Pro soccer returning to Jacksonville with Tim Tebow-backed USL franchise

[jcjohnpaint]

It would be nice if there was a true BRT with dedicated lanes that would travel SJTC- St Johns Bluff- Beach through UNF- 7 Pines- Gate- Back to SJTC. This would be possible with the will, regardless if this stadium happens.

[Jankelope]

The concept art looks amazing, let's see if it actually ends up being a true walkable mixed use hub. I would love that. I had this idea of complementing the Emerald Trail with the "Ruby Trail" connecting the beaches, and the Sapphire Trail in the Gate Parkway, Town Center, UNF area.

[copperfiend]

Livingstone out as Sporting Jax president

Does not seem like a good sign that the club has already parted ways with it's president and CEO.

[jaxlongtimer]

Livingstone out as Sporting Jax president

Does not seem like a good sign that the club has already parted ways with it's president and CEO.

He was pushed out at the original Armada, too.  Seems he may be good at start ups but not continuing operations.  Not an uncommon situation for entrepreneurial types to find themselves in.  Or, maybe it is something else  .

[marcuscnelson]

Sporting Jax is out with an initial site map of their planned stadium development, now branded Centre JAX, near St. Johns Town Center:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2026/jun/23/sporting-jax-releases-site-map-for-town-center-area-stadium-district/



I'm a little surprised by how much would remain preserve land under this plan. It would appear that the residential District E will essentially just be a small subdivision. I do hope that the plans for Districts C and D don't preclude the use of the utility corridor for anything else, but given JTA being what it is I wouldn't be surprised if it does.

[thelakelander]

They won't be able to build in the utility corridor but transit won't be coming to them either in this area, even if JTA got their act together. Overall, I don't see this being much different than any other development of these parcels along Town Center Boulevard. This isn't intended to be a negative or positive comment. Just an observation, based on the plan submitted.

[Ned Plimpton]

I'm a little surprised by how much would remain preserve land under this plan.

I believe that area is wetlands.  I spoke to someone about it last fall and they said only about 150 acres of that piece of property is developable with the rest being wetlands.

[copperfiend]

I will be interested in seeing how they manage traffic in that location considering the stadium will probably have a 10k-15k seat capacity. I hope it gets built as UNF Stadium is a horrible place for a soccer team. I also hope they find better people to run the men's team. The team is completely overmatched in the USL. It's ugly.

[marcuscnelson]

Not sure how closely any of you have been following Sporting Jax, they had their first win against Pittsburgh's team last week.

In related (and interesting) news, the USL is planning to launch a Premier League in two years, which would be a Division 1 league (just like Major League Soccer), and apparently Sporting Jax has sought to join that league. The US Soccer Federation has some requirements for teams to be part of a Division 1 league, including:

• The team must play in a 15,000-seat or above stadium
• The team must hold a $1 million bond each season
• The majority owner of the team must have a net worth of $40 million, and the total ownership group must have a net worth of $70 million
• The team must have a youth development program

[Charles Hunter]

Any idea on how the ownership group matches up with those requirements?
At least their proposed stadium meets the 15,000 capacity requirement.

[marcuscnelson]

^ Someone on Reddit attempted to do that math last year but that was before more info was available:

https://www.reddit.com/r/USLPRO/comments/1ipu081/the_definitive_guide_to_whos_capable_of_doing_the/

Even now, Ricky Caplin's net worth is unclear, though presumably the proposed development would fit into their ability to run the franchise to that level.

Also worth noting that USL plans to introduce promotion-relegation upon forming the new Premier league, much like global soccer systems elsewhere, which might factor into how running this all will work.

[marcuscnelson]

Another thing: Detroit just broke ground on their own new USL stadium and surrounding district:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/zacharysette_construction-detroit-detroitcityfc-share-7484763023719677952-4fsj/

What's notable to me is that this stadium costs about $150 million for those 15,000 seats, which leads me to wonder what that cost might look like in Jacksonville.

