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Last week,<a href="http:\/\/www.sbnation.com/soccer/2014/7/10/5888801/nasl-canada-partnership#comments"> reports began to surface</a> about a possible new professional league in Canada that would be developed in partnership with the Canadian (American) Football League (CFL) and the <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2014/06/09/minnesota-united-claims-spring-nasl-title/">North American Soccer League (NASL)</a>. Canada has not had an independent professional league since the Canadian Soccer League folded in 1992, and the surviving teams joined the American professional league system.
For years, Canada’s elite clubs were in the second division A-League (later USL-1). Then in 2005, Major League Soccer (MLS), the first division in the United States, decided it was willing to expand to Canada, and Toronto FC launched in 2007. Since then, Canada has three MLS teams, two of which were founding members of the new NASL in November 2009 (Vancouver and Montreal). By 2011, FC Edmonton joined the NASL, while Ottawa began life in the NASL in 2014.
While many fans in Canada at the time were thrilled by these developments, others were openly unhappy about the growing attachment of the Canadian professional game to US-based leagues whose primary interest was in growing the sport south of the border.
Canada qualified for its only World Cup in 1986. The nation last made it as far as the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying in 1998. While the nation has developed several decent players who have gone abroad and excelled at European clubs, the top players eligible to play for Canada (more recently such as <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2012/07/28/owen-hargreaves-training-with-qpr-vlaar-agrees-terms-with-villa-and-more-epl-news-and-links/">Owen Hargreaves</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2012/11/29/what-has-been-the-secret-to-swansea-citys-success-so-far-this-season/">Jonathan de Guzman</a>, <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2013/11/02/stoke-goalkeeper-asmir-begovic-scores-a-long-range-effort-after-12-seconds-gif/">Asmir Begovic</a> and Junior Hoilett) have opted to represent other nations, or in Hoilett’s case simply not play internationally at all.
The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) has had a strained relationship with the existing professional clubs in the country. Looking at long-term solutions for the development of Canadian players and the professional game in the nation has split those involved in soccer management in Canada. Now it appears the CSA is interested in working closely with the NASL, rather than trying to work a compromise with the MLS team managements that have been adamant that the governing body make structural changes. It is important to note that the CSA has a marketing agreement with Traffic Sports who have also served in a similar role with the NASL, and currently own two NASL teams, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and the Carolina RailHawks.
Canada has a large soccer loving population. Nationally televised MLS games that feature Canadian teams have netted far more viewers than matches in the United States involving two American teams. The <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2013/08/16/canadian-tv-schedule-for-premier-league-games-in-august-2013/">Premier League</a>, Serie A and La Liga all have large followings in the country as well, <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2013/07/12/no-la-liga-or-serie-a-in-canada-bein-sports-alienation-of-canadian-viewers/">though recent developments with beIN Sports have perhaps dampened some of the enthusiasm for the latter two leagues</a>. But the structure of the domestic game has been flawed for two decades now. While many American fans argue that the NBA, MLB, etc make Canadian participation in US leagues permissible, international soccer is different than the largely Americanized sports structures that exist in those games. Thus, Canada allowing its structure in soccer to be tied directly to the US professional game was always going to result in failures for the nation to develop a long-term identity in the sport.
Having said this, MLS now has the three largest metropolitan areas in the country locked down with successful teams, two of which were founding members of the NASL. So the new NASL/CFL league would essentially combine Calgary, Ottawa, Edmonton and a bunch of second-tier markets. While this proposed league may be a positive step for Canada’s development in the game, the business side is questionable. Can second-tier Canadian cities with CFL teams support high-level professional soccer?
We won’t know the answer to that question until this league begins play, but we do know that if this idea comes to fruition the increased opportunities for Canadian players will be useful.

Why Canadian Soccer Would Benefit From Domestic League If NASL and CFL Join Forces - World Soccer Talk

Why Canadian Soccer Would Benefit From Domestic League If NASL and CFL Join Forces

