Mitch Baruchowitz, owner of the expansion Westchester SC in USL League One, is the latest guest on SportsJam with Doug Doyle.
The rising popularity of soccer in U.S., especially with the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, really jumpstarted Mitch Baruchowitz's decision to create a new franchise in New York.
"When we first talking to the USL in late 2023 and early 2024, they said the typical road map for a time that wants to start successfully is probably around two years. Some teams even three years depending on the location. When they look at how many professional sports are here they were a little bit iffy on whether we should even be thinking about 2026. But we showed them we have an existing stadium (The Stadium at Memorial Field in Mount Vernon), it's not perfect but pretty darn good and we really wanted to launch before the World Cup. We wanted to be part of that momentum. Even if 2025 wasn't perfect and trust me it's been far from perfect, getting something up and running and getting a team on the field in nine months, it's the most challenging thing I've ever done in my professional career."
Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Merida, Baruchowitz has twelve years of experience investing in cannabis and over twenty years of entrepreneurial, legal, regulatory, and financial experience in highly regulated industries. He is an expert in the regulatory component of cannabis limited licensing and multi-state cultivation operations, and a frequent speaker and author on cannabis investment strategy and diligence. Prior to founding Merida in 2016, Mitch co-founded Theraplant LLC, one of four Connecticut-based cultivators, and Leafline Labs LLC, one of two Minnesota cultivators.
Mitch received his J.D. from Boston University School of Law and his B.A. from Brandeis University. He is a member of the New York and Massachusetts Bars.
Even though Baruchowitz could have started a number of different ventures, he jumped at the opportunity to connect with the WestChester community and the already soccer-crazy Tri-State base.
"I grew up playing soccer on Long Island is a much different world when to play pro was not even thinkable for a LI kid in the 70's and 80's. There was such a narrow pathway. Most of the soccer we watched was the Cosmos. We went to the Meadowlands. We would watch Giorgio Chinaglia, Pelé or Frans Beckenbauer, againg European stars, but there was no real pathway. If you were a good player it was college, that's it. Soccer was always my first love. I did play tennis in college. Soccer brought to my family, my brother and sister played as well. My parents made tremendous sacrifices to drive us around Long Island for travel teams. This ownership opportunity came quickly. I was looking to do something in sports and tech. When we looked at the USL it kind of made sense. Soccer is growing, franchise fees are completely reasonable and Westchester is a soccer crazy place."
Westchester SC'x next home match is this evening (July 16) at 7 pm at The Stadium at Memorial Field in Mount Vernon vs. Spokane Velocity.
While Westchester FC is in last place USL League One, the team has had to deal with a number of injuries. They've left some leads slip away. Baruchowitz want to see more wins on the pitch, but he is certainly proud his club's Season One so far.
"We would make me the happiest would be to harness this real soccer-focused energy in Westchester and to bring families together and to give them a place to forget about their cares and watch soccer with their kids."
You can SEE the entire SportsJam with Doug Doyle interview with Mitch Baruchowitz below.
