New Professional Soccer Team to Enter Danbury's Sports Scene
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Danbury is set to welcome its newest professional sports team, Spice City FC, in the winter of 2024-25.
The team will participate in the Major Arena Soccer League 2 and play seven home games on turf at the Danbury Ice Arena in Connecticut. Spice City FC is a partnership between the Danbury Ice Arena and Spice City Futbol Club, LLC.
Spice City FC hopes to bring more diversity to Danbury's sports scene, celebrating the city's multicultural flavor and offering family-friendly, affordable entertainment. The Danbury Ice Arena, home to the Hat Tricks hockey team, is preparing to convert its ice rink to turf to host the soccer games. The operations team is gearing up to flip the switch and bring soccer to the forefront of the 3,000-seat arena.
Spice City FC will soon be playing at the Danbury Ice Arena, bringing the excitement of professional indoor soccer to the local fans.
The initiative in Danbury has been led by Matt and Adriana Svanda, who are also owners of Newtown Pride FC in Newtown, Connecticut, along with Kyle Liddy, the president of operations for Spice City FC.
"We're thrilled to introduce soccer to Danbury. For us, it's more than just a sport - it's a way of life. Soccer is one of the most influential powers in the world, bringing people together to support and unite. We see a fantastic opportunity in Danbury to unite everyone," said Svanda. "We're excited to bring Spice City to Danbury as a celebration of the community, to bring everyone together, and to create something special together," he added.
But many soccer fans in Danbury may wonder what the Major Arena Soccer League 2 (MASL 2) is.
MASL 2 is a soccer league launched in 2017 to provide a platform for teams to either reorganize for a re-emergence in the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) or to compete in smaller markets and hope to rise to MASL status. Initially, the league had between 8 and 12 teams. The 2018-2019 season saw the total number of teams increase from 10 to 15. The league also changed from having "Conferences" to "Divisions." Now, the league has the Eastern Division, Mountain Division, and Pacific Division, in addition to the Eastern and Western conferences.
Onua Obasi will be the head coach of Danbury's Spice City FC. Obasi, who has extensive experience as a player in the MASL, is committed to Spice City FC. Obasi has played with the Baltimore Blast, Utica City FC, and the Empire Strykers, appearing in 78 total games in the Major Arena Soccer League and scoring 22 goals and 25 assists.
"Danbury is a fantastic soccer city known for its diverse groups. As the head coach, it is my responsibility to find players who will proudly represent their city. I will be conducting tryouts and exploring different opportunities to bring in players. My ultimate goal is to put a great product on the field that we can all be proud of," said Coach Obasi.
During the team press conference announcement on March 7, Roberto Alves, the Mayor of Danbury, expressed his excitement about bringing an M2 team to the city.
"As a big soccer fan myself, you will see my family in those seats cheering on Spice City FC. This partnership has our attention and support – and we're confident the residents of the City of Danbury will get behind this team like they have every team that has called the Arena home. We're excited to also welcome more people downtown to experience all we have to offer."
The team's President of Operations, Kyle Lyddy, shares the mayor's vision, seeing the multicultural element of the city as a treasure trove of embedded natural soccer fans. He hopes the team can play a part in making the Ice Arena more multidimensional and transform it into an entertainment hub for the city. Their mantra "You belong here" is their centerpiece, and they want everyone in the community to know that there's a seat for them. "We are confident that our games will be more than just a game, but a celebration of food, culture, and an exciting brand on the field."
Spice City FC Home games will be played at the Danbury Ice Arena, which will be transformed from ice to turf for a seven-game home season. Tickets are on sale now at SpiceCityFC.com, and season ticket options are available for just $79, covering a seven-game home schedule.
From left: Spice City FC owner Adriana Svanda & Childre, President of Operations Kyle Lyddy, owner Matt Svanda, head coach Onua Obasi, League Commissioner Chris Economides, Mayor Roberto Alves, President of Danbury Ice Arena Herm Sorcher, and State Representative Farley Santos
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