SCOTT SIMON, host:
Ever daydream about owning a sports team? More than 27,000 fans realized that fantasy this week. And how? Of course, the Internet. Last spring, Web site myfootballclub.co.uk offered shares in a new football club. For just 35 pounds or about $70, they pledged that all of the team's decisions from trades to starting line-ups will be determined by an online vote of all the owners.
Tim Glynne-Jones is one of the founding owners of the club now called Ebbsfleet United. He joins us from just outside London.
Mr. Owner, thanks for being with us.
Mr. TIM GLYNNE-JONES (Co-Founder, Ebbsfleet Club): It's a pleasure. Thanks for having me on.
SIMON: Could we use the term Minor League without offending you?
(Soundbite of laughter)
Mr. GLYNNE-JONES: If you want to call it Minor League, I'm happy with that.
SIMON: We should explain: They will only play Manchester United in their dreams.
Mr. GLYNNE-JONES: No. They've got to be promoted, what, four times in order to be in the same division as United.
SIMON: Isn't it a little cumbersome when you have to have 27,000 people vote?
Mr. GLYNNE-JONES: Well, no, because as you mentioned it's the Internet, and the Internet is capable of making instant decisions because it's actually much cumbersome than trying to get seven or eight people sitting around the table to come through any kind of agreement.
SIMON: If you have to decide who to hire as coach, how do 27,000 people decide what 10 to interview, and how do they conduct those interviews?
Mr. GLYNNE-JONES: You know, there's a lot of collaboration. Basically, the 27,000 can make their views felt via the forums from the Web site. At the same time, there are people that will handle the day-to-day running and make sure that things don't get bulked down in red tape.
SIMON: There's a coach already?
Mr. GLYNNE-JONES: Yeah, there is. And he's embraced the whole idea to be regularly appearing on the site before every game, informing the members how the players are performing and training and giving his opinion as to what sort of line up he'd look for.
SIMON: How many places, for example, are the owners coming from? Probably not just Ebbsfleet.
Mr. GLYNNE-JONES: Oh, absolutely, no. I mean, it's an international club. You know - I think, English football has a following around the world already. And there were a lot of people who would love to be able to get more involved, but obviously they can't do that from their own chair. Now, this gives them the opportunity.
SIMON: Is it fun being an owner, Mr. Glynne-Jones?
Mr. GLYNNE-JONES: Well, I haven't really got stuck into it yet, but I think it's so - it's groundbreaking to be in a position where you can actually have genuine influence over the club and how it performs. And I think that's a source of heated frustration for, probably, a fan of any other sport. They go along, they pay their money and they support their club, but when it comes to actually having an influence, there's a barrier. And we've broken down that barrier.
SIMON: But you can't blame the owner when you lose.
(Soundbite of laughter)
Mr. GLYNNE-JONES: Well, that's the beauty for the manager, isn't it? Taking (unintelligible) around and blame the fans.
SIMON: That is great, come to think of it.
(Soundbite of laughter)
Mr. GLYNNE-JONES: So you're starting to see the merits of it, yes.
SIMON: I don't mind telling you, I'm going to go to the Web site and become an owner myself.
Mr. GLYNNE-JONES: Well, welcome aboard.
SIMON: Thank you. Thank you.
Mr. GLYNNE-JONES: Then we get to meet you over at the ground sometime.
SIMON: Yes, when we owners get together.
Mr. GLYNNE-JONES: Absolutely.
SIMON: Tim Glynne-Jones, who's one of about 27,000 founding owners of Ebbsfleet United.
This is NPR News.