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USL at SoccerEx USA – Establishing A Unique Soccer Identity

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At the recent SoccerEx USA convention in Miami, USL President Jake Edwards was invited to take part in a panel discussion that dug into how clubs and leagues cultivate their brand culture, and how this transcends into different regions, growing the supporter base and making organizations an appealing investment for sponsorship.

Edwards was joined on the panel by Atlanta United FC President Darren Eales, Los Angeles FC Executive Vice President of Brand & Community Rich Orosco, LaLiga North America CEO Boris Gartner, and moderator Marco Liceaga, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Business Development for TUDN.

In Fast-Moving Digital World, WSC Gives USL Video Edge

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TAMPA, Fla. – It’s the 32nd minute of El Paso Locomotive FC’s contest with Tacoma Defiance, one of 11 games being played in the USL Championship on Saturday, August 17, and something remarkable is about to happen.

A cross by Locomotive FC midfielder Yuma from the right flank floats to the left side of the penalty area, and teammate Edson Partida meets it with a perfect bicycle kick into the opposite corner of the net, bringing the passionate crowd at Southwest University Park to its feet.

Less than 10 minutes later, Partida’s magical moment is being transmitted across Twitter through the USL Championship’s feed, on its way to attracting more than 75,000 views and the No. 1 spot on ESPN’s SportsCenter that night.

So, how did this moment – one of thousands that occurred in the Championship during the 2019 season – reach its audience with such immediacy and allow the league to own its content so comprehensively?

For that, you can thank the remarkable technology provided by WSC Sports that has been a foundation for the USL’s overall digital strategy for the past two years. Having previous had clips created by hand by the organization’s video editors, a process that could sometimes take two-to-three hours, WSC’s technology has provided an invaluable service in the fast-moving online landscape, capturing moments almost instantaneously for distribution by the USL and its teams.

“Honestly I can’t imagine living without it now,” USL Senior Vice President of Digital & Content Lizzie Seedhouse told writer Merav Savir. “Again, going back to that 2017 way of manually doing this and it being on a four-hour delay is just not efficient, but not suitable for our fans anymore. Fans are used to the kind of ‘Amazon Effect’ where you get things immediately, you get to choose what you want, and you have good customer service, and so every digital property is kind of held to that standard as well.

“So, for us, it would be a big step backward to not have without WSC, it’s been a tremendous game-changer both for us and our clubs.”

The scale of the USL’s operation means automation has become a must for the number of highlights the league needs to produce. There were 774 games played across the Championship and League One in 2019, a number that will rise to 787 in 2020 with 47 teams competing across the two leagues. For each game, a complete four-minute highlight package will be produced moments after the final whistle blows.

On top of that, big in-game moments like Partida’s are also tagged live using game data from Opta, making them available to the digital teams from the Championship, League One and clubs to provide fans around the world immediate video updates of the most important moments while games are in progress. 

As important, though, is the ability WSC provides all Seedhouse’s staff to become a video editor themselves. In addition to the highlight-reel moments on the field, league staff are always looking out for content that can be captured and used either immediately or stored away for later use. From a great celebration, to the emotions of the fans and club mascots on the sidelines, the ability to capture the moments that make the gameday experience special has been a valuable tool for the USL and its clubs.

“[It] might not be the ‘be all and end all’ to the game but they mean something, and they show some emotion,” Seedhouse told Savir. “Whether it’s about the experience of the game or just what it means to be around and a part of these teams.”

Those moments add up, and by being able to provide high-quality video clips to digital influencers including Bleacher Report, Copa 90, 433 and others, USL content drew more than 150 million organic views in 2019, an increase of 40 million on the previous year.

As the Championship prepares for its 10th anniversary season in 2020, and League One enters its second campaign, WSC’s presence at the forefront of the organization’s digital strategy is paving the way for a bright future for the USL.

The USL Q&A – James Cannon, FC Tulsa

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TULSA, Okla. – Since the club’s purchase six months ago by Tulsa natives and brothers JW Craft, Ryan Craft and Kyle Craft, FC Tulsa has undergone a transformational period.

