GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — Green Bay; a city known for its football culture, could soon be welcoming a new sports team.
The United Soccer League and the City of Green Bay on Friday announced their intent to explore bringing men’s and women’s professional soccer to the city.
Joe Phillips is co-owner of Casuals Soccer Pub in Green Bay. He says Green Bay is a relatively small town compared to other soccer markets, but we still bring the enthusiasm, loyalty, and sportsmanship of larger markets.
“We have to show that we’re a soccer town and what have the stadium capacity and the ability to bring in fans weekend and we got which based on what I’ve seen in the year and a half we’ve been open at the soccer club. I think we have here in Green Bay,” said Phillips.
Founded in 1986, the United Soccer League brands itself as the largest and fastest growing pre-professional and professional soccer organization in the country.
So could soccer ever compare to football in Green Bay?
“Well, not in Green Bay,” Phillips said with a laugh. “Green Bay is a little bit of a unicorn with how small we are as a city and how big the Packers are. So I don’t see us ever eclipsing that, but certainly we could be as big as… say like the Timber Rattlers or maybe even some of the college teams.”
This initial phase of planning will consider funding models and identifying a suitable location for a stadium. Wherever that may be, Phillips is eager to get in on the action.
“The first thing in my brain was, ‘How do we create the supporters group, get that culture going, the marketing around it? And then for away games; meet at the pub to watch,’” he said. “And then of course sponsoring, tailgate events and watch parties and that sort of thing.”
There are a few different tiers within the United Soccer League; right now it’s a little early in the game to know where Green Bay will land.
“The USL Championship is the highest level of USL. They’re typically larger cities. And then USL League 1, they play in smaller markets and there are more teams in USL 1. I think it makes the most sense for us to be USL League 1,” said Phillips.
The proposed stadium would have a minimum seating capacity of 5,000 with the ability for future expansion and could be integrated into a larger entertainment district with potential for housing, retail, restaurants, office space, hotel and entertainment facilities.
Green Bay’s Redevelopment Authority will review the ‘exclusive letter of intent” on Tuesday; which would allow the two sides to explore the possibility of a stadium for up to one year.
It could go to the City Council Nov. 11.
