huge test to see how the community and the soccer would work together for our team. When asked about his thoughts on the tour K.C. said, “The 2021 Summer Tour was conceived as a “beta test” for Bay Cities in the community prior to the commencement of Men’s and Women’s pro league play in 2022. We tested the entire club operation over the course of seven men’s and women’s matches. We tested our Game day operations team, the venue (Sequoia High School Stadium), the fan experience, our brand, Live-Streaming and TV broadcasting, and key revenue pathways including ticketing, selling merchandise and sponsorships. Most importantly, our sporting directors assembled highly-competitive men’s and women’s teams to compete on the pitch. The Summer Tour trial checked every box. We developed a unique and exciting Game day experience for an average of 600 fans per contest. We incorporated extensive community and charitable outreach. We sold tickets, Bay Cities gear, and sponsorships. At the end of the day, we proved that Redwood City and the Peninsula is hungry for a professional men’s and women’s soccer club that represents and stays true to the region’s roots.
Every Front Office Team Member has their eyes set on the prize, NISA and winning soccer games. But behind-the-scenes there will always be a bigger goal. I asked K.C. what the most important thing he wants to accomplish with the club, his response was, “To become a winning organization that never loses sight of its mission to 1.) provide professional pathways for the region’s youth, 2.) remain inclusive to all cultures, and 3.) maintain an unwavering focus on driving community impact.” I don’t think there is a better answer to what Bay Cities FC intends to be for Redwood City.
What is to come for Bay Cities FC you ask? According to K.C.: “I foresee a passionate, diverse, wipe spread, and inclusive fanbase that becomes accustomed to success on the field while always keeping the core mission of providing enduring community impact at its core.” We are excited to become your favorite soccer team, a team you, the people of our community, will be proud to call your own.
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