There’s a new brand and color scheme, new partnerships, including with global soccer brand adidas that have brought the club’s new look to life with the launch of its City and State kits. Today, the club also announced a new television partnership with Cox Media Group that will bring the team to local television for the first time.

Executing much of this regeneration has been President James Cannon, who was one of the first new hires made by the Craft Family following the conclusion of the 2019 USL Championship season. Most recently the Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Nashville SC, during which time he helped the side become a success on and off the field in the Championship before its move to Major League Soccer this year, Cannon brings extensive experience in the sporting field both at an organizational and commercial level.

We caught up with Cannon to talk about his arrival in Tulsa, the work that has been accomplished already in resetting the organizations relationship with the local sporting community, his experience in Nashville, and what the expectations are in one of the most historic cities in America.

Q: First, congratulations on your new position, how does it feel to be the President of a USL Championship club?

James Cannon: First and foremost, I didn’t take this job just to be President of a USL Championship club. It had to be the right club, in the right city and with right ownership group. Tulsa checked all of those boxes for me. This city has a great music scene with two of the top concert venues in the country in the BOK Center and Cain’s ballroom. It has a renowned history in art dating back decades. You go down the list and Tulsa has everything. The only missing piece is a professional sports team that the city can rally behind. FC Tulsa can fill that void, and it is what really sold me on this opportunity.

Q: What does it mean to lead this club into a new era as it comes under the leadership of the Craft family?

JC: The Crafts have an excellent vision for what this club should be for the city of Tulsa. Tulsa’s history with soccer is extends back to the 1970s and 80s with the original Tulsa Roughnecks of the NASL. They had games where over 30,000 people were in attendance. That magic hasn’t gone anywhere. The Crafts’ new direction for this club hopes to regain some of that magic with an increased amount of investment and attention that is being poured on the field in the roster we have built and off the field with the front office staff and the community-driven connection to Tulsa. The Crafts are Tulsans, and their relationship with the city and its residents is special. I am so excited to be helping to execute their vision for their hometown team.

Q: It’s been a very big offseason for the club, most notably thanks to the change in the club’s name and colors. How important was it for the club to reset its identity to move forward?

JC: We wanted to breathe life into this club and give it a fresh start. It’s no secret that in the past five seasons, Roughnecks fans have experienced a lot of losing and a lot of roster turnover. These hasn’t been much hope for Tulsa professional soccer. Only one playoff match in five USL Championship seasons is unacceptable for our fans here who are so devoted and loyal to this club. We want them to know that FC Tulsa is different. A more globally recognizable name and beautiful crest and colors are a great way to kick off a new direction for this franchise.

Q: I have to say, I like the new brand and the concept behind it. What did the group view as the being the most important details in putting this new identity together?

JC: First, we wanted to know what was important to our fans. We heard loud and clear from them that it was time for a change, not just to the crest and colors, but top to bottom in how this club interacts with its fans and the community. Knowing that, we wanted this club to reflect not only the global sport of soccer with a traditional name, but to showcase modern Tulsa. For years, Tulsa was only known for its oil industry. In 2020, Tulsa is so much more than a boomtown. It’s a city of artists, musicians, and athletes; its full of diversity and rich cultural heritages from around the world. A professional sports franchise should mirror its city, and we took the fans’ feedback to heart in building our new identity.

Q: In addition to the new branding, there have also been changes aimed at improving the gameday experience for fans, including a change in layout for the pitch at ONEOK Field. What do you think the biggest benefit to fans will be from that move?

JC: The field orientation was a no-brainer for us. With the shift, more fans will be closer to the action and will have better sightlines. We want our fans to be as close to action as possible to give us the best homefield advantage they can. When we play at ONEOK Field, opposing teams should know that our fans are going to have an impact in the match. Putting our supporters directly behind a goal will give them 45 minutes to provide an assist to our defense and keeper in keeping our own goal clean and 45 minutes to rattle the nerves of the opposing keeper and help our offense create scoring opportunities. ONEOK should be a fortress for FC Tulsa, and this new layout will help us accomplish that goal.

