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THREAD: According to @JohnJDevine the United Soccer League is bringing the @USLChampionship, the 2nd division of pro soccer 
, to Monterey County!
Here’s what we know about @MontereyBayFC, our first national sports team in Monterey Country. 1/ https://twitter.com/JohnJDevine/status/1356229058418405376?s=20
, to Monterey County! Here’s what we know about @MontereyBayFC, our first national sports team in Monterey Country. 1/ https://twitter.com/JohnJDevine/status/1356229058418405376?s=20
We’ve had regional semi-pro teams (e.g. Salinas Peppers), and lots of individual sports stars compete here (e.g. golf, car racing), but weʻve never had a team that competes nationally, as far away as Miami and New York City. 2/ https://www.uslchampionship.com/league-teams
The team is coming from Fresno having last competed in the same division back in 2019, where they tried to play in a converted baseball stadium. Keep in mind, Reno 1868 tried that same model and failed last November. 3/ https://twitter.com/si_soccer/status/1324849060117942272?s=20
The Fresno ownership wanted to build a soccer-specific stadium, but they needed to draw at least 5K/game, which would have matched the inaugural season for Sacramento FC. They peaked at 3K but drew from an existing fan base of the old Fresno Fuego. 4/ https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article236788128.html
Our Tri County area has 750K potential fans. If only 0.6% of them come to see games, it would match that original goal. If 1% come to see games, it would match the current capacity of the existing stadium on the old Fort Ord, on the property of @CSUMB. 5/
Freeman Stadium is the perfect spot for a new soccer-specific stadium. It holds 7K, which forces @CSUMB to have their commencement over two days. A stadium would also mean @OtterAthletics could finally host @goccaa and @NCAADII championships. 6/
So what goals does this team need? Position the brand and connect with the fans.
Ultimately, however, there needs to be a value proposition. Who will be their fans? What would the team be asking them to do? 7/
Ultimately, however, there needs to be a value proposition. Who will be their fans? What would the team be asking them to do? 7/
Barriers? There’s zero fan base. There’s already a lot of sports entertainment choices. And historically nobody visited the old #FortOrd without a military pass, so they don’t know what’s out there. It hurts attendance for @OtterAthletics games, including @NCAADII soccer. 8/
Gateways? They’ve got a huge Spanish-language market. They will play close to the remaining military community who already has international exposure to the game. And there’s 7,400+ students (with 50% residency) and 1K employees who will be right next to that new stadium. 9/
The @USLchampionship season typically runs from March to October, which means from May to August those students would be away from campus. That still leaves the military community and the Spanish-language audience to the east, north, and south. 10/ https://www.uslchampionship.com/league-schedule
Salinas, Watsonville, Hollister, and South Monterey County are the target audiences; there aren’t enough soccer moms and youth teams on the Peninsula. This team will need micro-targeted social media in Spanish and lots of
Spanish-language ad buys. 11/ https://www.iheart.com/live/country/US/city/monterey-ca-24/
Spanish-language ad buys. 11/ https://www.iheart.com/live/country/US/city/monterey-ca-24/
And that means regionally they won’t be able to associate the team with golf, racing, wine, Cannery Row or Monterey Pop, as tempting as it seems from national perspective. First, they will need to find a team nickname that resonates with the regional fan base. 12/
To be successful, they should call themselves “Los Reyes” or the Kings. It’s a natural play off Monterey, or Mount of the King. More importantly, it will be empowering to ask fans if they want to "Ser Un Rey Entre Reyes" or "be a king among kings" to connect them to the team. 13/
Alternatively, they could be the Capitals, since Spain made Monterey the capital of both Alta and Baja California in 1776. And the California constitution was debated and signed at Colton Hall in @CityofMonterey in 1849 (San Jose was then made the first capital of the state). 14/
For colors, they will need to pick a prominent lead color unique to the Tri County area and something the fan base will want to wear. Gold/blue works with Reyes/Kings, even though @OtterAthletics is blue/gold; black/gold is Watsonville HS. Orange/orange stands out locally. 15/
FYI Don’t make the mistake @CSUMB made in 1994 of choosing green/yellow, which was already a 100yo brand established by Monterey HS. The university switched to blue/gold in 2007. 16/ https://csumb.edu/communications/color-palette
The possibilities for ultras are endless. 1602 Landing (Vizcaino), @1917Otters (Fort Ord), Reyes Loco (Spanish), UXO (Unexploded ordnance), Warriors (Fort Ord football team), East of Eden (Steinbeck), Wild Thing (Monterey Pop), and Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood). 17/
No matter the nickname, colors or ultras, they can only share a soccer experience if the team makes a connection. That means their website will need to be a full-funnel, lead generation machine, with an emphasis on mobile to match the target audience. 18/ https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/
And there’s regional competition. The Santa Cruz Breakers play in USL2 (4th division). @OtterAthletics plays statewide in NCAA DII. Monterey County Jaguars are in UPSL D1 (5th division?). Alisal HS / Hartnell CC are local powerhouses. None will welcome @NYRBII to a home game. 19/
But in the end, @MontereyBayFC will be the first team we’ve been able to follow nationwide that will represent our area, and I for one can’t wait until 2022 to grab my seat! 20/
And yes, back in March 2020 I did a marketing feasibility review of @MontereyBayFC, when I thought that by May, right after commencement, we’d see the construction of that new stadium at the university in time for the 2021 @USLChampionship season. 21/ https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1icJCtJHViShU8BY-v87p-93qyROsVa5Ymch8hHku2Ps/edit?usp=sharing
So much has changed since then, but one thing didn’t: The opportunity to build a home for proper football in Monterey County and watch the best game in town this side of San Jose! 22/
