TULSA – While Saturday marked the first time that FC Tulsa took the pitch at ONEOK Field, the bigger story at FC Tulsa’s first annual Open House was the Supporters Cup, a fan-organized match between two of FC Tulsa’s supporters’ groups. As over 50 fans took the pitch (thankfully not all at once) at ONEOK, roles were reversed as FC Tulsa players watched a portion of the Supporters Cup from the stands.
As the professionals looked on, supporters from 83 United and Tulsa Lunatics played the first Supporters Cup, and it had all the drama befitting a professional pitch. United defeated the Lunatics 4-3 on goal at the death in a match that provided great theater for the FC Tulsa coaches and players in the stands who will take that same pitch 17 times in 2020.
“They spend a lot of time supporting us, so now we get to reverse roles, and they get on the pitch and the players get to watch them,” said FC Tulsa head coach Michael Nsien. “Hopefully it builds a bond between the players and the supporters, so when the players are performing in front of them, they feel a stronger connection.”
In 2020, where social media is king, many players know individual fans primarily from a Twitter or Instagram profile. On Saturday, some players, like star midfielder Rodrigo da Costa, were able to put a face with a handle and interact with their staunchest supporters.
“It’s nice to have an interaction with the supporters, to get close with them,” said da Costa. “I have a lot of them on social media and stuff, it’s nice to see them and talk to them. It’s cool to have this close relationship and see them play a game. It's cool to see everyone, because it means things are changing around here with this new chapter for Tulsa.”
Players new to Tulsa, like preseason standout Darío Suárez, echoed da Costa’s statement despite just beginning their relationship to the Tulsa fanbase. It was a unique experience for Suárez, a Cuban international who has been in Tulsa since training camp started about a month ago.
“You never know where you might find some talent,” Suárez joked. “But seriously, it was incredible. The atmosphere that the fans created. I loved the experience, and it would be really cool to see this develop into a tradition each year so we can continue to strengthen the bonds between the fans, the players, and the club.”
The overarching theme of the FC Tulsa offseason, other than a number of high-profile player signings, is that connection between club and community. It’s a culture change from years past, driven initially by the ownership of the Crafts and extended now to the FC Tulsa front office and team.
“It’s super exciting,” said FC Tulsa owner J.W. Craft. “When we decided to go down this path and buy the team last year, this is what it was all about, right? Finishing last season, all the hard work, building the front office team, bringing in new players, and then doing things like this where we’re trying to connect back to the community and give the fans a product that they deserve. We really want to make Tulsa proud with this club, and we think this is the first of many things to come.”
TULSA – While Saturday marked the first time that FC Tulsa took the pitch at ONEOK Field, the bigger story at FC Tulsa’s first annual Open House was the Supporters Cup, a fan-organized match between two of FC Tulsa’s supporters’ groups. As over 50 fans took the pitch (thankfully not all at once) at ONEOK, roles were reversed as FC Tulsa players watched a portion of the Supporters Cup from the stands.
As the professionals looked on, supporters from 83 United and Tulsa Lunatics played the first Supporters Cup, and it had all the drama befitting a professional pitch. United defeated the Lunatics 4-3 on goal at the death in a match that provided great theater for the FC Tulsa coaches and players in the stands who will take that same pitch 17 times in 2020.
“They spend a lot of time supporting us, so now we get to reverse roles, and they get on the pitch and the players get to watch them,” said FC Tulsa head coach Michael Nsien. “Hopefully it builds a bond between the players and the supporters, so when the players are performing in front of them, they feel a stronger connection.”
In 2020, where social media is king, many players know individual fans primarily from a Twitter or Instagram profile. On Saturday, some players, like star midfielder Rodrigo da Costa, were able to put a face with a handle and interact with their staunchest supporters.
“It’s nice to have an interaction with the supporters, to get close with them,” said da Costa. “I have a lot of them on social media and stuff, it’s nice to see them and talk to them. It’s cool to have this close relationship and see them play a game. It’s cool to see everyone, because it means things are changing around here with this new chapter for Tulsa.”
Players new to Tulsa, like preseason standout Darío Suárez, echoed da Costa’s statement despite just beginning their relationship to the Tulsa fanbase. It was a unique experience for Suárez, a Cuban international who has been in Tulsa since training camp started about a month ago.
“You never know where you might find some talent,” Suárez joked. “But seriously, it was incredible. The atmosphere that the fans created. I loved the experience, and it would be really cool to see this develop into a tradition each year so we can continue to strengthen the bonds between the fans, the players, and the club.”
The overarching theme of the FC Tulsa offseason, other than a number of high-profile player signings, is that connection between club and community. It’s a culture change from years past, driven initially by the ownership of the Crafts and extended now to the FC Tulsa front office and team.
“It’s super exciting,” said FC Tulsa owner J.W. Craft. “When we decided to go down this path and buy the team last year, this is what it was all about, right? Finishing last season, all the hard work, building the front office team, bringing in new players, and then doing things like this where we’re trying to connect back to the community and give the fans a product that they deserve. We really want to make Tulsa proud with this club, and we think this is the first of many things to come.”
