Florida-Based Entrepreneur Robert Palmer Unveiled As New Owner Of Jacksonville Armada FC

Florida native Robert Palmer, a successful entrepreneur whose company portfolio includes RP Funding and Homevalue.com, has purchased NASL club Jacksonville Armada FC, the league announced on Tuesday.

 

"I am delighted to present Robert Palmer as the new owner of Jacksonville Armada FC," said NASL Interim Commissioner Rishi Sehgal. "He has tremendous entrepreneurial savvy as a businessman and a strong belief in the growth potential of both the sport of soccer and the City of Jacksonville. Under Robert's guidance and leadership, Armada FC fans and the soccer community in Jacksonville will have exciting times ahead."

 

Palmer was unveiled as the club's new owner at a press conference held at the Jacksonville offices of RP Funding, a mortgage lending company that he founded in 2007.

 

"While sports ownership has been a dream of mine since I was young, the business opportunity with Armada FC and the NASL was simply too good to pass up," said Palmer. "I care deeply about the Jacksonville market and have both personal and professional interests in the area. My team at Robert Palmer Companies and I look forward to bringing our proven marketing and business strategies to this outstanding organization." 

 

A native of Lakeland, Fla., Palmer and his wife, Jill, have local ties to the area and have maintained a residence in Neptune Beach since 2007. He is the founder and CEO of Robert Palmer Companies, which is based in Central Florida and is involved in the financing, marketing, and escrow of more than $5 billion in residential real estate.

 

In addition to RP Funding, Palmer has started several other companies including Homevalue.com, which provides personalized reports on homeowners' property values from a local real estate agent and Listing Power Tools, a company that helps real estate agents craft the perfect listing presentation, among others.

 

Palmer assumes control of Armada FC just a few days after the club finished a solid NASL Spring Season campaign under head coach Mark Lowry. Jacksonville finished in the top half of the table, even on points with the defending champion New York Cosmos.

 

Armada FC, which plays its games at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium, is in the midst of its third NASL season. Prior to Palmer's purchase of Armada FC, the club was owned by the NASL.

"Robert checks all of the boxes in terms of what the NASL looks for in an owner," Sehgal said. "It's incredibly satisfying to be able to match someone with his business acumen and appreciation for the great city of Jacksonville with the Armada FC fans, who have shown fantastic support for the club over the last several years."  

 

Armada FC will kick off NASL Fall Season play at home on Sunday, July 30, welcoming the San Francisco Deltas to Hodges Stadium for a 6 p.m. ET kickoff.

 

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