Murdering An Idea

There’s a great exchange between the comedian and noted atheist Ricky Gervais and Stephen Colbert on Colbert’s The Late Show. Gervais was asked about his lack of belief in a god by Colbert, a Catholic. In response, Gervais first asked Colbert if he believed in a god, which Colbert admitted. Then Gervais responded, “Okay. But there are about 3,000 to choose from… Basically, you deny one less God than I do. You don’t believe in 2,999 gods. And I don’t believe in just one more.” Rejecting an idea entirely is only a single step further than rejecting all the other forms of an idea.

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In 1894, the American Association of Professional Football was formed. It died the same year. In 1921, the American Soccer League, home of Bethlehem Steel and Fall River Marksmen was born. In 1933, facing the financial stress of the Great Depression, it collapsed. In 1960, the International Soccer League was born and in 1965 it withered away. The North American Soccer League, the league that brought Pele to the United States, lived from 1968 to 1984. In 2019, the NPSL Founders Cup, due to the exit of multiple clubs, was renamed and reformulated, effectively killing the competition in its crib. There is a long list (a much, much longer than this very brief list) of men’s and women’s soccer leagues in this country which have died. And there are a hundred different varieties of causes of those deaths, and even that list doesn’t include all of the women’s leagues that have come and gone. So maybe, instead of focusing on the league that died this week (and the new one that took its place), it’s time we found a new perspective of the American idea of soccer leagues.

The collapse of NPSL Founders Cup (and the NPSL may deny it collapsed, but that’s what happened) was brought about by a better resourced, flashier league, and, most importantly, one that has officially earned D3 sanctioning from U.S. Soccer. That league is the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) and when it was originally formed there was a massive buzz within the lower league soccer press. At its formation, clubs had not been named formally, but NISA announced it would begin play in the Fall of 2018 with 8 teams in multiple markets across the country.

Then the league effectively went silent. So much so that it became a running joke on social media. However, in May of this year there was a shakeup in leadership which led to the exit of Bob Watkins and John Prutch taking over the commissioner’s chair. Since Prutch took over, the league has become much more active online and has quickly gathered new clubs into the league, mostly at the expense of the NPSL and Founders Cup. First, Miami FC and California United Strikers were approved to join the league in the beginning of June. Then, just a couple of weeks later, Oakland Roots, one of the gems of the upcoming Founders Cup, announced they too would be joining NISA in the Spring of 2020.

After the exit of three of their original “founders,” NPSL was forced to reformulate the pro league from the ground up. Founders Cup had been formed as separate from the NPSL, an entirely independent entity. So much so that the league forwarded information requests about Founders Cup to four FC club owners instead of responding from the league. This week, NPSL announced a rebranding of the pro league - “NPSL Members Cup.” The Members Cup will host 6 teams, with a season to run from August 10th to October 26th. Honestly, no matter how the league spins it, it’s a black eye for the NPSL and hampers their plan to grow a new pro league.

For fans of the NPSL, there is an uncomfortable, almost visceral, response to all of this news. Are the clubs that exited Founders Cup traitors? Should they be seen as opportunists who exploited a situation? Is what they did right or fair? But the tenuous relationship with NISA and its newly-joined clubs is only an extension of the weirdness surrounding professional clubs in the lower leagues in general. While the vast majority of the lower leagues are amateur, many clubs are rumored to pay their players, regardless of league rules. Those rumors swirl every time those clubs succeed on the field, though mostly in anonymous twitter posts and DMs. “You know they pay their players, right? That’s how they win.” Regardless, the idea of clubs paying players is a pressure point for many fans.

So with the emergence of these new “lower league, professional leagues,” fans are often forced to decide the style and designation they prefer to support. Some draw the line at amateurism. Some stick with their clubs as they transitioned. Some are optimistic that this development would lead to promotion/relegation. Some just mock the lower leagues for being confusing and made memes to troll everyone involved. The reality is that the loyalty of the lower league fanbase is being actively fractured and how this all ends is still in the air. But all this fracturing of loyalties is unnecessary and pointless if lower league soccer fans, actually all soccer fans, begin to put club over league.

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“Would you stick with the Cleveland Browns if they got relegated to NCAA DII? In the case of Bolton’s fans, the answer is yes.”

It is only in the United States that fans are pushed to be fans of a league. The concept of a league is dominate in American sports. Consider the National Football League and its monopoly over the sport of american football. There are competing football leagues, of course, but most of those are seen as a joke and not taken seriously by fans of the sport. The NFL is seen as the only important pro league in the sport and the league has groomed this image to maintain its control over fans and their dollars. The other big sports league in this country have all taken similar approaches. Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the National Hockey League (NHL) have all groomed the idea that their leagues are the best in their respective sports. It’s good business sense. If people believe you to be the best, they’ll be fans of your member clubs, driving up the worth of your league. American sports leagues have done such a great job at propagating this idea that the major American sports leagues are now worth hundreds of BILLIONS of dollars. But you don’t have to buy that idea.

