#Arizona rising soccer professional#

“I’m fresh out of retirement and trying to build those connections again. Having somebody that is from the area, has played at that level, and knows the ins and outs about what it takes to succeed in MLS, it could be a good combination there. We know that it’s been in the papers and the ownership has been very vocal about having an MLS team. “I know that I want to be involved in soccer now that I’m retired as a player, and Phoenix for me is like an untapped market. “I’m obviously very interested,” Evans said of the Rising.

The Phoenix product said he hasn’t yet decided what his next challenge will be, but Evans said he would be open to getting involved with the local club. That’s the big question.”Įvans, 33, announced his retirement in December after a 12-year MLS career with Sporting KC, Seattle Sounders FC and the Columbus Crew SC. So it’s there, but now it’s about what the perfect combination is to get an MLS team there. It’s a place that the National Team plays (regularly). “From what I’ve seen, it’s a significant growth with the USL team, the ownership that’s there, the fans and then obviously having preseason down there says a lot about what’s going on in Phoenix. We talk a lot about signing big-name players and building a massive facility to attract fans, but at the end of the day it’s the product on the field that fans want to come back to keep watching. “I think the demand is there, and now it’s about whether the (Rising) and the product can promote itself to really gain followers. And although the Mountain Pointe grad no longer resides in Phoenix, Evans has taken a vested interest in the growth of his hometown soccer market. national team defender Brad Evans, who grew up in Phoenix, the fanfare surrounding soccer in the Valley has captured his attention. The league will add Cincinnati as its 24th franchise this season, and has announced it will be adding teams in Miami, Nashville and Austin, Texas on its way to 28.Īlthough Phoenix wasn’t on the latest expansion list, Rising ownership has been vocal about its goal of nabbing one of those spots.įor now-retired MLS and U.S. The buzz has raised significant speculation that Phoenix could be awarded a franchise slot in the near future as the MLS continues its rapid expansion.

#Arizona rising soccer professional#

The Rising aren't the first club to give professional soccer a shot in Arizona, but they seem to be juggernauts in the way the club has captivated such a significant fanbase in such a short amount of time - all while playing in a league one level below MLS. For a young franchise to have this kind of traction is great.”

“We had approximately 136,000 fans attending our playoffs and regular-season matches and last year … We won the Western Conference championship where we beat Orange County in an away match. “I think the growth of the franchise has been very strong,” Club Governor Berke Bakay said. The Rising are at the foundation of this. Last season, the Rising were at or over capacity of their 6,000-plus seat stadium for almost every home game, and broke the franchise record with more than 7,000 in attendance for the club’s final home game against the Las Vegas Lights. The Rising will host MLS teams for scrimmages on Feb. What is unique is that several teams will play in preseason tournaments, such as the Mobile Mini Sun Cup, that includes dates in the Valley.Īnd it culminates with the first preseason matches for Phoenix Rising FC, whose highly anticipated 2019 United Soccer League campaign will follow a Western Conference title last season. MLS preseason activity in Arizona, especially Tucson, is not new. It continues with the Major League Soccer preseason that's under way throughout Arizona and continues deep into February. Men’s National Team training in Phoenix leading to a friendly match Sunday in Glendale against Panama, the first under new head coach Gregg Berhalter, In a market where soccer has fallen short of other major sports, the game is undeniably on the rise throughout Arizona - and it all comes to a climax over the next six weeks with a strong presence in the Valley.