<a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2014/06/09/minnesota-united-claims-spring-nasl-title/mnu-spring-season-2014-champions_53xz3tlypr8k1x6hl4xtefanw/" rel="attachment wp-att-103928"></a><div><figure class="image"><a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2014/06/09/minnesota-united-claims-spring-nasl-title/mnu-spring-season-2014-champions_53xz3tlypr8k1x6hl4xtefanw/" rel="attachment wp-att-103928"></a></figure></div>
Minnesota United FC claimed the Spring Season North American Soccer League (NASL) title this weekend, the clubs second piece of silverware since the relaunch of the league in 2011. Ironically, United’s 3-3 &nbsp;title clinching draw in St Petersburg, Florida against Tampa Bay came on the very same field where Minnesota’s attempts to win the first two NASL titles of this eras came to an end in a dramatic penalty kick shootout in October 2012.
With the spring title Minnesota automatically qualifies for the league’s revised playoff format known as <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2014/02/27/nasl-announce-new-playoff-format-the-championship/">“The Championship.”&nbsp;</a>
Minnesota Coach Manny Lagos who lead his team to the 2011 NASL title remarked:
<blockquote>“Tonight was a great game. It took a lot for us to win the Spring Championship,” &nbsp;“We had to go on the road twice to get results [in the last two weeks] and we were challenged in both games and great stuff by the guys, couldn’t be prouder. Tonight was an outstanding game and the character of this team came through.”</blockquote>
Minnesota’s title comes as a surprise to many. Though United had been seen as a top challenger for the title, it was expected the New York Cosmos who have dominated NASL since last August<a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2013/08/03/4-reasons-why-tonight-is-an-historic-night-for-soccer-fans-in-the-us-dempseywatch/" target="_blank"> when the legendary club returned to competitive action</a>, but an untimely injury to former Spanish International Marcos Senna, arguably NASL’s most decorated player left New York chasing the season and ultimately a point back in the table.
The Twin Cities will celebrate the title triumph tomorrow with a press event open to all fans. The league’s formal trophy presentation as well as a Question and Answer session with Minnesota United President Nick Rogers, midfielder Justin Davis and North American Soccer League Commissioner Bill Peterson and Lagos will take place.
The NASL’s Fall Season will begin July 12th, with the league taking a &nbsp;five week break for the World Cup. The winner of the fall tournament will also automatically qualify for the league’s season ending four team “Championship.”

Minnesota United Claims Spring NASL Title  - World Soccer Talk

Minnesota United Claims Spring NASL Title

<div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-102782" title="new-york-cosmos-new-york-red-bulls" src="https:\/\/ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https:\/\/images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20140601_WST_102781_new-york-cosmos-new-york-red-bulls-600x269.webp&amp;width=600&amp;height=269" alt="" width="600" height="269" srcset="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/new-york-cosmos-new-york-red-bulls-600x269.png 600w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/new-york-cosmos-new-york-red-bulls-150x67.png 150w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/new-york-cosmos-new-york-red-bulls-300x134.png 300w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/new-york-cosmos-new-york-red-bulls.png 960w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></figure></div>
“It will be exciting” was how New York Cosmos defender Carlos Mendes described their upcoming fourth round US Open cup tie against the New York Red Bulls.
June 14 is when New York looks inwards and watches the first-ever meeting between MLS side New York Red Bulls and NASL side the New York Cosmos. The two have battled each other for over a year, but never on the pitch. For 90 minutes, marketing strategies and social media become obsolete as the two sides battle for supremacy.
Mendes is a New York native, and as a former Red Bull will go into the clash aware of its significance. As the Open Cup focus hones in on New York, fans are reminded of the rich history New York enjoys with the competition.
No state has won more U.S. Open Cups than New York with 26. The first ever Lamar Hunt cup final was contested in 1914 between Brooklyn FC and the Brooklyn Italians (the team the Cosmos beat in round three). One hundred years on and now the fourth round of the competition is once again pitting New York’s premier sides against each other.
Speaking bluntly, Cosmos head coach Gio Saverse said: “We don’t have to prove anything to the New York Red Bulls.”
Savarese has consistently spoken of the competition’s importance to the club: “It’s another competition. It’s a serious competition for us. It’s important and every game is important for us,” head coach&nbsp;Giovanni&nbsp;Savarese&nbsp;told <a href="http:\/\/SoccerWire.com/">SoccerWire.com</a>. “When the time comes for us to play in the U.S. Open Cup, we’ll take it very seriously.”
Allowing for another rivalry to bed itself into the country’s soccer culture, defender Mendes told Empire of Soccer: “It’s going to be a good challenge for us. I think it’s great for the New York/New Jersey area to have a rivalry and to have two good teams play against each other.”
Surprisingly, neither side is yet to taste U.S. Open Cup success, with the Red Bulls coming closest in 2003 — finishing runners-up to the Chicago Fire. Providing a route into international competition and the CONCACAF Champions League, the incentive for both clubs not only stretches past the opportunity to add more silverware to the club trophy cabinet.
Yet Mike Petke seemed unwilling to stoke the flames of rivalry: “Obviously, I guess, because they’re close by in proximity, it makes up an interesting story,” he said. “I know as much as I should know about them.”
Perhaps his mind is more focused on New York City FC. The club that is backed by Manchester City and the New York Yankees is becoming more ubiquitous as time passes. With the release of season ticket packages and plans on <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2014/04/21/new-york-city-fc-share-details-about-converting-yankee-stadium-from-baseball-to-soccer/">how they will modify Yankee Stadium</a> to accommodate matches, last week saw them <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2014/05/31/david-villas-transfer-to-new-york-city-fc-is-a-done-deal-reveals-source/">linked with World Cup winner David Villa</a>.
Regardless, the chance to gain another derby can only be seen as a positive for U.S. soccer.
“Growing up in this community, knowing the Cosmos, playing for the Red Bulls, it’s all very special,” Mendes told the Wall Street Journal. “I think soccer’s growing. I think New York deserves this.”