Q: The new branding also means a move away from the Roughnecks name, but not a complete departure with the introduction of the ambassador program that will be led by Charlie Mitchell and Victor Moreland. How important is preserving that connection to the past as the club moves into its new era?

JC: This club’s history is rich, and it’s a history that we are embracing. We will always be the Roughnecks, even if that is a nickname and not an official team name. There are no two more famous or impactful Roughnecks than Victor and Charlie. To have both on our side, helping us preserve that incredible Tulsa soccer history is a privilege. Fans can look forward to throwback nights as we honor that history.

Q: You’re arriving from an organization in Nashville SC that came a very long way in a very short time, what were the biggest lessons you learnt from your time in the Music City? What are you hoping to apply to this new situation?

JC: I think my biggest takeaway from my time in Nashville is the success that we had as a new USL Championship franchise in an extremely competitive market. That success was driven by grassroots marketing, getting out and engaging with our city, participating in community events and being active in promoting our product. It’s a simple recipe, but has been proven time and time again to be successful in professional sports. Our goal is to have that same level of success with a similar recipe here in Tulsa.

Q: Just as you had in Nashville, there is a strong central core of fans in Tulsa that have stuck by the club over its first five years, and it sounds as though the meetings you’ve had with those groups have been very productive. How important are they going to be in helping FC Tulsa make its mark locally?

JC: We have done our best to put our fans in the front of our minds in every decision we have made this offseason. From our fan-friendly ticket prices to our recently completed Supporters Cup, we want the fans, and especially our most ardent supporters, to feel like they are valued and appreciated highly by the club. We featured some of those fans in our jersey launch last week. There is no way we can make any sort of mark, whether that’s locally, nationally or globally, without our fans. 

Q: One of the things I think you did very well in Nashville was putting a face on the product, whether that was players, coaches or fans. It certainly feels as though that’s been at the front of mind this offseason as the club has introduced returning players and newcomers?

JC: And you saw that exact thing with our City and State Kits launch. We featured both our fans and our players in our content that we released on social media and through our site. We want our fans and players to feel a connection with one another. This offseason, we made a point to sign our best talent to multiyear deals and announce them as such so our fans know that our best talent is staying in Tulsa. They can be allowed to get attached to their favorite players. You will continue to see us do our best to build that connection as we move through 2020. 

Q: One thing that always seems to be a cure-all is consistent success on the field, and there are some very exciting new faces joining the side for the new season. How hopeful are you that this side is one that will jell quickly and make an impact in the Western Conference?

JC: Well you never know until a ball is kicked for real, right? And a lot of a team’s success is based on factors out of their control, whether that be injuries, fixture congestion, weather, etc. However, we know that Tulsa needs a team to cheer for that it believes can win every single time it steps foot on the pitch, home or away. The Crafts have led that vision, and it’s one I share. They have shown their commitment in a lot of ways, but one I believe is really tangible is the resources they have invested in the roster.

In one offseason, with their investment, Tulsa has gone from extreme underdog to legit contender in the Western Conference. Incoming talents like Lebo Moloto, Ariel Martinez, Bradley Bourgeois, Rodrigo da Costa, Marlon, Maicon and others whom we have signed show that commitment. We’ll see what happens this season, but I think we are going to open a lot of eyes around the league. 

Q: What’s the biggest challenge you’re expecting to face in the next 12 months?

JC: That’s a great question. I think something that we have seen this offseason, is that it’s going to take some time to win back some soccer fans in this city. We have heard from some fans that the amount of losing and the way they were treated in past years was not good enough. We need to build that trust back. The only way to do so is to consistently deliver a great product on and off the field. We need to win games, have a great gameday experience, be a fixture out in the community, etc. We have to prove it. Every day.

Q: Is the opportunity to rise to that challenge one of the things you’re looking forward to?

