Scott Spaulding & Jorge Santome | Co-Founders, Cyan Football Group
Some people play the game. Others build a life around it.
And some, like Scott Spaulding and Jorge Santome, dedicate their lives to building something better with it.
At Cyan Football Group, Scott and Jorge are running a different kind of soccer business.
They’re focused on practical solutions to real problems in an underserved market, the U.S., helping passionate soccer fans access club ownership, improving how European & Latin American clubs operate, and creating developmental pro pathways for young, talented players who are often overlooked.
No overvalued clubs. No middlemen or agents taking a cut. No one-size-fits-all playbook.
Instead, they focus on:
- Acquiring undervalued clubs with high growth and value creation potential in countries that are key established player selling markets, where clubs can be run in a sustainable manner - Portugal, Croatia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Uruguay, and the list goes on
- Offering real international club ownership opportunities for everyday U.S. fans and investors
- Providing talented U.S. youth players with advanced international professional pathways into Cyan Football Group-owned and operated clubs that actually serve the players' best interests
- Leveraging the Cyan Football Group battle-tested network to up-level the clubs they own and operate
It all comes down to one thing: giving back to the game that gave them so much.
From Teammates to Partners
Scott and Jorge met at the University of San Francisco—Scott as a goalkeeper, Jorge as a defender. After college, they each went their own way: Scott into NYC-based senior corporate executive roles, Jorge into sports agency work at IMG and club consulting in Europe.
Years later, they reunited to solve a shared problem. Both had seen how poorly many clubs were managed. Talented players were being misrepresented, clubs were being run inefficiently and flipped like real estate, and ownership decisions were often driven by the owner’s personal agenda that often conflicted with the club’s best interests.
So they started Cyan Football Group to offer a better model.
A Simpler, Smarter Model
Cyan Football Group operates across three main areas:
1. Multi-Club Ownership Group Portfolio with Extended Club Preferred Partner Network
Cyan opens the door for everyday fans and investors to become co-owners in professional clubs they acquire (they currently have 3 clubs under ownership and aim to expand that number to 10 by the end of 2026), with transparent equity structures, no dilution and providing an enjoyable co-ownership community experience. Entry starts as low as $10,000.
2. Advisory Services for Clubs and U.S. Private Equity / Family Office Ownership Groups
Cyan helps American buyers find and acquire off market clubs that match their value system and goals - without overpaying or getting caught up in public bidding wars.
3. Pro Pathways for U23 U.S. Players into Cyan Owned & Operated + Preferred Clubs
Through Cyan Football Group-owned and operated clubs, they give overlooked players, especially from the U.S., a shot to launch their professional playing careers in Europe and Latin America.
Centering the Human Side of Football
Jorge spent years as a player and agent, but what stuck with him wasn’t the big contracts. It was the feeling that most people in professional football treat players like merchandise. “You meet so many players with potential who never get a fair shot,” he said. “They get bad advice, or they fall into the wrong hands. We’re here to change that.”
Scott sees it the same way, having been a FIFA licensed agent, a National C licensed coach, and a longtime executive operator. “It starts and ends with the player’s wellbeing and development trajectory. After that, the focus turns to helping clubs that fit our model create a competitive advantage and level up, whether that means promotion to the next division or competing in European or South American competitions.”
More Than a Business
Beyond their advising and ownership work, Scott and Jorge are building a network of pathways - from youth academies to club trials - for players around the world into their owned and operated clubs, as well as their extended preferred partner network of clubs.
That includes U.S. players who may be overlooked by the domestic system, international players looking for better visibility, and investors who want to do more than write a check.
They’ve helped talented youth players in the U.S. go from local trials to pro contracts, and everyday soccer fans evolve into club owners, and they are just getting started. Cyan will be hosting trials in California and Connecticut this summer to fill key positions on their 1st, 2nd, and U19 squads within their owned and operated clubs.
All available fractional club ownership opportunities & trial dates clubs available are listed on CyanFootballGroup.com.
Why It Matters
At Signature Athletics, we believe in the power of sport to shape lives. And we believe the people building better systems should be celebrated.
Cyan Football Group is doing that—not by chasing headlines, but by creating options for people who deserve a shot.
If that sounds like something you want to be part of, take a look at what they’re building. Share the story. Start the conversation.
Because growing the game doesn’t just mean more fans. It means more access, more opportunity, and more people doing it the right way.