While the English Premier League (EPL) is also worth billions of dollars (maybe trillions, honestly), that league doesn’t hold value the way the American systems do. In English soccer, the EPL is nothing more than a container for the clubs that play within it in a given season. Underperform and you’re out. Manchester City, who won the league last season, was relegated as recently as 2001. Manchester City fans weren’t told to root for Manchester United when their club was relegated. They simply cheered for their club to win the Championship (the name of the second tier English League) and regain promotion to the top tier. That would be even more complicated for fans of a club like Bolton Wanderers, who have dipped in and out of the top tier and who were just relegated to the third tier after a season of massive financial hardship. Would you stick with the Cleveland Browns if they got relegated to NCAA DII? In the case of Bolton’s fans, the answer is yes.

Image from Wikipedia and is the work of Wikipedia contributor EclecticArkie

That’s because the idea of a league, regardless of how famous it is, means nothing more than the quality of the clubs that populate the table. If your club can’t measure up, it will end up in the level that it can compete at. Loyalty to the club is encouraged, because the league is always secondary from the fan’s perspective.

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It’s easy to get hung up on leagues, particularly in the United States. The US Soccer Federation and this country’s soccer media is so guilty of this. Major League Soccer (took a long time to get to MLS, but here it is) began play in 1996, formed to meet the FIFA qualifications for hosting the 1994 World Cup. While the league has struggled, it has managed to grow to the point of sport dominance in the United States. The level of play within the league is good enough to be the best in the country, but it has woefully underperformed against clubs from other leagues, particularly against Liga MX clubs. In fact, in CONCACAF Champions League (previously known as Champions League Cup), the only formal head-to-head competition between members of the two leagues, it has been 19 years since the last MLS club won the title. In that time, a Mexican side has won 17 titles (Costa Rican teams won in 2004 and 2005). So the league is clearly inferior to continental competition, let alone the massive European leagues that dominate the sport.

Christos celebrates against DC United. Image courtesy of Baltimore Sun.

Regardless of this inferiority in quality, MLS continues to be the only league focused on by the national media, NWSL included. The Federation seems intent on focusing entirely on setting the league up for success, even at the detriment of the leagues that fill the pyramid below the top tier. Consider the U.S. Open Cup. The scheduling has been criticized by lower league clubs for years as being difficult at best (in some cases impossible) for clubs not in MLS. The competition forces grassroot clubs to play 3 or 4 rounds of qualifying matches before even entering the competition, while MLS clubs do not enter the competition until the 4th round and often host matches, forcing the less-funded club to shoulder travel expenses. If a lower league club makes it to the 4th round, which rarely happens (Christos in 2017), they typically must play 7 or 8 matches to get to there.

Some might argue that the white-gloved treatment of MLS is due to the track record of league failure in the United States. Those people are thinking about the situation from a league centric perspective. If MLS was simply the name of the top tier and not a single-entity monster clinging to the top of the pyramid, the league would simply expand and contract as clubs exited downward and entered upward. The focus would be on the success and failure of the clubs and the sport itself, the league would be secondary. And yes, that is an argument for promotion/relegation, but fans of MLS clubs would be less wary of the idea if the focus was less on MLS and more on the clubs that filled the league currently.

Don Garber, Commissioner of MLS, has sold an idea to the American soccer fan. That idea has been regurgitated by the soccer media figures in this country. That same idea has been saluted and heralded by the Federation. That idea is that the league is more important than the clubs that exist within it. That idea has worked for every other league in the United States, so far. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

So instead of bemoaning the loss of Founders Cup and trying to decide what to make of NISA, maybe it’s time for American soccer fans to consider looking at leagues differently. Only one fan base has been aggressive and public about their feelings on the matter. And while Northern Guard supporters can be rough around the edges and irritate with their over-the-top support for their club, they are absolutely correct about this - club over league. If there is anything that the history of American soccer has proven, it is that leagues will come and go. But, more importantly, when the fans back their club, they will last forever.

- Dan Vaughn

Oakland Roots Bet on NISA over Founders Cup

On June 10th, Miami FC and Cal United Strikers, both former NPSL sides who had expressed desire to jump into the upcoming Founders Cup, declared their intentions of instead joining National Independent Soccer League (NISA). The news sent shockwaves through the soccer community, who had been stirred up and excited about the upcoming NPSL Pro League.

Up to this point, NISA has been more fluff than anything else. Mostly announcements of potential sites, without many details on clubs, playing sites, or even names of clubs. Even up to this point, aside from clubs that have defected from other leagues, we know nothing about the clubs who will play in the upcoming season, aside from the cities. Well, we can add one more fact to what we know, another club joining from another league.

Today, Oakland Roots announced their intention of skipping Founders Cup and instead joining NISA in the fall. According to the press release, “Roots leadership made a collective decision to focus on NISA as our preferred path forward. We have communicated our intent to the organizing body of the Founders Cup, as well as its constituent members.” The press release gave little details on the why the decision was made and when Protagonist Soccer reached out to the club, we received a non-commital answer to our questions. “Roots distributed a statement to media that can be found on our website. We appreciate the questions, but will decline further comment at this time.” That statement, by the way, can be found here.