JC: 100 percent. This wasn’t going to get fixed in a single offseason. It’s not a snap of the fingers to change the culture and perception surrounding the entire club. This is a long-term play for all of us here at FC Tulsa, and we will give this city a team to be proud of.

Q: Three years from now, where do you expect FC Tulsa to be?

JC: My expectation is that FC Tulsa is considered one of the class teams in the USL Championship within three years. Teams you think of right now are Phoenix Rising FC, Louisville City FC, Indy Eleven and New Mexico United. We expect to be in that upper echelon of franchises in this league. And if we have a gold star above our crest? That wouldn’t be so bad either. 

USL Strikes Exclusive Partnership with Lagardère Sports

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TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer League announced today it has entered an exclusive partnership with global sports marketing agency Lagardère Sports to bring to market the international broadcasting rights for the USL Championship and USL League One for the 2020-22 seasons.

“As we prepare for our 10th anniversary season, the profile of our organization is at an all-time high,” said USL Executive Vice President Court Jeske. “We have world class cities competing in the USL and we look forward to delivering Championship and League One action to as many new fans, in as many new places as possible. This partnership with Lagardère Sports can help bring those soccer cities and brands to new fans around the world.”

Lagardère Sports will use its extensive experience and vast global network to maximize distribution for the Championship and League One in overseas markets, expanding the visibility of the fastest-growing professional soccer league in North America.

“We’re excited to partner with the United Soccer League and help expand the reach of the USL Championship and USL League One competitions globally,” said Dennis Spencer, Lagardère Sports Senior Vice President, Media. “There is an insatiable appetite for soccer content around the world and we look forward to leveraging our experience in marketing both premier global soccer properties and top sports broadcast rights to help the USL reach more fans outside the U.S.”

This partnership follows September’s announcement by the USL of a new three-year domestic broadcast agreement with ESPN, and the USL’s agreement with Premier Partnerships that will establish key founding level, presenting level, and entitlement partners for both the USL Championship and League One. All three moves will accelerate revenue growth for the organization and its clubs as it continues its goal of uniting communities across the United States through the game of soccer.

The USL Championship will enter its second decade with the 2020 campaign, while USL League One will enter its second season. In 2020, the leagues will combine for more than 750 live games in the regular season as the USL brings professional soccer to more communities in North America than any other professional organization.

Lagardère Sports has an experienced media sales management team and robust global network that allows it to effectively package and sell media rights around the world. The agency is also the leading marketer of soccer rights globally and has relationships with more than 90 European football clubs and two FIFA associations, including the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation.

United Soccer League Teams Prioritize Recovery with NormaTec

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Through the United Soccer League’s partnership with NormaTec, leading teams in the USL Championship have gained enhanced access to the benefits of world-class recovery technology. In addition to adding NormaTec’s PULSE 2.0 Series athlete recovery systems to training protocols and traveling with the systems for top-notch recovery benefits on-the-road, some teams, including San Diego Loyal SC and New Mexico United, are creating dedicated Recovery Rooms for players.

SD Loyal’s recovery room was built in preparation for its inaugural season – which kicked off this past weekend in front of a sellout crowd of 6,100 at Torero Stadium. The recovery room is operated in conjunction with the Olympus Movement Performance Center.  

“NormaTec has been one of the best additions to our San Diego Loyal Team, from both a recovery and rehab standpoint,” said Dr. Annemarie Alf, PT, DPT, CSCS and Medical and Performance Director at San Diego Loyal SC. “Our NormaTec Recovery Lounge allows for the best environment for our players to recover from training.  We are so excited to be able to implement this phenomenal product into our team this year!”

The United Soccer League partnered with NormaTec in 2019 as part of a commitment to the recovery and performance of its athletes, from those in the Championship and League One that compete at the senior international level as well as for their professional clubs to those in USL League Two, USL Academy and the Super Y League looking to one day earn their chance in the professional ranks. Through the partnership, NormaTec was among the first high-performance products to be available in the USL Locker Room, a branch of the USL Preferred Supplier Program serving all the league’s properties.

