Hibs and the American Dream: How a partnership with a US club can benefit Easter Road side

As talks continue with an unnamed US club, Patrick McPartlin looks at what a proposed partnership could mean for the Easter Road side

Ron Gordon has revealed talks between Hibs and a club in America - but how can the Easter Road side benefit from such a partnership?

Hibs owner Ron Gordon caught fans’ attention when he revealed last week that the Capital club were in talks with other clubs, including a team in the USA and one in Scotland.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Gordon: "We have paperwork going with two clubs right now where we are essentially going to outline some partnerships and give a little bit of shape to what that means.

"We have a team in the United States and a team here in Scotland that we are working with and two or three others we are having conversations with."

The idea of partnerships is not new to the Easter Road side. A proposed link-up with Chelsea in the mid-2000s failed to match supporter expectations and more recently an agreement was struck with Lowland League side Spartans' Community Youth Academy aimed at developing youngsters between the ages of 8 and 11.

While no indication was given as to which clubs could be involved, the Peru-born businessman hinted that the arrangement could see loan deals benefiting both teams.

Gordon added: "Hopefully we are able to swap players, pass practices, or create pathways so players can go to the top."

Pre-pandemic, he revealed that talks were under way with "three [clubs] in Europe" and "two in the US".

Gordon explained: "One has a phenomenal academy. We'd like one of their coaches to come for a year and be an academy coach with us.

"A couple of the clubs are in the hundreds of millions [turnover] and a couple are smaller but are really good."

Tottenham Hotspur was one club Hibs representatives visited but it is unclear if they are one of the clubs currently in talks with the Easter Road outfit.

So what would a new partnership look like, and what possible benefits are there for Hibs?

For a start, Gordon's awareness of sporting events in his homeland has prompted him to unveil ideas for revamping the matchday experience. Pre-Covid, there was talk of a big screen at Easter Road among other upgrades.

The current state of play may have put stadium renovations on the backburner but it's interesting that talks with other clubs are still ongoing.

Aberdeen and Rangers have both established links with US clubs; the Dons with Georgia-based MLS outfit Atlanta United and the Gers with second-tier Orange County SC of California.

While the two arrangements have their differences it is clear that both Scottish teams are benefiting from the partnerships.

For the Pittodrie outfit, Atlanta's success in terms of attendances and ticket sales can be a springboard while last season they took winger Jon Gallagher on loan. For Rangers, a handful of youngsters have moved to the Sunshine State on loan deals to experience football in another environment.

Hibs' Sporting Director Graeme Mathie is keen to send some of the Easter Road side's youngsters abroad to experience football in different countries. Centre-back Dino Leddie has already joined Spanish side CD Almunecar City on loan so it's not unthinkable that a tie-up with clubs abroad could help more youngsters continue their development overseas.

A lot depends on how the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the Scottish game and what measures other countries are following.

If Hibs are to establish links with an American team, fans will be keen to find out which clubs could be potential partners.

While Gordon's Scottish roots and Peruvian upbringing may suggest teams based in areas with a similar demographic, it's unlikely to be either.

Given Major League Soccer's increased focus on the Hispanic and Latino market as the community continues to grow in the US and Spanish La Liga sides competing with MLS clubs for fanbases, it would make sense for Hibs to target vastly different areas.

The complex nature of Scottish heritage in the States would also likely rule out finding a club based in a "Scottish" area.

The real challenge for the Easter Road side is finding a club that shares similar values on and off the pitch to foster a partnership to benefit both teams that will ultimately grow stronger over time.

A club on the Eastern Seaboard would presumably be preferable to the west coast. Gordon attended university in New York state, his ZGS Communications firm was based in Virginia, and the John Marshall Bank which he founded served the Washington DC area.

Both New York and Washington DC are well served by top-level football teams and it's perhaps unlikely that any partnerships would be set up with United Soccer League (USL) teams either owned by, or affiliated with an MLS club.

Gordon wants Hibs to be competing for honours each season. It would make sense to partner with a similar-sized club in the US that shares those aims.

Taking the above into consideration, a team such as Connecticut-based Hartford Athletic could fit the bill.

The USL side is relatively new to the league but the owners share values championed by Gordon such as non-profits, the importance of community, and a big focus on education.

Mathie described Hibs as a "learners' club" following the link-up with Edinburgh Napier University earlier this month, and given the University of Connecticut made use of Hartford Athletic's stadium last year, there is perhaps scope for scholarship opportunities.

After a number of false starts for American soccer, often based on a surfeit of foreign players nearing the end of their career, the indigenous game in the USA seems to be making great strides - based on first and second generation immigrants from traditional "soccer nations" but also increasingly on the burgeoning interest in the men’s and women’s game, at school and college level, particularly in some of the more affluent areas such as Long Island, upstate New York, Connecticut, and New England.

Don’t be surprised to hear some Yankee accents around East Mains in the near future.

A message from the Editor: Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our advertisers – and consequently the revenue we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism. Subscribe to the Edinburgh Evening News online and enjoy unlimited access to trusted, fact-checked news and sport from Edinburgh and the Lothians. Visit edinburghnews.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.