Where this leaves the NPSL Founders Cup is hard to read. Losing three clubs to another league has to be a punch in the mouth for league leadership. We’ve reached out to that leadership and have yet to receive response. What we do know is that the West has lost a big name club who has made a fantastic splash into the American soccer market. Their branding, marketing, and overall professionalism has many in excited about their opening season. It’s a big get for NISA. NISA Commissioner John Prutch publicly stated that “We’re excited about Oakland Roots' intentions to join NISA and will work closely with them through the application process.’”

NISA has been fairly tight-lipped aside from sparse social media posts. Some of the owners are more outgoing with other members of the media, but Protagonist Soccer has made attempts to connect with the league. If the league responds, we will communicate that to our readers.

Now we wait. What will happen next? Will we see any of the other dominos fall or if the NPSL Founders Cup can right the ship? Is it Soccer Wars all over again?

- Dan Vaughn

Player Profile: Felipe Oliveira

When examining the NPSL, there’s always a few teams that come up. Detroit City FC, the New York Cosmos, Miami FC, and Chattanooga FC. CFC is one that always seems to be on everyone’s radar. They’ve got a fantastic reach and reputation, they’ve got some of the league’s most passionate supporters, and they’ve consistently fielded a very good squad. Recently, they added a new member to this squad. Felipe Oliveira joined in 2017 and has spent the last two seasons with the club. He has also recently signed to CFC for their inaugural season as a professional club. I had the chance to talk to Felipe about his time with the game and what it’s been like since he arrived in Chattanooga. 

- Aarik Long

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When did you first start playing soccer?

I've been playing ever since I can remember learning how to walk. My dad said that since the first day he took me to my first soccer practice, I've always been crazy about the sport. It made me who I am today.

What other teams/clubs have you played for?

I've played for Florida Rush, where we won back to back regional and Disney Showcase championships as well as the national championship our U-18 year in 2012. I've also played for Pensacola City FC and Memphis City FC (both were in the same conference as CFC). 

What brought you to Chattanooga?

I came here for preseason my freshman year at West Florida playing for Bill Elliott and since then he's always talked about how great the city, fans and club were. It finally all worked out for me to come here for the 2017 season and here I am! 

Were you recruited by CFC or were you looking for an NPSL club?

I was recruited by CFC, I played for Bill at UWF all my 4 years.

What’s been your favorite part of playing for CFC?

My favorite part is definitely the connection with the Chattahooligans and the rest of the fans. It's like a family.

What are your top three moments ever on a soccer field and why?

1. It was definitely playing against Atlanta United, playing against Tata, Martinez, Almiron and the rest of the team in front of 12,000 fans against an MLS team was by far the best moment on a soccer field.

2. Second I would have to say winning the National Championship with Florida Rush, our team was extremely talented.

3. My third I would say was scoring my first goal at finley against Seattle, I've always wanted to score at finley to celebrate with the hooligans.

Who has been your biggest inspiration to play?

I would say my parents, I could tell they love watching me play as much as I love playing.

What does it mean to you to be one of the early signings for CFC as they move towards being a professional club?

I'm extremely grateful to CFC for believing in me and giving me this chance that at one point in my life I thought it was impossible. I hope I can repay their trust in me with goals and trophies! 

Rapid Fire Round

Favorite game day meal?

I like to eat rice and steak about 5-6 hours before game time and something light before I leave the house.

What’s your game day playlist like?

I like to listen to Post Malone on game days, but it all really depends on what good songs are out.

Favorite non-CFC club?

I’m a huge Barcelona fan!

Match that you’re most looking forward to?

I’m definitely looking forward to the Detroit game. They have an awesome fanbase as well and are very much like CFC so that shall be interesting.

Player you most model your game after?

I love watching Messi and I would say that’s who I play like.

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Player Profile graphic artwork provided by Cory Mizer, check out his gallery!

Organic and Raw: Oakland’s All Natural Sports Brand

“You get everything organic and you get everything raw, because that’s what the Roots is, its real, its reality. Now imagine a team that looks like that.”

— Devante Dubose, right back for the Oakland Roots Sports Club

Everyone in America knows Oakland, CA. The city’s rich and diverse culture has permeated multiple facets of American culture from sports and politics to hip-hop and car culture. But with the recent and future abandonments of the major sports franchises a big hole is left for the professional sports fan. Enter the Oakland Roots Sports club, whos phenomenal branding has given the team the potential to not only make a splash in the bay area, but across the globe. “We are really filling an important gap, with the other sports teams leaving,” said co-founder and director of brand development and marketing, Edreece Arghandiwal, he added “I think that there is an opportunity for us to really be the team in Oakland, along with the A’s and the other [soccer] clubs that exist. We can’t lose sight of the fact that you can't expect Oakland to love you because you are in Oakland. You have to be bigger than that and you have to get out in the city for it to really work.”