Implementing a recovery room is part of a larger movement within professional athletics to prioritize recovery as part of a comprehensive training regimen in order to optimize player performance. NormaTec serves as a primary source of recovery to elite athletes and sports medicine professionals around the globe, and is now relied on by over 97 percent of professional teams in the U.S.

“The USL is one of the fastest growing soccer organizations in the world, and we are proud to partner with them,” said Gilad Jacobs, former CEO of NormaTec who was recently appointed the Chief Innovation Officer of parent company Hyperice. “We are thrilled to see teams like SD Loyal join the ranks of other top professional teams with such a sophisticated recovery program right out of the gate. We look forward to big things from them and the entire league this year.”

NormaTec’s cutting-edge compression technology is used to maximize performance for players in USL’s professional and pre-professional divisions. The patented technology was created by a physician bioengineer to enhance circulation and speed recovery using compressed air to massage limbs, mobilize fluid, and reduce pain and soreness.

HyperX Sponsors Online USL eCup: Rocket League Edition

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FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced its sponsorship of the USL eCup: Rocket League Division tournament. The tournament was launched to engage fans and create a fun online competition while live on-field matches are postponed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. HyperX will be providing Cloud Alpha S gaming headsets to each of the 32 captains representing teams from the USL Championship and USL League One. The 16 teams that make it to the knockout stage will receive additional headsets to give away to their fans.

As part of the sponsorship, HyperX will participate in advertising activations during both the group and knockout stages. USL will also include HyperX in social posts and outreach during the Rocket League tournament, while tournament broadcasters will give HyperX shoutouts during the event. Visually, the scoreboard with include a HyperX clock wrap and other visuals during gameplay. 

“We are excited to be part of the USL eCup and supporting online match play,” said Stephanie Winkler, strategic marketing manager, HyperX. “During this time where social gatherings are being hosted virtually, HyperX shares the sentiment of the gaming community to help ensure the safety and health of gamers and their families.”

Group stage competition follows a best of three matches rule with winners moving on to the knockout stage, which are scheduled to be best of five matches. The tournament is held online and can be viewed across the United States on ESPN Digital Platforms. Additional details about the USL Rocket League tournament can be found at its online hub. For more information about HyperX and its gamer grade headsets and accessories, visit www.hyperxgaming.com/us.

United Soccer League Announces Player ID Partnership with ONYX Elite

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TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer League today announced a partnership with ONYX Elite, a personal performance company founded in 2014 by former U.S. men’s national team defender Oguchi Onyewu. The partnership will see the two organizations work together closely regarding the ONYX Elite Winter Training Program, a high-level offseason camp for current professionals out of contract or those looking to stay in competitive shape. The program also provides the chance for USL coaches and technical staff to scout and identify top free agents.

In recent years, the ONYX Elite Winter Training Program has begun to assist USL Championship and League One players and technical staff members with player recruitment. From the 2019 and 2020 programs, 13 players signed contracts with teams in the Championship and League One, including the Charleston Battery’s AJ Paterson and Forward Madison FC’s Brandon Eaton.

“With the progress and evolution of the modern athlete, studies have shown how important sports science has become,” said Onyewu. “With our extensive knowledge in our field coupled with pre-existing programs geared to promote and identify players in all USL leagues, we feel that this partnership will be a huge benefit for players and coaches moving forward.”

Working with ONYX will give Championship and League One coaches and technical staff a new method for identifying potential players to add to their rosters, in line with the USL’s vision of working with its player identification partners to help its clubs recruit top young talent.

“Through our new partnership with ONYX Elite, we are excited to provide our clubs another avenue to identify players for the professional level” said Liam O’Connell, USL Senior Director of Youth Development. “Player identification and recruitment is an essential component to building a competitive roster, and our league is continually looking for opportunities to assist its clubs in that process. Our goal is to continue to work with individuals like Oguchi Onyewu and organizations like ONYX Elite to provide the right opportunities for players to progress to higher levels, while ultimately helping our clubs build stronger teams year over year.”