New York Red Bulls to Face New York Cosmos In 2014 US Open Cup - World Soccer Talk

New York Red Bulls to Face New York Cosmos In 2014 US Open Cup

<a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Strikers-Traffic-Signal.jpg"></a><div><figure class="image"><a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Strikers-Traffic-Signal.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-100271" title="Strikers Traffic Signal" src="https:\/\/ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https:\/\/images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20140501_WST_100270_Strikers-Traffic-Signal-600x600.webp&amp;width=600&amp;height=600" alt="" width="600" height="600" srcset="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/05/Strikers-Traffic-Signal-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/05/Strikers-Traffic-Signal-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/05/Strikers-Traffic-Signal-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/05/Strikers-Traffic-Signal.jpg 952w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a></figure></div>
As we’ve seen by <a href="http:\/\/www.concacaf.com/article/concacaf-announces-deal-renewal-with-traffic-sports-for-sponsorship-rights" target="_blank" rel="noopener">developments this week</a>, Traffic Sports USA has been responsible for organizing many international soccer events and has owned the Fort Lauderdale Strikers since they joined North American Soccer League as an expansion team since 2010 but, in my opinion, Traffic does a poor job at running a local community-based professional soccer franchise.
The frustration among many Strikers fans to Traffic Sports recently prompted a loyal Striker supporter to take action by photographing an old broken-down digital traffic signal that was still faithfully working for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Well, sort of.
Prior to every home game, an old sign appears roadside on Commercial Blvd. in front of Lockhart Stadium. It appears two days before every game or on the day of game. It stands alone and helps fans know where to enter Lockhart, the home of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
I’ve driven past it, but it never occurred to me that the traffic signal is missing several letters. You can barely read what it’s trying to say.
Before the start of this past Saturday’s home game between the Strikers and Indy Eleven, a member of the Strikers supporters group, Flight 19, posted the photo of the sign on the Twitter account (see below).
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">Marvel at the colossal marketing muscle of <a href="https:\/\/twitter.com/TrafficSportsUS">@TrafficSportsUS</a>! Expect a huge crowd tonite with this kind of promo! lol <a href="http:\/\/t.co/C8LKj9E9HX">pic.twitter.com/C8LKj9E9HX</a>
— Flight 19 (@Flight_19) <a href="https:\/\/twitter.com/Flight_19/statuses/460119070533103616">April 26, 2014</a></blockquote></div>
<script async="" src="\/\/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Before long, the tweet went viral and caused a plethora of responses. Someone tweeted that they heard if you kick the sign, the letter S will magically appear along with the letter I and the letter C.
The broken sign is a metaphor for the lack of funding Traffic Sports gives to the Strikers, to support the Strikers team and brand in the community. Insiders reveal that Traffic has slashed player and marketing budgets year after year, resulting in fans feeling frustrated with the lack of funding on and off the field.
It’s time for Traffic Sports to decide whether to increase the funding to the Strikers in order to develop marketing strategies that are on par with other NASL clubs who are spending more money to grow the popularity of their teams. And yes, to spend some money to fix the old traffic sign (which is a poor first impression for anyone visiting Lockhart). Or perhaps Traffic Sports should sell the team to someone who can devote their time, passion and money to the team.