The club will kickoff in 2019 with the NPSL Founders Cup, but the Oakland pro soccer movement began years before that. “We were a bunch of guys that wanted to see pro soccer in oakland. That vision over the past two to three years turned into something that organically happened. Now we are here,” said Edreece. But where is here? For the Roots, here is six months out from kicking a ball, it is a brand that is getting national and global recognition and it is the ethos “Oakland first, always.”

Signature Slogans

“Federal reserve your cabbage, you don’t deserve to have it, curb your habit. A fictional farce and fairy tales, I know you very well, and rise to the top like Ariel.”

— Del the Funky Homosapien

Building a brand should be a long process. While designers may be able to throw out various designs that look aesthetically pleasing, if it doesn’t reflect the city or community, it’s just another brand. For the Oakland Roots Sports Club taking time to really think about what it means to be an Oaklander is what made the difference from creating a crest to developing a brand that could be embedded within Oakland culture. “We spent two and a half to three years interacting with the community, understanding perspectives, talking with stakeholders about what they see in a football club/ organization that just isn’t about soccer, but about impacting and giving back to the city we love the most,” said Edreece. The Roots organization wanted to ask the right questions and wait for the right answers. And Oakland answered.

“The Roots doesn’t really have a brand. The roots is just a culmination of ideas and things that are real Oakland. It’s not a facade, it’s not smoke and mirrors, this is us.”

— Edreece Arghandiwal

Once the concept of the Roots was developed it was time to put that information into effect and create the image of the brand. Being good friends with famous Nike graphic designer Matthew Wolff, Edreece pitched the idea of what would become the iconic crest of the Oakland Roots. “I think soccer branding has been really traditional in the past and we wanted to think outside the box and pay homage to the city of Oakland that has always thought outside the box and have always been movers and shakers in their own respect,” said Edreece, he added “[the brand] needed to reflect diversity, it needed to reflect color and it need to reflect what we felt was important, which is the grassroots, focusing on the community and building things from the ground up. That is the essence of what we built the brand upon.”

The crest launched in October, 2019 and went on to create a media frenzy. Fans were blown away by the design and it began to earn plaudits from the soccer community and national coverage from multiple media outlets. In the center lies the famous Jack London oak tree, which has been a symbol of Oakland for over a century and is featured on many prominent Oakland-based brands and the Oakland city flag. Embedded within the all black oak tree is the shape of Oakland city. All the roots of the oak tree kaskade to bottom of the crest, with a colorful mosaic, that not only pops off the surface, but embodies the cultural diversity within the city of Oakland.

It’s safe to say that the club became one of the most popular brands in grassroot soccer, before it even kicked a ball. Currently the club is in the midst of developing its culture, generating a fan base and finding ways to make a difference within its community.

Gettin’ it

“You should be gettin it, everything you want, everything you dreamed of, never have to front.”

— Too $hort

Now that the brand is out and the club is six months out of playing in the Founders Cup, it's time to develop the club and grow the brand that had such a successful launch. The common idea though, is that every step taken needs to build upon the ethos that the club set in place. When it comes to business partnerships, player signing and the continuous development of the brand it must be “Oakland first, always.”

The building process continued with the partnering of Oakland-based companies: Oaklandish, a creative clothing company that reflects civic pride, and Athletic Club Oakland, a sports bar designed for the passionate Oakland sports fan. “The biggest winning point was fact that these organizations already have an incredible presence in Oakland and they are true to the identity of the city,” commented Edreece about the initial partnerships. These business partners will be crucial to developing the professional soccer scene in Oakland, but soccer culture has been thriving in the bay area for many years. The city hosts multiple amateur and youth clubs and the Roots organization looks to be a support system for all of soccer in the community. Hopefully, allowing any Oakland-based player to one day play professionally in the city they grew up in.

The club finally took to announcing the first player signing for the professional team. Devante Dubose, a right back who was raised in Oakland, dreamed of one day becoming a professional athlete.“I didn't even start with soccer in Oakland. I was just trying to be a professional in everything,” said Devante. “At the age of seven my mom put me in soccer. It was the culture and the family I was around at the time. [Soccer] stayed with me, it chose me.” Devante went on to play for Virginia Tech and was eventually drafted by the San Jose Earthquakes in 2014. After that, Devante spent time with the San Jose U23s and eventually played for multiple USL PDL sides before signing a professional contract with Phoenix Rising FC.

On the field Devante will bring a plethora of experiences to the locker room. Those experiences range from life in Oakland to the various playing experiences he has had. “[My experience] gives me a chance to tell a story to those who don't have much of an understanding, because they haven't [played professionally] themselves . This allows me to have common ground with everyone who steps foot in the locker room,” said Devante. He added “my experience weighs heavy and I’ll be able to find the common ground with the team emotion and I hope that I can be one of the leaders day to day.” Devante isn’t just a new signing or the first signing, he is the embodiment of the dreams of all the Oakland youth, who hope to one day play professional soccer.

Oakland, Heavy in the Game

“Be true to this game and this game will be true to you.”