[jaxlongtimer]

^ Even now, Ricky Caplin's net worth is unclear, though presumably the proposed development would fit into their ability to run the franchise to that level.

Based on Caplin's Linked-in account and his sale of HCI Group for an estimated $110 million in 2017 (add investment income and other business ventures to that number for years since  ), I would think he easily has what it takes to meet the financial requirements listed in your earlier post.

Richard "Ricky" Caplin is a technology founder, investor, and first-generation family office leader committed to building businesses that amplify and fuel faith, hope, and love by maximizing our God-given gifts in the workplace and the communities we serve.

He is the Founder and Chairman of Caplin Ventures, a Jacksonville-based family office and investment platform that provides capital, shared services, and strategic leadership to a growing portfolio of companies employing more than 1,000 people nationwide. Caplin Ventures invests across technology, healthcare, sports, and real estate, partnering with founders and operators to build durable, mission-aligned enterprises that create both economic and community impact.

Ricky previously founded The HCI Group, which became one of the largest global healthcare IT consulting firms. As CEO, he led its 2017 merger with Tech Mahindra and joined the global executive leadership team of the combined organization. Under his leadership, the platform helped major health systems accelerate digital transformation and modernize patient care delivery at scale.

Today, in addition to leading Caplin Ventures, Ricky is a principal architect behind SportingJax, a professional soccer ecosystem that includes men's and women's professional clubs, one of the largest youth academies in the country, and a large-scale sports-anchored mixed-use development vision designed to serve as a catalytic force for Jacksonville's growth. The platform integrates elite competition, youth development, sports medicine partnerships, and community engagement into a long-term generational asset.

Beyond business, Ricky is deeply engaged in philanthropic and civic initiatives focused on youth development, faith-based leadership, and community revitalization. His work centers on creating platforms that unlock human potential — in business, athletics, and service.

Ricky has received numerous recognitions, including:

- Ernst & Young Florida Entrepreneur of the Year
- Jacksonville Business Journal Ultimate CEO
- University of Florida Gator100 (three-time honoree)
- Inc 500 and 5000 multiple award winner
- University of Florida 40 Under 40

A former Certified Public Accountant, Ricky earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in Accounting from the University of Florida.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricky-caplin-3b6b9a4/

Jacksonville IT consulting group acquired by large Indian firm

A Jacksonville company that provides IT consulting to the health care industry will become part of an Indian tech giant. HCI Group, which has its headquarters off Southpoint Parkway, is being acquired by Tech Mahindra.

The company's executive said the connection is likely to bring more jobs and tech investment in Jacksonville.

HCI has an estimated value of $110 million, but Tech Mahindra will pay $89 million upfront and receive 85 percent of HCI's stock. The other 15 percent will be acquired over the next three years.

The transaction is expected to close in April.

HCI was founded in 2009, but didn't really start growing until 2011, said co-founder and CEO Richard Caplin. It now has about 500 employees, including 80 to 100 in Jacksonville. The rest are in offices in Toronto, Dubai, London and Wales. It also pulls from a pool of about 500 contractors.

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/business/2017/03/07/jacksonville-it-consulting-group-acquired-large-indian-firm/15745388007/

[marcuscnelson]

I would think! But that was nearly 10 years ago and it's hard to see from here where exactly his net worth has gone since. Presumably upwards given he's the majority owner in the first place, we just lack the specifics to say for sure.

[Ned Plimpton]

I would think! But that was nearly 10 years ago and it's hard to see from here where exactly his net worth has gone since. Presumably upwards given he's the majority owner in the first place, we just lack the specifics to say for sure.

The S&P has grown almost 250% since 2017, so if he has done no better than keep up with the market then he should be doing great.  No idea what his ownership stake was in HCI when it sold, or what kind of leverage they had, but it's safe to say he's well into 9 figures now.