USL PRO Feature
Friday, June 6, 2014
As soccer has grown across North America, and with it supporter culture, it has become more and more likely that a city that is awarded a new USL PRO franchise will have a supporter’s group already in place. Expansion franchises in USL PRO that are set to start play in 2015 in cities such as St. Louis (St. Louiligans) and Louisville (The Coopers) have followed the lead set by the Philadelphia Union’s Sons of Ben, who played an important role in the club being awarded an MLS franchise in 2010.
That was also the case in Phoenix, where La Furia Roja 1881 existed before a USL PRO franchise arrived in the city last year. An offshoot of the American Outlaws chapter in the city, LFR was open to all who wanted to join, whether a supporter of the U.S. National Teams or not, and when Phoenix FC came to be the group was there to welcome it.
That unwavering support throughout the Wolves’ 2013 season was the principle reason that when Kyle Eng and his group entered the picture, one of the first moves they made was to reach out to the group’s leadership.
“Greg Spradlin from LFR met with Kyle Eng and the new ownership early on before the official announcement was made,” said LFR Director Kevin Laughlin. “Kyle understood from the get-go that LFR was vitally important to his new venture, Arizona United SC. Kyle has several members of his group/staff who have extensive soccer backgrounds, so he has surrounded himself with knowledgeable, connected folks.
“It felt good knowing that the new owner knew of LFR, and valued our group from the get-go. A lot of teams manufacture a supporter group, but he had a rabid, independent one, that simply wanted a stable team to passionately support; he went all in with us right away.”
Eng pre-gamed with LFR before Arizona United’s first game of the season, and the group has made its presence felt at the Peoria Sports Complex throughout the season. One of the more memorable moments in the current USL PRO season was that of Jonathan Top diving into the LFR section after his late goal gave United a lead against Sacramento, and the goal that proved to be the winner in the club’s first victory provided a moment that Laughlin will never forget.
“That was such an amazing game and our first win, so emotions were very high,” Laughlin said. “It was nice to see the passion coming from Jonathan and the other players and to have him celebrate with LFR was a memory that we all cherish. We are here for the players, and being recognized for our support in such a way was very special.”
LFR is also there for all of its members. Laughlin, Spradlin and the other members of the group’s leadership have great pride in the diversity of backgrounds and cultures that are present in the group’s section, and are eager to embrace more fans as they make their first visit to see United play.
A game that could produce that type of opportunity arrives on June 18 as United will host the LA Galaxy in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Getting a chance to bring in the biggest name in Major League Soccer is likely to attract more casual fans, and that means the chance will be there for LFR to add to its number.
“Hosting the Galaxy is a huge deal,” Laughlin said. “The fact that it is a meaningful match makes it all the more exciting. We may have expected a friendly against a side of this caliber at some point, but hosting an Open Cup match against LA is blowing our minds.
“This will be great for United in terms of publicity and buzz, but great for Valley soccer fans in general. I really hope that the community comes out in droves to get behind our new team. We will be behind our team, without question. Even those of us that cheer for the Galaxy in MLS will enjoy cheering on our boys in red. No split allegiances here!”
As Laughlin and LFR continue to spread the word, both personally and through a highly active social media presence, the club and the group seem set to continue to grow. With a hand-in-hand relationship between a strong ownership group and outstanding supporter’s group, the future for local soccer in Phoenix appears brighter than ever.
“I hope and believe that the future is bright for Arizona United and LFR,” said Laughlin. “My hope is that both continue to grow and succeed. We want a club to support, plain and simple. Some people talk about MLS this, MLS that, but USL [PRO] is fine by me. I want United to become the best team and organization in USL PRO. If Kyle Eng and his team can provide a stable club for us to support, then we will be here having fun and bringing the noise. Arizona has seen professional soccer come and go over the years, and I hope that this is the team that will lay down roots, grow, and flourish.”