— Richie RIch

What makes the Oakland Roots Sports Club so different is its dedication to the community and the game of soccer. The organization believed in being something different than other soccer brands in the nation. Yes, other clubs have great crests created by great designers. And while the Roots organization made one of those partnerships with Matthew Wolff, it also took many steps in differentiating themselves from other soccer brands. Oakland is unlike any city, therefore the Roots must be unlike any other club.

The differentiation starts with the moniker, Sports Club. “ Part of the decision in going with sports club, versus soccer club or football club, was because we wanted everyone to feel involved,” said Edreece, he added “ we want the Oakland Roots Sports Club to be the brand for not only for the soccer team, but [a brand] for the community to identify with.” As we all know, soccer is not the most popular sport in America and with other dominant Oakland sports franchises such as: the A’s, Warriors and the Raiders, it would be smart to include the everyday sports fan as well as the passionate soccer fan and the ultras.

With the impending departure of the Warriors to San Francisco and the Raiders to Las Vegas, it's important for the Roots to make a stand in the city. “ Our differentiation point is the fact that we are Oakland first, always,” said Edreece about being different than the other clubs in the city. He added “that is our tagline, that  is our belief, that is our vision and everything extends from that. From the way we create ideas to the way we put players on the field, hire people and interact with the community.”

To become a global brand, the Oakland Roots Sports Club must also differentiate themselves from the other soccer clubs in the world. To start that path, the Roots organization did something remarkable with its announcement of Devante Dubose, raising that bar on how to announce player signings.  The Roots branding team took three hours, drove around the city and found spots to video Devante in. “ We didn't plan anything. We hoped in the car jumped out in certain areas,” said Edreece, about the process of shooting the video. He added “Devante was naturally and organically communicating with the people in the community, nothing was forced. It was a sense of us not pushing the brand and allowing Oakland to be the brand itself.” The video itself was out of this world: the intro music that blended into hip-hop, the visuals of the city, the people that represented the community and Devante. But the perfect finish was the drifting car, which was an element that was added completely on the fly. Devante called an old friend and on his lunch break he came out. “This was the last piece of Oakland culture, this is everything, this was how you tie it all together. Collectively we put together something beautiful,” said Devante.

Currently the Oakland Roots Sports Club has only taken a few steps in its path to glory. But with each step the organization makes a stride towards global recognition, and while the club desires that recognition, its main purpose is to be a vehicle for change in the community and to continue to give back to the city it loves most. To develop the brand and culture, this club planted its roots in Oakland, because it’s “Oakland first,always.”

“The connection part, the faith, the spirituality, the inclines and declines on the field, those are the values individually and collectively. When you talk about the Oakland Roots: you talk about the connection between the community and the people. This is why we can do one thing and get a great response.The Oakland Roots is going to be one of those organizations that is a dynasty for years and for decades”

— Devante Dubose

- Steven Ramirez

The Professional Underdog

For fans of the National Premier Soccer League, nothing is sweeter than the Founders Cup and the launch of the professional division. We wait for every detail to hit our twitter feed and while there hasn’t been much information put out to us fans, we lurk around the eleven clubs who will be making the jump: ASC San Diego, Cal FC, California United Strikers FC, Chattanooga FC, Detroit City FC, FC Arizona, Miami FC, Miami United FC, New York Cosmos, Oakland Roots and Milwaukee Torrent.

Many of these clubs share characteristics that the soccer world would deem pro-worthy: promising academies, large investors and/or a history of strong competition. There is one club that stands out among the rest. One club who has no academy, no large investor and is only entering in its third year of competition: Milwaukee Torrent.

“I’m a little bit different than other owners.  It would be great to [invest] like some of the other owners, but I can’t. We will be the underdog in the east region, so we have to do everything possible to be successful.”

— Andy Davi

Andy Davi created the Torrent back in 2015, after spending multiple years working with the Milwaukee Bavarian Soccer Club. The Torrent started in the NPSL in 2016 and won all six matches in its inaugural competition. Since joining the Great Lakes Conference in 2017, the club has only managed to win six games in two seasons. While this club hasn’t hit its stride on the field, it has an ambition to change the way grassroots soccer is looked at in its community. Andy knows that his job is tough and that he may not have the full support of his community, but he said “as long as we have one person in the stands, it's worth what we are doing. And as long as I have one kid asking me to teach them soccer we are going to continue to do what we do.”

Unique Leadership

Andy moved from Germany to the states nine years ago. He has over forty years of soccer experience thats starts with his time playing in the Bayer Leverkusen youth academy, to coaching youth clubs in Milwaukee and even coaching with the Milwaukee Bavarian Soccer Club. And while his resume should speak for itself he is still met with resistance. “ People tell me that I think I know everything because I’m from Germany, but I've been connected to this sport since i was three years old. From a player, to a coach and to a manager,” said Andy.