Frustration with Traffic Sports growing among Strikers fans - World Soccer Talk

Frustration with Traffic Sports growing among Strikers fans

<figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-98791" title="indy-eleven-office-meeting" src="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/indy-eleven-office-meeting.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="640" srcset="https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/04/17055746/indy-eleven-office-meeting.jpg 640w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/04/17055746/indy-eleven-office-meeting-150x150.jpg 150w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/04/17055746/indy-eleven-office-meeting-300x300.jpg 300w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/04/17055746/indy-eleven-office-meeting-600x600.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></figure>
Editor’s note: Indy Eleven plays its first match this Saturday evening&nbsp;when the team battles Carolina Railhawks in the NASL, the second division of US soccer. The debut of a brand-new soccer club is an exciting milestone in the growth of the sport in the United States, so we wanted to capture the excitement and to find out what goes on behind the scenes before a league game is played. We sent World Soccer Talk’s Bo McMillan to Indianapolis, where Indy Eleven were gracious enough to allow him complete access around the office and with the team, where Bo was able to be a fly on the wall during the exciting period of this club’s history. Here’s what he discovered.
&nbsp;
Eight people sit around a table in a small corner office in downtown Indianapolis. It’s early, and a slew of coffee mugs cover the table, sending wispy bits of steam towards the ceiling.
The <a href="http://instagram.com/p/mnSlWItInS/" target="_blank">Indy Eleven office</a> is inconspicuous. A small sign hangs by the front door of a large building, all but lost among the bustle of the city around it. You’d easily miss it if you weren’t looking for it. Inside, though, things are different. Each member of the staff wears the red and blue of their club. Most elect to wear a pullover or a t-shirt with the Indy Eleven logo, some wear suits with a pin depicting the crest. If the outside is inconspicuous, the inside is anything but.
The team members sit around the table, chatting idly, and waiting for the meeting to start. Moments later, Peter Wilt walks into the room. Even if you’d never heard of him, you’d know he was important by the way everyone responds to him. He seemingly unintentionally commands the room.
Peter is the General Manager, and by the looks of him, with an Indy Eleven scarf around his neck, the club’s biggest fan. His name may be familiar to those who closely follow soccer in the States, especially near Chicago. Peter has had his hands in the creation of several clubs, but he’s most known for the inception of the Chicago Fire, one of the oldest clubs in MLS.
Peter takes a moment to open his notebook then looks up with a smile.
“Raise your hand if you’re overwhelmed,” he begins.
The room unanimously confirms his suspicions by putting their hands in the air. They have smiles on their faces, but they know time is of the essence. Every single person in the office has one date on his or her mind, April 12th. The kickoff to the 2014 North American Soccer League season, and Indy Eleven’s first-ever competitive match, happens in just days. They’ve had fifteen months to prepare, but ask anyone in the office and they’ll tell you they’d love another fifteen.
Indy Eleven was first announced in early 2013 as a NASL expansion team. The NASL, which is comprised of thirteen teams, is categorized as a Division II soccer league in the United States, and sandwiched between MLS and USL PRO. The league itself is relatively young, but names like the New York Cosmos carry a lot of history in the States. The Indy Eleven staff have several goals, but chief among them is to become the flagship team of the NASL. Usurping teams like the Cosmos is a tall order in itself, but to have that goal in mind before a single regular-season game has been played is nothing short of ambitious.
Ambitious is actually a word that perfectly defines Indy Eleven. These men and women sitting around the table are fighting to make this club relevant in a city that holds two of the biggest sporting franchises in the United States, the Indianapolis Colts and the Indiana Pacers. They don’t see these teams as direct competition, but they understand they’re coming into a market that’s become accustomed to sporting excellence.
“The challenge is to prove we’re a credible organization,” Peter Wilt admits. “To prove that soccer can be successful in Indiana. There’s a large void in the sports marketplace in Indianapolis that Indy Eleven fills. All the kids who grew up playing soccer? Now they’re adults. They have a passion for the sport, not just because they play the sport but also because they follow it on television and on the Internet. [Soccer] is very accessible now, much more so than even five years ago. They all have their favorite teams in Europe but now they want a local team they can feel connected to.”
These things are on everyone’s minds as they sit in this meeting. The hands go down, Peter continues to smile, and they dive into it. The first order of business? Ponchos. The sun is shining through the windows, but rain is expected later that night, and for the next three days. This will threaten two friendlies scheduled for that time period. Several minutes are spent discussing how many ponchos to order and whether or not to have a logo included on them. It’s tedious, and numbers fly around the room, but they know it’s important to be prepared to contend with the elements if they want fans showing up to their games and sticking around.
