Louisville City FC president Amanda Duffy spoke starting last August of bringing 10,000 fans to Louisville Slugger Field for a soccer game, just after the club drew 9,400 for a friendly against Major League Soccer’s Orlando City SC.
Midway through LouCity’s second season, the franchise reached the mark while playing in front of 10,062 during Saturday’s 0-0 result against FC Cincinnati. Now, Duffy said this week, there’s a new goal: to sell out Slugger for a soccer match.
“It’s something we’ll have our eyes on and we think is achievable,” she said. “The most important thing we see right now is just the community continues to get behind this organization and continues to come out and support what we’re doing. It encourages us to do more for them as we continue to go through the season.”
Listed capacity for Slugger Field is 13,131. Through seven USL games this season, LouCity has averaged attendance of 7,331, a number hurt by a chilly afternoon and rainy game night early in the season.
Attractions around Slugger include the pregame el Jimador Tequila Pitch Party, the club’s official tailgate, as well as a number of bars and restaurants within easy walking distance of the stadium. On the field, LouCity sits atop the United Soccer League’s Eastern Conference standings and hasn’t lost in 14 straight games as part of a streak dating back to early April.
“We capture the attention of, I think, all demographics in this community,” Duffy said. “Right now we want everyone to come out. We still have a lot of first-timers coming out to our games and leave having a positive experience and wanting to return.
“…For us, we’re just trying to get people into the stadium and show our product. It’s a high-level, professional product. The performance on the field is high-quality soccer — best in the league right now — and I think can compete on any level in the United States.”
Coach James O’Connor echoed the sentiment shared by a number of his players on Twitter following Saturday’s FC Cincinnati match.
Goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh called it an “incredible atmosphere,” adding that “our fans were class and deserved all three points.” Midfielder Guy Abend’s message to supporters: “You are amazing!” Midfielder Niall McCabe tweeted, “Shoutout to the 10k that cheered us till the end.”
“I think it meant a lot to them to have that kind of support, especially going into a game like that,” said O’Connor, who’s preparing players for a July 4 home matchup with FC Montreal — tickets remain available. “I think the challenge for us now is, can we get that type of crowd for every home game? You can see it really energized the players. It really gave them a lift to have that type of support. Great credit to the supporters for coming out.”
With attendance on the rise and LouCity in first place, Duffy said the club also expects to hear in the next 30 to 60 days on the results of a feasibility study commissioned by the city determining whether it should help build a soccer-specific stadium.
Of course, the USL’s only female club president also has dreams of carrying the franchise to MLS.
“We feel like all the benchmarks we’re hitting and all the things we need to happen to be the best USL team that’s operating right now are falling into place,” Duffy said. “As far as MLS goes, that’s going to be a long process. I feel like we’re doing everything we should do right now to be a part of the conversation when that time comes.”