It is perplexing that we all partake in a soccer community that demands to have a system like those abroad, but when someone steps in to make those changes in their own community they are met with hesitation. Yes, Andy’s net worth may not rival other owners, especially the ones within the Founders Cup, but his ambition and dedication to creating a powerhouse soccer community is unlike any other. “I am one of the professional teams that doesn’t have a big check book. Every cent that we need, I have to go out and raise,” said Andy and even without that checkbook he has paid his players, offered workers comp insurance, launched a women’s team and offers free training camps to local youth organizations like the YMCA.

A new leader has joined the Torrent ranks, ahead of the 2019 Founders Cup season. Carlos “Cacho” Cordoba was named the new head coach of the NPSL side. Cacho makes his marks as one of the most experienced coaches within grassroots soccer. He played his entire career with Boca Juniors. During that time the club won three league titles, an Intercontinental Cup and two Copa Libertadores. He even spent time playing with legendary players like Diego Maradona. Cacho has a bit of U.S. soccer coaching experience as well. He was the assistant coach for the Dallas Burn in 1996-97 where he coached players like Jason Kries and Hugo Sanchez. Then in 1998 he coached the Miami Fusion who had great players like Pablo Mastroeni and Carlos Valderrama. Like Andy says “Cacho is the jackpot.”

“We have signed fifteen players. There will be players coming from out of the country who have played at a high level and players who have played previously for the Torrent. We are excited to build this roster over the next few months.”

The Mighty Dollar

Launching a soccer club always takes money. As the club elevates in quality so does its operating costs. For any club it’s important to take advantage of all the various revenue streams possible and with the increasing costs of the Founders cup and the NPSL professional division, the Torrent will be looking to to do just that.

The Milwaukee sports market is dominated by MLB, NBA and NFL. And while sponsors may want to cling to the most popular sports, those deals could cost a company hundreds of thousands of dollars. Enter in the Milwaukee Torrent. “There was never anything on a lower level that was professional,” said Andy about gaining sponsors. Andy understands that going professional will help gain more sponsorship opportunities, he said “this is for visibility. When you play against the New York Cosmos and Chattanooga FC, you play against the powerhouses in US soccer. What more do you want?”

Having your product shown nationally, whether it’s on TV or streamed can increase the exposure of a team dramatically, making the professional division of the NPSL more appealing for smaller companies, and those are the partners that Andy hopes to continue to attract. The club currently has 19 sponsors, but the clubs expenses are about to skyrocket. “ My [expenses] from the NPSL to the Founders Cup have quadrupled and in the pro division it will be seven times higher,” said Andy. “You have a ton of teams that play regionally just to keep the cost down, but that's not what I want anymore. I want to go out and play the Cosmos, Chattanooga, FC Arizona, Cal United and Miami FC. But you have to work for it.”

Of course we all understand that going pro was going to bring in more costs on to each participating club, but it also brings on new revenue streams. Andy opened up about a few for the Torrent,  “you get new sponsors, you get more season tickets. For the first time, we are in charge of the gate and the concession sales, which was not the case in the last two years. We can get $5,000 to $15,000 a game and when you have 15 home games that is going to help.” The math adds up as well. The NPSL side averaged 1,130 fans per match last season and WPSL side averaged 641. With almost six months until the Torrent kickoff in the Founders Cup, they have already sold around 300 season tickets.

Going pro will increase the spotlight on this club, most likely seeing the average attendance of both teams rise. Fans will be able to watch their squad during away trips, through streaming platforms such as YouTube and Mycujoo. The streamed product will help keep fans educated on their favorite club and through that process they will become more passionate. The more passionate the fan the more willing they will be to purchase merchandise. It’s all of these different revenue streams that help a club like Milwaukee Torrent thrive and by proving this concept, Andy and the Torrent can be an example to future clubs who may be in a similar situation.

Disconnected From the Youth

“It doesn’t matter if it’s the first, second, third, or fourth tier of U.S. Soccer. Just make it accessible to the kids, so they get excited about soccer. If they get excited about it they will want to play more soccer. Sometimes I get the feeling that [youth clubs] don’t want the $10 to go to the Milwaukee Torrent, because they think they need to find a way to get those dollars into their club.”

— Andy Davi

The ideal situation for a soccer community is to have each kid participate at a youth club and make their way to the top professional or amateur club in the community. Some organizations achieve this by running their own youth organizations. In the Founders Cup, organizations like ASC San Diego own and operate multiple academies, some of which are in the U.S. Developmental Academy. Other teams like Detroit City FC have youth affiliations with prestigious academies in the community. But a connection to a youth club doesn’t always come easy.

Speaking with other club owners, relationships between amatuer/ professional sides and youth organizations are often strained. The amatuer/ professional side want to incorporate that youth market, but the youth sides are unwilling to support the club. This leads to organizations competing for market share. Established academies create their own clubs and established clubs create their own academies. It’s a ruthless cycle that could be a detriment to growing soccer in a small community. Currently there aren’t any connections between the Torrent and local youth organizations, but that doesn’t stop the club from doing things for the children. “I go every day to host [sessions] at the boys and girls club of Milwaukee. We are even doing this for seven Milwaukee public schools,” said Andy, about his contribution to the development of youth soccer. “We’ve served over 3,300 kids in the community this year. That’s 3,300 individual kids that we taught soccer.”