Next? Garbage. Tom Dunmore, vice president of marketing (editor’s note: and former <a href="http://pitchinvasion.net/" target="_blank">Pitch Invasion</a> blogger), has a separate meeting in a few minutes to discuss logistics of trash pickup after matches. They also discuss electrical issues at Carroll Stadium, their home field, and where the food trucks will park on the property. The meeting isn’t glamorous by any means. The squad itself isn’t even mentioned. But these are critical elements that have to be running smoothly in the background if they’re to achieve the excellence they’re striving for.
Directly after this meeting is another. The previous meeting was subdued, efficient, and logistical, but this one is bustling. It takes place in the same small corner room, but nearly everyone is involved. The room is literally overflowing with people. Among them is Juergen Sommer, Indy Eleven’s head coach, who sits on one of the windowsills because all the seats at the table are taken. Others sit on the floor, some just outside the meeting room door. There isn’t enough room to come close to accommodating everyone, but they make do.
There’s an air of anticipation as the meeting kicks off. Just yesterday, Indy Eleven sent out a press release announcing the signing of Brazilian midfielder Jose Kleberson. Everyone is expecting the former Manchester United player, and 2002 World Cup winner, to be a huge boon to the franchise. At 34, he’s no longer in his prime, but they all believe he still has a lot to offer on the field, and they know his name alone will draw audiences.
“Anyone see the Kleberson billboard on their way into town this morning?” Peter asks.
The room erupts with voices keen to share their excitement over the huge sign displaying their new superstar’s face.
John Koluder, head of public relations, slyly raises his hand.
“I saw the billboard yesterday,” he says, then pauses for a moment. “While Kleberson was in my back seat.”
The room erupts again. Even if Indianapolis’ commuters don’t know who Kleberson is, they’ll see the words “World Cup winner” next to his face. It all comes down to credibility. They know they have it, but now they’re trying to prove it to the community. Kleberson is a symbol that the world’s game has come to their city.
The afternoon brings yet another meeting. This one focuses primarily on the friendly later that evening against Peter Wilt’s former club, the Chicago Fire. The normal meeting room that was filled earlier is still taken, so the most critical staff members for tonight’s match sit around what is essentially the lobby of their office space. Schedules for the night are handed out, and they’re specific. At 6:53pm the teams will come out to warm up, and at 7:18 they’ll clear the field. The clubs will have a few minutes to do some final preparations in the dressing room before the national anthem kicks off at 7:30. At 7:32, the teams shake hands, and 7:33 sees the coin toss, Finally, at 7:33 and 45 seconds the whistle blows. It all seems overly planned and tedious, but the discussion centers on ensuring the start time is as close to 7:30 as possible.
One of the major challenges is the fact that the friendly will take place at Purdue University, not Carroll Stadium, where the majority of preparations for the season have taken place. Purdue is nearly an hour and a half away and there’s a lot to do to make sure everything goes well. Since Indy is hosting the friendly, it’s their responsibility to take care of the Fire and set them up with anything they need. Locations of proper dressing rooms and transport to the grounds are immediate issues that need resolving.
Peter is one of the few lucky enough to have nabbed a seat on the couch. His laptop is in front of him, his schedule is to his side, and he’s on the phone with his contacts over in Chicago. Somehow he’s juggling it all, and what’s more impressive: he’s completely composed. If he and his team are going to pull this off, he has to be. It’s not just about tonight, or even April 12th. This is the birth of a franchise, and Indy Eleven have made sure they’ve hired the type of people that can keep up with this balancing act.
A little while later, John Koluder sits in his office organizing social media for the week of the club’s launch. He’s typing instructions to his staff while explaining the climate of the office. “It’s exhilarating. It’s….frantic…” He struggles to find a few words that can sum up the past fifteen months. Outside his office someone runs down the hallway at full speed. “I’m running with scissors!” she screams as she whizzes by. “That,” John says as he points to the now-empty hallway. “That’s what the climate around here is like.”
<figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-98792" title="indy-eleven-office-door" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20140410_CMS_98789_indy-eleven-office-door-600x800_d13f091b.webp&amp;width=600&amp;height=800" alt="" width="600" height="800" srcset="https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/04/17055745/indy-eleven-office-door-600x800.jpg 600w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/04/17055745/indy-eleven-office-door-150x200.jpg 150w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/04/17055745/indy-eleven-office-door-300x400.jpg 300w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/04/17055745/indy-eleven-office-door.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></figure>
