Sometimes, things happen to fall into place by chance, in unexpected ways. Ways that forces us to rethink our loyalties and commitments. Ways that make us think about who we are and our role in our society. Sometimes, it’s just a game of chance that shakes up the world.

The Ties that Bind

The Ft. Worth Vaqueros have always utilized a unique approach to selecting their kit sponsor, according to club owner Michael Hitchcock. “The fans named the team, designed and selected the logo, select our jersey every year and we carry that philosophy to our sponsorship strategy. Since 2014, every Vaqueros sponsor is entered into a Jersey Sponsorship Lottery where regardless of the size of the company, they have a chance to win our coveted jersey sponsorship for FREE. So instead of selling it to the highest bidder, we let the Soccer Gods decide who will be our sponsor for that year. Last night, we hosted our 7th Annual Jersey Sponsorship Lottery albeit first Virtual Jersey Sponsorship Lottery and Fort Worth Police Officers Association was selected as our 2020 Jersey Sponsor.”

The Fort Worth Police Officers Association has had a long standing relationship with the club, going back to day one. And over the years, the FWPOA has expanded their involvement with the club. 2 years ago, the Vaqueros launched a free Youth Academy for those kids who couldn’t afford to participate in youth leagues that were pay to play. The FWPOA stepped up to be a sponsor. And that wasn’t the end of their connection with the club, according to Hitchcock, “over the last 6 years, FWPOA has brought hundreds of Fort Worth kids and their families out to Vaqueros home games and even sponsored our Kids Zone on game days. We host an annual Guns & Hoses (Police vs Fire) soccer match as part of a Doubleheader with a Vaqueros game.”

But, of course, we live in complicated times. After the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN, massive protests have sprung up across the country. Those protests have outspoken in their opinions of the police, police brutality, and the relationship between citizens of color and the police. Unlike past moments of unrest, protests have continued over two weeks, with the hope to spark real change to a system that is failing people of color.

And Ft. Worth has some recent history in this conversation, with the police murder of Atatiana Jefferson last year. The 28-year old woman was shot to death by police officer Aaron Dean, who shot her without announcing himself. Unlike many other similar events, the officer was indicted for murder. It was no surprise when the current wave of protest began, Ft. Worth saw its share of rallies and marches. The area was ready to speak out about the issues they had witnessed in their own community.

When Supporters Speak

That’s why, when the news broke that Ft. Worth Vaqueros would be wearing the logo of FWPOA on this season’s kits, Nick Rainone decided it was time to resign. When I spoke with Nick, he made sure to emphasize that this was HIS opinion and decision, not the rest of the SG he has led for 4 years. “I want to state unequivocally that I am stepping down because, while I do speak on behalf of many of us, I don't speak on behalf of everyone and I won't put anything on the entire group that we haven't come to a full consensus on. I have been a supporter from year 1...I have been the President [Panther City Hellfire] for the last 4 years.” Panther City Hellfire is the independent supporter group of Ft. Worth Vaqueros.

“While Fort Worth Police Officers Association has been a sponsor from year one, it's always been an uneasy relationship for many of us as we are a pretty diverse SG and issues of police overreach have been a genuine day to day issue for many of our supporters and their families. On top of that the department already has a rocky recent history such as a violent and unnecessary raid on one of the city's main LGBTQ+ clubs, Rainbow Lounge, to the nationally broadcast beating of a black teenage girl at a swimming pool [this actually happened in McKenney, Texas. Thanks to Anthony White for bringing this to our attention]. And then Atatiana Jefferson happened. For me that alone should have disqualified the FWPOA from sponsorship eligibility despite their long relationship with the club. And in the current climate of justified peaceful protests, while FWPD has certainly not sunk to the levels of other PDs around the nation, they did gas a peaceful protest last week because someone threw one half-empty bottle of water their way.”

Nick went further in his criticism of the move. “To me this partnership sends a horrible message to our communities of color and for those who have stood up to demand real reform in policing and for those who do wrong to be ACTUALLY held accountable. So when they not only were allowed to participate in our jersey sponsorship lottery but actually won, it felt like a slap in the face to all of us who said this club was different and was community first.”