“We are going to move forward. We aren’t looking left or right. We are just doing our thing.”

— Andy Davi

One powerful connection that the Torrent have made is its partnership with the Bayer Leverkusen youth system. The same system that made Andy the player he was and the coach he is today. “For 8 years now, I have taken a group of American soccer players to Bayer Leverkusen. We watch Bundesliga games and they go into practice with the youth academy.  So far I have taken over 200 American players to do this. We are finalizing the next trip and we have a group over 33 so far,” said Andy about his relationship with the Bundesliga youth system. “This is another thing that we offer and the other clubs don't jump on it,” he added. This lack of outside participation is an example of the meaningless rivalry held between organizations.

“First of all we are open to everybody and we know so many people that are committed too. We have approached multiple clubs to meet and resolve these issues. Four clubs have agreed, while others just don’t answer,” commented Andy when asked about organizing the soccer community. This disconnect from youth academies should be the most troubling for any grassroot club. With no support from the youth in the city, you lack the ability to create generational fans. You lose sight of the dream that every kid playing the sport should have, the ability to play for their local club in front of their friends, family and the community that helped raise them.

Hopefully going pro gives the Torrent organization an ability to step out and correct the issues within its soccer community. Hopefully going pro helps show the U.S. soccer landscape that developing a club with a community ethos can be financially profitable. Hopefully this local club can produce talented players, earn results and win championships. Either way this professional organization will be the underdog, but it’s a role the Torrent are willing to embrace.

- Steven Ramirez

Player Profile: Will Kidd

When we look for success stories in the NPSL, the story of MPLS City is an eye-catching one. Through great marketing, backed up by solid play on the field, the team has grown into a fan favorite and a respected foe. One of the key players for their run of form is Will Kidd, a forward whose production has increased every season playing with the Crows. Last season, Kidd finished the NPSL season with 5 goals and 6 assists and was one of the catalysts that drove MPLS City to an undefeated regular season. After a quick exit in the playoffs, he and other returning players will be key in raising the bar this season with a deep run in the playoffs. We sat down with Will to discuss his progress, the Founders Cup, and what kind of cookie he likes.

You're about to embark on your third season with MPLS City, what's the best part about playing for the club?

I’m actually going into my 4th year with MPLS City but they best part about the club is the people. The staff truly cares about the players which makes you feel right at home. The players make every training session fun and challenging. The fans don’t get any better and make every game exciting. All of these people are the reasons why MPLS city is the best place to play the game we love. 

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You also play college soccer, what school did you play for and what's the biggest difference (or differences) between club and college?

I just played my last season at the University of St. Thomas. The biggest difference between club and college is the physicality of college soccer. A lot of teams in college soccer like to play really direct and rely a lot on being bigger, faster, and stronger than the opponent to win games. Teams in the NPSL like to try to move the ball more and break down teams instead of dumping it over the back line and running onto it. 

You've increased your goals and assists year over year, what are you working on in your skill set to continue that trend?

I think I can credit my increase in goals and assists to two things. The first reason is just simply experience. Over the years you just learn what to do in certain situations in games through trial and error and I think that’s helped me a lot. The second reason is more on the mental and emotional side. Last year I found myself being more emotionally invested in each game whereas in past years I’ve just relied on my physical skills to get me through the game. Being one of the "veterans" on the team I made a point last year to try to be more vocal on the field which lead to more energy and emotion. Having each game mean something to you emotionally gives you that spark of energy that will allow to make that last run or that last tackle. 

As a veteran member of MPLS City, you've played against your fellow conference clubs, which match is circled on your calendar and why?

I think we don’t really try to make any game more important than others because all the games are important if you’re trying to raise the trophy at the end of the season. But at the same time there’s always outside hype around intercity rivals and teams that are at the top of the table. 

MPLS City is known for smart branding. What sets the club apart from others?

There’s no question that MPLS City’s social media presence is elite and is one thing that sets MPLS City apart from other clubs. Another thing that I think sets MPLS city apart from other clubs is that they are very professional with planning. Although I haven’t been to other clubs in the NPSL I think MPLS City does a good job with planning ahead whether it’s transportation, food, or hotel bookings which lets the players really only need to focus on the game. 

What are your long-term goals in the sport?

My long-term goals for soccer are to keep playing at the highest level I can for as long as I can. 

How's the club shaping up for this season?
With a lot of returners coming back to play again next year I think the team will be very strong again. 

A lot of focus is on the clubs entering the Founders Cup this Fall, as a NPSL player - are you excited about the expansion of the NPSL? Would you like to see your own club make that jump as some point?

For other teams the Founders Cup may be an exciting thing but not for this team. MPLS City is more focused on helping local players attain high level soccer in their backyard and for the fans to have a high level of connection to local guys. Joining the Founders Cup would be a large investment when we could find that high level of talent without going down that road. On top of that it would limit the development of MPLS City’s younger players because making that jump would be forfeiting NCAA eligibility. 

