Spotlight: Inter Philadelphia
There’s a new kid on the block in soccer social media and he’s making enough noise that we had to see what was going on in Philadelphia. Protagonist reached out to designer and founder of Inter Philadelphia, Phil Buckley, to get the inside scoop on what’s going on in the city of brotherly love and what’s inspired him to kick start this new team.
There seems to be an explosion of new soccer teams - what prompted you to found this club and what is the mission of the organization?
I became a soccer fan in college living with a few different EPL fans, fell in love with Arsenal, Spent hours in FIFA Career Mode and Football Manager. Then, probably like most, I came across what Dennis Crowley has done with the Kingston Sprint. Reading all the medium posts really made it sound like something I could do now. Also around this time, I came across this image on Reddit of the MLS teams transposed on top of a map of Europe to show the travel time. It really put into perspective the burgeoning potential for soccer all over the country. I have also been a follower of nonleague football overseas from my time with Football Manager and learning about teams and also seeing teams on YouTube like Hashtag United really show a modern way to start a team and get a community involved right away. So I started connecting dots and really thought how many teams are in the city of London alone and how many there really should be in my city, a sports town, Philadelphia. There are a handful of awesome teams in my area like Philly Lonestar, Bear Fight FC in Delaware, and the Union obviously, I felt like there should be a team that represents this city and plays within the city limits, is affordable for everyone, something that could fit with the big 4 city teams and reflect modern Philly fan culture.Philly loves their sports, we are very critical but also very passionate. We latch on to players that really put everything on the line or teams that beat the odds and prove everyone wrong. This passion results in a fanbase that’s very well educated in the sport and tuned into the goings-on of our teams. We are fans who grew up suffering painful loses but have seen a few lucky enough to see a few parades. We have Trusted the Process and we wore dog masks during a miracle playoff run with a backup QB.Soccer deserves to have these moments in Philly too and that’s what I want this team to be, I strongly believe that there is an audience for soccer at this level and with the rest of the world literally burning around us, I figured “Why not now?”I also think too many people still think Philadelphia we are the big scary jerks that throw batteries. Philadelphia is a vibrant city filled with amazing people and more people need to see it that way. A guiding principle for the team is “Passion Through Inclusivity” making it the main priority for us. Ensuring it reflects the ever-growing diversity of this city and takes the sentiments of “brotherly love” to heart. Everyone is welcome to play for and support InterPHL FC.
Its official, Inter Philadelphia FC, Inc. is on the books and a registered business.
Lower league teams are spoiled for choice in which leagues to join - so where will you be setting up? What teams are you most looking forward to playing?
So, we are still in the early days but I am hoping to get us ready to apply to the NPSL next year. There are also some local options to start getting a team playing together.
The beginning of a new season can be very exciting, but by the end of the first season, what will success look like?
I want to come back when we are about to play to answer this one!
Some clubs have supporters, some clubs are dependent upon youth programs to help finance the first team; what is your model and how is running a club at your level sustainable?
I spent the past year or so tackling this idea head one and figuring out potential ways to get this ball rolling. I am trying to take the idea of “startup soccer” to the test and really bootstrap this thing. I want to do my best to keep costs low and try to grow organically. Youth Team is definitely something I want to explore in the future. Coming from the tech world as a Digital Product Designer by trade, I wanted to leverage the spaces I knew. I have watched friends use crowdfunding, of all scales and methods, to fund their projects and ideas. So, in early 2020 we will be looking for some sponsors as well as launching a 2-month campaign on Indiegogo in attempts to potentially raise as much as 100k. Backer Rewards ranging from Backer/Member Only Video Content and some insight on the process I am going through to Fan Packages and Obviously dope merch. I have post-campaign plans as well after to build out a Supporters Club Membership to create more value in terms of access things like BTS updates and insight into the club’s progression.
Inter Philly is really working to connect to the heartbeat of the city through slick design and meaningful imagery.
Designing a new team is really fun! How involved were you with the badge, name, and maybe kit designs? What merch or swag are you most looking forward to releasing?
Being a Designer for a living, this naturally was the first thing I decided to work on. The branding and the overall spirit of the team were inspired by one of the most memorable moments in Philly sports history, Allen Iverson’s Stepping over Tyronn Lue after draining a 3 in his face in the 2004 NBA Playoffs. It was such a powerful moment, and it was a moment that encapsulated what this city likes about their players. Players like Allen Iverson not only made you regret thinking you could beat him, but he would do it with all the flair in the world.This inspired me to go with the beloved mid-2000s era Sixers Black / Gold and find a way to incorporate a classic styled “P” that would look like it fit with the rest of the big 4 sports teams in the city.I have VERY COOL ideas that I want to collaborate with Robby and Icarus for our kits and have a few items of merch that I will be trying to backer goals.
It's a lot of work just getting one squad up and running, but has there been any thought to a women's side?
I would love to be at a place where we would have both a men and women’s side and that is definitely something I want to happen for this club.
Club-related Links:
Newsletter sign up - InterPHLFC.com