Ottawa Fury FC unveiled a new campaign this afternoon in an attempt to put butts in the seats at TD Place Stadium this summer. The club, entering its second season in the North American Soccer League, will allow all youth players in the Ottawa/Gatineau region (registered with one of the program’s eight flagship partner associations) free admission into all Fury FC home games.
“A big portion of our base supporters are soccer mom’s and dad’s,” explained Fury FC president John Pugh. “We built a core fanbase last year of about 5000 people, and what we want to do is build on that.”
The youth movement in the stands at TD Place Stadium will bear the moniker of Fury Fanatics, and Pugh is expecting the youngsters to bolster the atmosphere at Fury FC’s home matches in 2015.
“It’s going to be a more youthful, louder gameday experience this season,” laughed Pugh, whose team averaged 5536 at the gate during their time at TD Place last season. “Our supporter’s groups are growing in numbers, and these kids like to get up and shout and holler – hopefully we can teach them some songs that they can sing and get behind the team with!”
The focus on youthful fans is nothing new for the OSEG family; partner Jeff Hunt revitalized the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s after buying the team in 1998 thanks in large part to a focus on family fun and affordable youth tickets.
“This program is going to be a great way of introducing a lot of people that haven’t been to our games yet to come out and watch,” continued Pugh during a media session after Saturday’s announcement. “Feedback has been very good about our gameday experience, now it’s just a matter of getting more and more people out!”
The approach worked very well for the 67’s, who carved out a specific slice of the Ottawa sports market throughout the early- and mid-2000’s with their family-oriented ticket and marketing strategies. For Fury FC, who in the words of President Pugh did ‘reasonably well’ in year one, the sky is the limit.
One thing is for sure. If Fury FC can capitalize on the youthful energy commonly associated with 67’s games of the mid-2000’s – the t-shirt waving shirtless boys and the shrieking thousands of the wildly-successful school day games – the club is in for a massive boost in both the attendance and gameday experience departments.
Preseason Nearly Complete
With just two preseason fixtures against collegiate opposition remaining on his side’s friendly schedule, Fury FC head coach Marc Dos Santos is positive and clear about his team’s status and goals for 2015.
“We have a group that’s come together during this preseason,” explained the former Montreal Impact skipper while sifting through a mass of young fans at Saturday’s announcement. “If I compare where we were in week five last season to where we are in week five this season, it’s incredible.”
“What I can tell you is we are headed in the right direction, but there’s still work to be done!”
Young Misik Making his Mark
Polish-Canadian midfielder Patryk Misik continues to impress in his first training camp with Fury FC. At just 20 years of age, the Slask Wroclaw youth product is making a strong bid for a spot in Dos Santos’ starting XI.
“I’m very happy to be back in North America,” said Misik. “I moved over there when I was sixteen, and had to grow up really quickly with a lot of responsibilities.”
Like most of the Fury FC squad, Misik is optimistic about the team’s outlook for 2015. “Like Coach Marc said, we’re a very confident group – if we had to play somebody tomorrow we would go into it expecting to win.”
“I moved over there when I was sixteen, and had to grow up really quickly with a lot of responsibilities,” said the Brampton-born midfielder. “I had a chance to play for one of the best teams in Poland, and with some of the best players in Poland, and I’m just hoping to bring some of that experience over here to help this club.”