What should we expect from you this season?

You can expect me to give it my all every game. 

Chewy or Original Chips Ahoy?

Obviously original chips ahoy. 

What music have you been listening to lately?

 Any Chance the Rapper song. 

Massive thanks to Will Kidd and the MPLS organization for facilitating this interview.

Player Profile graphic artwork provided by Cory Mizer. For more of his artwork, check out his gallery on our site.

Professional Games, Professional Management – Detroit and Milwaukee Hire Historied Coaches Ahead of Founders Cup

With the NPSL’s Founders Cup taking place later this year and representing the bridge for several clubs from an amateur or semi-professional status to a truly professional one, a major question for clubs was how they would, or wouldn’t pursue professional level coaching. For some clubs, especially the former-NASL clubs, the path seemed somewhat clear as they already had coaches with that history, but for others the fog is only beginning to clear.

We can begin to find our answers in the recent hiring of two new head coaches for two of the Founders Cup’s clubs, the Milwaukee Torrent and Detroit City FC, both of which play in the NPSL Midwest Great Lakes conference.

Detroit City FC

Detroit City called Ben Pirmann coach for six seasons, seasons that saw the club win conference and regional titles, play clubs from across the planet, and become one of the NPSL’s biggest names. While Pirmann’s legacy at the amateur level is about robust as it comes, he will not be leading the club into the professional realm after leaving to become an assistant coach for Memphis 901 FC, a new USL Championship franchise set to play in 2019.

With a key leadership position open for business, City announced Trevor James as its new head coach on January 4th. On top of a playing career, James has an extensive list of credentials in various staff and freelance positions, working with the legendary Sir Bobby Robson as a scout for towards a decade before becoming an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. He would hold that position, along with other duties with the Galaxy, for four years before moving to the Portland Timbers where he was assistant head coach from 2010 to 2012. James also worked as Director of Scouting and Assistant Technical Director for the Chicago Fire and coached with the Indy Eleven in 2017. From scouting for Barcelona, Newcastle, and Porto, to coaching top clubs in the professional tiers of the United States, to say Trevor James is an experienced individual would be an immense understatement.

The question will be if James can lead Detroit City to a big result in the 2019 NPSL Great Lakes season and the Founders Cup. City finished in fourth last season, low for their historical standards, and will surely hope to return to the top of their conference. At the same time, the club faces a cup campaign that will pit them against two former NASL titans, the Cosmos and Miami FC, along with other top NPSL clubs like Miami United and Chattanooga FC. Doing well in the tournament would provide Detroit with a brilliant start to the next stage in their history.

2018 was Detroit’s year in many ways, but a successful upgrade with James could leave Detroit the undisputed champions of 2019.

Milwaukee Torrent

The Milwaukee Torrent also added their already-professional organization with the hiring of Carlos Cordoba as Head Coach for the 2019 season, which will see them play in the Founders Cup but not the NPSL Great Lakes conference. Cordoba has a strong record on and off the ball, spending nine years as a left back for Boca Juniors before making the move to management. Cordoba first managed as an assistant coach for the Dallas Burn (now known as FC Dallas) before spending a year as manager of the Miami Fusion, a now-past MLS franchise. The Fusion finished fourth in the East and made it to the conference semi-finals and Open Cup quarterfinals during Cordoba’s tenure. Cordoba would begin a career in Wisconsin while managing the Milwaukee Rampage, a former pro-club that played in the A-League from 1993 to 2002. Cordoba has also served as Technical Director for Strike F.C., a position he will continue to hold. Between the Rampage and Strike F.C., Cordoba’s career has included time with the Colorado Storm, Dallas Texans, UW Whitewater, the San Diego Hornets, and clubs like Chivas and Tecos FC.

Needless to say, the Torrent have recruited an immensely experienced man to lead their new endeavor into the experiment that is the NPLS’s Founders Cup. The club’s time in the NPSL has been a challenging stint, including their second-to-last Great Lakes conference finishes in 2017 and 2018. With no regular season to worry about in 2019, Cordoba has been presented a chance to lead the Torrent to a level of success the club has yet to achieve.

In Conclusion

Both Milwaukee and Detroit have made serious and professional signings when it comes to who will be guiding their squads from the side line. Both James and Cordoba have made things work at the professional level and will have an eye for what makes a player special, both from playing in historic sides like Maradona’s Boca like Cordoba and through scouting for the great clubs of the world like James.

The Founders Cup is a tournament surrounded in mystery, even by those entrenched in following the NPSL both in the past and present, but the slow coming together of a set of professional leaders for its clubs allows us to begin to form expectations for the cup’s nature and execution. Many questions remain. How will both clubs’ rosters reflect this new level of professionalism? How will Detroit manage its regular season while preparing for the Founders Cup? Milwaukee and Detroit have begun to show us the near-future of the NPSL. It surely, however, is just the tip of the iceberg.

- Dominic Bisogno