The Carolina RailHawks, a founding member of the North American Soccer League (NASL), now has local ownership.
Local technology entrepreneur Stephen N. Malik has purchased the club from Traffic Sports USA and l assumes 100% ownership, effective immediately. He will represent the RailHawks on the NASL Board of Governors.
In 2000, Malik founded Medfusion, a Cary-based purveyor of online patient portals and other related services for healthcare providers. In 2010, Malik sold Medfusion to Intuit for $91 million. After serving as President of the rebranded Intuit Health for three years, Malik re-acquired Medfusion, where he currently serves as Chairman.
Malik is very involved with support for entrepreneurship in the local area including investment, advisory and board participation with various start-ups, venture funds, and academic innovation efforts. Malik grew up in Kinston, NC and is a UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus with a BS in Business Administration.
“The RailHawks are a superb organization representing one of the fastest growing regions with tremendous potential for soccer leadership in the nation,” said Malik. “Our goal is to take the RailHawks to the highest level through additional investment in marketing, players, and staffing. We are excited to lead our community in working together to give the Triangle a world-class soccer team.”
The RailHawks have enjoyed tremendous growth and success on and off the field over the last five years, having won the 2011 and 2013 regular season championship, posted a record-setting 23-game home unbeaten streak, played in two Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, and defeated the five-time MLS Champion LA Galaxy in the Cup three years in a row.
Malik’s purchase of the RailHawks was enthusiastically endorsed by the Triangle Soccer Fanatics (TSF). TSF is an independent supporters club of the RailHawks, which represents a large block of the team’s season ticket holders.
TSF has ended its five-month protest campaign against former owner Traffic Sports USA. That protest began last spring as a denouncement of the then-owner of the RailHawks with the indictment of Aaron Davidson and Traffic Sports for involvement in the ongoing FIFA coprruption scandal.
“With the announcement that Raleigh resident Steve Malik has acquired full interest in the Carolina RailHawks from Traffic Sports USA, we are finally able to close the books on one of the darkest chapters in our team’s 10 year history,” said Jarrett Campbell, President of Triangle Soccer Fanatics.
“When we launched our protest, we wanted to create awareness in the local community for the need for team ownership that was free of scandal, had a long-term vision for professional soccer in the Raleigh-Durham area, and was willing to engage and invest in our local community to achieve that vision.”
RailHawks President Curt Johnson will continue to lead the organization, which will celebrate its 10-year anniversary in 2016, in the newly designated role of President and General Manager; Head Coach Colin Clarke will return for his fifth season; and Senior Vice President Peter Sciandra will continue as a senior executive in the organization in the newly designated role of Executive Vice President.
“We are thrilled to welcome Steve as the new RailHawks owner,” said RailHawks President Curt Johnson. “Steve’s passion for soccer, positive connection to the community and desire for the RailHawks to be a division one organization is very apparent. He is going to be a driving force in growing the game at all levels in North Carolina. On day one, Steve made it clear that the resources will be there to elevate the organization on and off the field. Steve is exactly who we have been searching for.”
Not only does Malik have deep ties to the Triangle area business community, but he also is a passionate soccer fan having played in high school and coached at the youth level.