Talk to anyone in the office and they’ll tell you Indy Eleven is seeking to do something special in not just the NASL but the United States. They want to reach a level of success that seems lofty. Their five-year goals are audacious, including filling an 18,000-seat stadium and offering the best sporting experience in Indianapolis. But they haven’t given themselves these lofty goals just to inspire their staff; they really believe they can achieve them. Of course, everything goes back to their main goal: “We want to win championships and serve the community. Everything else is an extension of that.” That mission statement is loaded. Competing for championships is straightforward enough, but how does a club adequately reach out to a community at such an early stage in its development?
“It’s hard to say how the community will respond to you,” says Koluder. He believes it’s critical that all of Indiana, not just Indianapolis, believes this is their team. “Yeah, it’s less direct competition with the other teams [Colts, Pacers, Indians] and more just creating the emotional bonds we need to build a grassroots fan base.”
Grassroots. That word may as well be on the club’s kits. Indy Eleven’s tagline is, “The World’s Game. Indiana’s Team.” To properly serve the community, this club must become the community.
“It’s the Brickyard Battalion, you know?” Says Wilt. “And the Indiana Soccer Association, and community leaders that really stepped up and supported this. It’s a bottom-up, grassroots effort, which people have taken ownership in. They feel like this is their team, and that’s the key to any successful sports franchise. It’s important that the community feels a sense of ownership, and that’s hard to do in a short time period. Normally that emotional connection comes over generations. But it’s special here because those emotional connections have been created in very short order.”
Peter’s statement is bold. That type of connection to a team can take decades. But he means it, and later that night he would prove it.
Once the staff gets to Purdue later that day they meet for a few moments to ensure everyone knows what they need to do. When they’re done, they split and each person does his or her best to stick to the schedule outlined earlier that day. As they work, everyone seems to have the same question, “Are people going to show up?” No one is sure exactly how many people will come tonight. They’ve sold plenty of tickets, but it’s an hour-and-a-half drive from Indianapolis, and the wind is uncomfortably strong, while the clouds threaten rain.
Any fears of a small turnout are quickly erased the minute the gates open, however. People pour in and before long the stands are full. Most notable among all the supporters is the Brickyard Battalion, the hardcore supporters group of the Indy Eleven. They occupy a small set of bleachers behind one of the goals and they’re so loud they drown out the announcer’s voice coming over the PA. They sing songs about Indy and beat a massive drum, making their presence felt across the small venue. It’s exactly what Peter had talked about. These fans were sold, and Indy hadn’t even played its first competitive match. This group barely knows most of the players, and they’ve only known the name of their club for just over a year, yet they cheer like they’ve been supporters all their lives.
<figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-98793" title="indy-eleven-team-lined-up" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20140410_CMS_98789_indy-eleven-team-lined-up-600x400_90ce7533.webp&amp;width=600&amp;height=400" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/04/17055744/indy-eleven-team-lined-up-600x400.jpg 600w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/04/17055744/indy-eleven-team-lined-up-150x100.jpg 150w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/04/17055744/indy-eleven-team-lined-up-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></figure>
The match starts, and wears on. Indy Eleven fall behind the Fire, but the passion on the sidelines never fades. The fans continue to sing, and Peter Wilt can be seen walking around the stadium, moving from group to group, never making it far before being surrounded by both Indy Eleven and Chicago Fire fans. He does disappear for a time, and then reappears amongst the Brickyard Battalion. He stands on the highest bleacher seat; hands raised high in the air, in full voice, with a scarf around his neck. He’s looking upon something he’s helped create, watching what his hands have made.
Emails from Indy Eleven staff continue to come in that night until well past 1:00am, more than seventeen hours since the staff arrived in the office that morning. They’ll be back in the office at 8:00 am tomorrow, too. Then they’ll do it all over again later in the week when they scrimmage Indiana University. Rest will not be in abundance in these last days before their debut. Every day will be critical. Sleep is for those who aren’t busy creating their own dreams.
Editor’s note: To learn more about Indy Eleven and to find out how to get tickets, visit the club website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.indyeleven.com/" target="_blank">www.indyeleven.com</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;The club’s supporters group also has its own website, which can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://brickyardbattalion.com/" target="_blank">www.brickyardbattalion.com</a>

Behind the Scenes at Indy Eleven, America’s Newest Soccer Club

Behind the Scenes at Indy Eleven, America's Newest Soccer Club - World Soccer Talk

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Behind the Scenes at Indy Eleven, America’s Newest Soccer Club