“Like ONYX, the USL has been dedicated to promoting and growing this wonderful sport in the United States for years,” said Onyewu. “We are extremely excited and optimistic about the future collaboration and how this will positively impact players.”

To learn more about ONYX Elite, visit onyxelite.com.

United Soccer League Announces Partnership with Veo Technologies

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TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer League today announced a new multi-year partnership with Veo Technologies that sees the intelligent software and video company become the Official Video Provider of the Super Y League.

Veo provides sports teams a portable and affordable solution that allows coaches to record and analyze matches and training sessions without the need for a camera operator. The platform is currently used by Major League Soccer’s Montreal Impact, as well as Academy programs in Spain, England and the United States.

“This technology provides members with consistent HD recordings that will allow coaches to supplement their player development through visual learning, which will be a game-changer for clubs,” said Joel Nash, Vice President of Super Y League. “As more clubs implement a vertical integration model from the youth to the professional ranks for players, being able to break down games tactically while highlighting areas of individual strengths and weaknesses will allow players to be more informed about their own games. That will lead to the opportunity to more rapidly improve and achieve the aim of competing at the professional level.”

Using an intelligent software system, the Veo platform recognizes positioning of the ball and players, allowing it to automatically zoom and pan depending on the ball’s position. The system’s 180-degree camera features two 4K lenses and a 30-frames-per-second speed, offering fully viewable recordings of matches and training sessions, and the chance for coaches to produce player and game analysis, and customizable highlights for players.

“The USL is a league I’ve known and been a part of for many years as a coach, and this partnership is going to greatly benefit all involved,” said Lee Hudson, Veo Market Manager for the United States. “From a coaching perspective, filming games has always been a part of my player development philosophy, but logistically it’s been something that’s near-impossible to achieve on a consistent basis. The ability to capture these consistently game-in and game-out will be invaluable to clubs and players, something Veo is proud to be part of.”

 

The Veo system’s camera has enough capacity to film several matches and a powerful battery but weighs less than 1 kilogram to make it portable for both home and away games. The casing is water resistant, while the lenses automatically adjust to light in all conditions.

 

In addition to allowing easy access to footage and game analysis, Veo also features the ability to draw on screen during film sessions, directed highlights, player tagging, goal detection, and unlimited cloud storage.

For more information on Veo Technologies, visit veo.co, or contact Lee Hudson at lee@veo.co or (734) 276-6818.

USL Announces Partnership with Passage

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TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer League announced today a partnership with Passage, a cutting-edge payments and customer engagement engine, that will see the group become the Official Ticketing Partner of USL League Two. Through the agreement, Passage will provide League Two with a custom online portal which will be available to all League Two teams.

The new portal – which can be found at tickets.uslleaguetwo.com – will allow each team that elects to use the service to personalize the look and feel of their team pages. The portal handles not only ticket sales, but also sales of merchandise and concessions, both online and at-the-door on matchdays.

Additionally, the new site will provide a one-stop-shop for soccer fans looking to attend League Two games across the United States and Canada. Driving online traffic to one central portal will help individual teams reach more fans and will make it simpler for fans to find a game near them. The underlying technology will also give fans the same level of world-class reporting and top-of-the-line support for which Passage is known.

“We’re excited about our partnership with Passage,” said League Two Vice President Joel Nash. “Our aim is to consistently raise the bar for League Two both on- and off-the-field and this partnership allows our clubs to streamline their operations while giving fans an excellent matchday experience. League Two has a direct talent pipeline to top-level professional leagues, so the ticket-buying experience for fans should match the level of talent and skill they’re going to see during a League Two match.”

Passage’s advanced portal will help establish that seamless fan experience, providing professional features such as assigned seating, season passes, bundled ticket and merchandise packages, flex passes, and more.

“We are thrilled to be working with the USL League Two and delighted to provide the league with a white-labeled payments solution,” said Passage CEO Alex Linebrink. “It’s really all about making it simple for teams to set up and track their ticket sales and attendance, which in turn makes the gameday experience for fans seamless both online and at the stadium.”