Soccer balls. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Exclusive negotiations between the United Soccer League and city of Green Bay to bring professional men’s and women’s soccer teams to the city come about three years after a USL semi-pro team folded after two seasons of play in Ashwaubenon.
The lack of success of that team isn’t a concern for those looking to bring in the new teams.
Area soccer fans welcomed the Green Bay Voyageurs with open arms in 2019.
The future looked bright for the USL League Two team as it shared the new $14 million Capital Credit Union Park and its 2,100 fixed seats with the Green Bay Booyah baseball team. But after the inaugural season, COVID-19 canceled the 2020 season, and after the 2021 season, operations were suspended for the soccer team.
“I think the demographics are not ideal for professional soccer but that doesn’t mean it can’t work,” said Peter Wilt, the former managing director for the Voyageurs.
Wilt has helped start 15 soccer teams, including the MLS’ Chicago Fire.
“I don’t think the Voyageurs really resonated with the community at large,” said Wilt. “As a result, the attendance was not enough to keep the club going.”
But why didn’t the Voyageurs resonate?
“I think it was a combination of not enough attention being given to the soccer team,” said Wilt. “I think the baseball team was a higher priority for the group there and I think the pro team in Madison was a higher priority.”
Forward Madison FC is owned by the same group that owned the Voyageurs. Both clubs started in 2019, but Madison’s team is still thriving in USL League One.
Forward Madison averaged 4,028 fans for its home games this season.
The Voyageurs averaged 771 fans for their home games in its 2019 season in the lower USL League Two.
USL Deputy CEO & Chief Real Estate Officer Justin Papadakis says it’s unfair to compare the two leagues.
“It sounds like its only one degree higher but it’s really 500 degrees higher because these teams have one- or two-person staffs,” said Papadakis. “They have little to no marketing budgets. It’s a very small operation.”
Madison’s larger operation is the type of product the USL is looking to bring to Green Bay, which Papadakis says is a main reason there isn’t much concern about what happened with the Voyageurs.
“This organization will be several dozen people within the front office side,” said Papadakis. “We’ll have large marketing budgets. We’ll have the proper venue. It’s kind of hard to compare them even though the name would suggest they’re only one level apart, but they’re really kind of miles apart in terms of organizational size and quality.”
The USL’s professional teams also play more games — 30 per regular season compared to 14 or fewer for the semi-pro teams.
“High-level soccer can work in any market in the community,” said Wilt. “It can also fail in any market in the country.”
The exclusive negotiating window the USL and city of Green Bay just started begins the search for financing and a location for a 5,000-seat stadium.
“I don’t think this works just as a soccer team,” said Wilt. “It works potentially as a real estate and soccer play, so there’s mixed use development around a stadium.”
“That’s going to be a key focus for us is how can we find a stadium location that we can also have entertainment options around it,” said Papadakis.
The economic development possibilities are why city leaders say they’re most interested in bringing pro soccer to the area.
There isn’t a timeline to get a deal done, but the exclusive negotiating window is until next September with two six-month extension options.
Exclusive negotiations mean the USL can’t pursue opportunities in communities near Green Bay. The city also cannot entertain interest from other pro soccer leagues.
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