The LA Aztecs were made world-famous back in the seventies due to their star-studded lineup and a mix of celebrities from Hollywood. Previously owned by music great “Elton John” the Aztecs were best known for recruiting some of the world’s best players including the magnificent George Best and Johan Cruyff.
Next year it will be half a century since Dr. Jack Gregory founded this iconic Los Angeles soccer club. With soccer booming in the US ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the winners of the NASL Soccer Bowl Championship 1974, have been reborn once again. This time by English soccer expert Scott “Matchmakers” Michaels and his Football People partners.
Why did you bring back the team Scott?
“There is substantial value in the Aztecs brand and I am excited to make this club a big success once more. The club was taken out of commission back in the early eighties. Now, forty years down the line, Football People is acquiring a growing network of advanced technology partners which we will invest in the new generation Aztecs soccer club model. We will reintroduce the club as an exhibition team, not too dissimilar to the family-friendly entertainment seen with the basketball team “Harlem Globetrotters”. Our focus is to bridge the connection with the local fans, both in-person and online with fuller access to content through meta, web3 advanced digital platforms. We believe soccer is evolving and having a great fan experience is the most important part with the younger soccer fans today.”
What will be different about the Aztecs?
“For me personally, coming from a working-class background in England, football (soccer) is a way of life. It’s not just a game and everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy it, no matter who or where they are. My group supports social equality as well as anti-bullying and we also have strong views on respect for the rules of the game. Our aim is to build up not just a team of great players, but a philosophy that stands for much more, with core values that represent proudly the community of Los Angeles. Further down the line we also plan to launch a women’s team for the Aztecs. Not only that, we will be opening up new pathways and opportunities from the NCAA colleges so that the best local talent can develop to elite level with the Aztecs. This will give more players the chance to be educated under our “total football” blueprint that was installed in the club by Rinus Michels the first time around. This methodology is one of the foundations of European soccer and will not only improve the players but also the game itself from a technical point of view.”
Who are the people behind Football People?
“The Football People is a group that is made up of top soccer executives, world soccer agents, soccer technology pioneers, soccer media and experienced finance experts. Whilst soccer continues to grow across the US, we have a strong passion and the drive to build the game up in North America. As things stand, we do not feel the current industry is large enough to support the game’s huge growth and potential. Our journey starts with the Aztecs club but our mid term vision is to launch an all-new, National Soccer League (NSL) across all under-provided markets and build up soccer infrastructure in the US. We plan to launch the NSL before the 2026 World Cup and have made our intentions known to the United States Soccer Federation. Our long term aim is to eventually develop an exciting open system, just like we have in England.”
When are you launching the club?
“We plan to officially launch the Aztecs next summer and play a number of exhibition games in Los Angeles. I have spoken to a number of professional clubs already who are very excited about playing the Aztecs over their preseason. We are also getting lots of interest from high profile players who are curious about playing for the Aztecs. Also, there is strong interest from investors coming on board with the NSL, as potential future team owners. Our Aztec game days will be priced at fantastic value and considered an affordable family day out. Our matches will never end in boring draws as they will have exciting American-style shootouts (which were discontinued in 1999 by the MLS) if in a stalemate”
Where are you launching the Aztecs?
“The L.A Metropolitan area has over thirteen million people and it is one of the greatest cities in the world. I am delighted to announce we are now in agreement with returning the Aztecs back home to the historic LA Memorial Coliseum as well as play smaller games at the Titan Stadium which is situated just outside the city. In other exciting news we are in talks to build our own virtual reality stadium. I am super excited about what the future holds for the new LA Aztecs in both worlds of reality and virtual.”
