New sole owner announced for Fayetteville Fury soccer team

Written by Staff Reporter at Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

Fayetteville’s newest professional sports team, the Fayetteville Fury soccer team now has a new owner.  The team has played two full seasons, and is now preparing for its third season. 

When Phillip Lin joined as a minority owner in June 2021, the Fayetteville Fury team had four owners. In March 2023, Lin decided to buy out the remaining owners shares, thus making him the primary shareholder of the soccer team. 

The Fayetteville Fury was officially announced on June 7, 2021, as the second franchise in the National Indoor Soccer League. The team will host 12 regular season home games at the Crown Center when the season starts in January 2024. Each game-night will feature a Men’s and Women’s Doubleheader. 

When asked, “Why Fayetteville?”, Phillip responded in a press release, “At the time I was looking to get into sports ownership and picked Fayetteville because I felt connected to this city and its strong ties to the military community. As a successful serial entrepreneur, I felt it was time for me to give back to the community. I believed Fayetteville had a need for community and to have more sports entertainment. I really felt a warmness from the community, and they have embraced me and the entire team.”  

Lin’s passion for sports and community motivated him to continue building and investing in Fayetteville sports entertainment. “I feel people get connected through sports. Since COVID, people have lost human connection and I feel sports brings communities together with a common goal and interest,” said Lin in a press release. 

Lin owns multiple businesses, The Howdy Triangle in Cary, Catering by Design in Raleigh, and three sports teams: Fayetteville Chutes, Oak City Gliders, and Fayetteville Fury. He is also a published author of One Bad Asian, an autobiography detailing his life as an immigrant whose Taiwanese family moves to the United States to achieve the American dream. 

Not only has Lin continued to grow and invest into the Fayetteville team, but he has reorganized the leadership and structure. Their new organizational structure is as follows:  Owner: Phillip Lin, General Manager and Men's Head Coach: Al Florez, Assistant General Manager: Dustin Lee, Community Relations Director: Ashley Blake, Merchandise Director: Terri Sue Maynor-Guevara, Marketing Partners: 219 Group, Account Exec: Brandon Rodriguez, Women's Head Coach: In negotiations, Assistant Coach: Miguel Sanchez, Fan Engagement & Inclusion Director: Ali Arostegui, and Operations Director: Finalizing Contract

During the off-season the Fury soccer team is busy with community outreach, hosting tryouts, youth soccer camps, and soccer tournaments. The team even added their very own dragon mascot, Furyous, who loves engaging with fans.

Article link: https://bizfayetteville.com/achievers-accolades/2023/7/5/new-sole-owner-announced-for-fayetteville-fury-soccer-team/1995