Rainone is quick to point out his own propensity to speak loudly about his beliefs and that he cannot and will not speak for the entire membership of Panther City Hellfire. “It's safe to say I am typically the most vehement in my convictions but many others have expressed similar concerns. Somewhat ties severed, some want to participate and protest, some want to support the club as is and ignore it, and a small handful are ok with it.” Much like the rest of the country, opinions are all over the board, particularly in a metro area in a southern state.

A Clash of Perspectives

From Hitchcock’s perspective, not including the FWPOA in the drawing was not an option. “Our Management team discussed the Virtual Jersey Sponsorship Lottery and the possibility that FWPOA could win the jersey sponsorship for 2020. We are a club of inclusion and see this as an opportunity for the Vaqueros to take a leadership role in bringing the community together, on and off the field. We're all in this together and I believe FWPOA was selected for a reason by the Soccer Gods. We plan to introduce plans where the Vaqueros, our games and our community initiatives will help bring people together. Lots of work to be done but we plan to take a leadership role to help our community.”

That is in direct contradiction to Rainone’s view of what the correct response should have been. “I believe the club should have recognized the current national discussion and recognized that a jersey sponsorship was tone deaf at best. Our fans, front office, and sponsors have always enjoyed great engagement and mutual respect and a dialogue could have been opened to discuss this, a forum where more voices could have been heard and concerns raised with more time to discuss them. If I am being very personal in my take, speaking for myself specifically, I think the club should have recognized particularly the hurt and pain that the murder of Atatiana Jefferson has caused and understood that a serious, major nationally watched case such as that, which has still not even seen the beginnings of it's day in court due to COVID-19, was enough to take a step back from such a public partnership.”

But Vaqueros leadership wasn’t willing to make that decision, even though they are aware that many of their supporters are involved in protesting police violence. For what it’s worth, Hitchcock argues his club is pro BLM and protest. “We support BLM and the current protests. A lot of Vaqueros supporters have attended Fort Worth protests. We respect everyone's opinion and understand that we're at a critical moment for positive change in this country and would like to play a critical role in making this happen. The Vaqueros and Soccer have a unique platform and opportunity to help make our community an even better place to live, work and play.”

The Path Forward

That being said, the club will follow through with it’s kit sponsorship deal because Hitchcock sees the potential for positive change. “We see this as an opportunity to play a key role in meaningful change in our community. Vaqueros can be a catalyst to bring the Police community with the soccer community together. Help advance the conversation and create programs that will help the great city of Fort Worth. Stay tuned for more information on plans for the Vaqueros to do our part to help our community.”

One thought that bugged me was: what does the NPSL have to add to this discussion? Gary Moody, director of media relations for the NPSL, responded that, except for extreme cases, the league doesn’t get involved in sponsorship relationships. “For the most part, the league doesn’t have input on kit sponsorship. Probably 10-12 years ago, a team put a political candidate on their jersey, like as a political ad, and that wasn’t allowed by US Soccer. Obviously, the NPSL would intervene if it was something like a pornographic website or involved drug use or something inappropriate like that.”

Throughout the interview Hitchcock spoke highly of the supporter’s group and specifically Nick Rainone. “I love Nick like a brother and that will never change. He's a passionate community leader on so many levels. I respect his opinion and decision. Look forward to sitting down with Nick in the future and talking about all of this. Hopefully, we'll see Nick at future Vaqueros games but we’ll respect his decisions.” That approach may soften the current standoff between the SG president and the organization, who stressed that he was more disappointed than anything else.

And that’s where the issue stands now - a triangle of opinions and views that all contradict each other, splintering loyalties, love, and commitment. For Rainone and the members of Panther City Hellfire who might be opposed to this decision, there’s little recourse - the team is set on it and the league is being hands-off. For the club, they’ve benefited from their relationship with FWPOA for years, see them as partners, and won’t turn their back on the organization now. FWPOA, who was not contacted for this article, are the barrier between a club and it’s SG president. They’ve supported and backed the club’s efforts in the communities for 6 years now, for the club, that’s earned them loyalty. It’s a muddy situation that will no doubt grow muddier as the situation gains more traction in social media.

Maybe that’s the perfect way to wrap this article, in the mud, with divided loyalties, conflicting perspectives, and a host of voices screaming opinions. What is right is hard to see. Finding the curb is almost impossible in the smoke. Our eyes are stinging with tears, both from gas and the injustice that stains every city in this country. Everything is confusion, everything is chaos, and how we make progress is invisible.

- Dan Vaughn