Eugene, Ore. (April 22, 2026) – Sporting Cascades FC today announced that Eugene native and accomplished sports and business executive Bill Cornog has joined the club as lead owner, adding significant global soccer and investment expertise to the organization.
Sporting Cascades plans to launch in the 2027 season, pending final league and federation sanctioning approval. The men’s team will join USL League One, a growing league in the third tier of the U.S. professional soccer pyramid.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Bill as primary owner,” said Lee O’Neill, president of USL League One. “Dave and the Sporting Cascades team have worked tirelessly for years to bring this club to life and adding someone with Bill’s strong local ties and business expertise is the perfect fit to support the club’s long-term future. Sporting Cascades will play an important role in the continued growth of League One, particularly as we expand across the Western United States and move toward a regionalized competition structure.”
Cornog brings extensive experience across global soccer and executive leadership to Sporting Cascades. He currently serves on the board of directors of Blue Crow Sports Group, whose ownership portfolio includes international soccer clubs Le Havre AC (France’s Ligue 1), CD Leganés (Spain’s Segunda División), and Cancún FC (Mexico’s Liga de Expansión MX). Cornog previously spent 20 years as a partner at investment firm KKR, and prior to that, served as senior vice president and general manager of network services of Williams Communications Group.
Cornog’s ties to Eugene run deep. He grew up in the community, attending local schools before earning his bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. His family has longstanding connections to the University of Oregon, where his father served as a team physician for the basketball and football programs, and his sisters both attended.
In February, Pete Peterson, head soccer coach at South Eugene High School and a lifelong friend of Cornog’s, introduced Cornog to Sporting Cascades co-founders Dave and John Galas, sparking a relationship that led to his investment in the club.
“Owning a soccer club in Eugene was not on the family bingo card at the beginning of the year,” Cornog said. “Our family loves footy and Oregon, and this opportunity is a great way to express our passion for both, while enhancing the sports and cultural community of Eugene.”
Cornog currently serves on the external advisory board of the University of Oregon’s Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact and is restoring Eugene’s historic Treetops mansion, built between 1908 and 1910, for future use by the university and broader community.
As part of the condition of Cornog taking the position with SCFC, he is working with Kidsports executive director Bev Smith to honor the Kidsports legacy and mission through philanthropic endeavors that will help to keep kids playing and having fun for years to come.
“Bill Cornog’s investment in professional soccer and Sporting Cascades reflects a lifelong connection to the game and a heartfelt commitment to the Kidsports mission of ‘all kids play,’” said Smith. “As a Kidsports alumnus, his giving comes from a genuine desire to ensure that Kidsports and our community of volunteer coaches continue to help kids to play, develop, and have fun for years to come. We’re honored to welcome him back to Civic Park in this new role.”
The self-described “dedicated husband and enthusiastic soccer dad” is the husband of wife Leslie, and father of William Cornog Jr. and Quinn Cornog. William Jr. is a sophomore defender at reigning NCAA Division III national champions Tufts University, while Quinn was a defender and defensive midfielder who earned 71 career caps for Vanderbilt University, Texas A&M, and Texas Christian University. Quinn was named to the 2021 SEC All-Freshman Team at Vanderbilt, and helped lead TCU to the 2025 College Cup semifinals, where the Horned Frogs lost to eventual national champions Florida State University.
“This is a tremendous moment for Eugene-Springfield and our club,” said Dave Galas, president of Sporting Cascades. “Bill has spent decades making companies top performers, so he has all the business chops to make Sporting Cascades successful. Most importantly, Bill believes in his hometown, he believes in the USL, and he wants to win. We hit it off immediately and from our first conversation it was clear that we share the same vision for building a club where players are eager to compete, the community feels a sense of pride, and the team is competitive on the field.”
Sporting Cascades fans will have their first opportunity to welcome Bill Cornog to the club on Friday when he joins members of the front office at the Eugene Marathon Expo. Sporting Cascades will be at the Graduate Hotel selling merchandise and taking season ticket deposits from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday, with Cornog joining for a fan meet-and-greet from 5-6 p.m. on Friday.