12 OctOber 10-16, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | Culture | Night+Day | News | Letters | coNteNts | miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | New Game in Town Fort Lauderdale United brings women’s pro soccer to South Florida. BY ISABEL MAZA A groundbreaking new franchise in Fort Lauderdale is setting out to prove that South Florida is, in fact, a sports town. Fort Lauderdale United FC, South Florida’s first professional women’s soccer team, has just begun its inaugural sea- son as part of the USL Super League. The league itself is also brand new, featuring eight teams from around the country competing at the highest level of soccer, similar to the Na- tional Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). When presented with the opportunity to bring a team to Fort Lauderdale, founder and chairman Tommy Smith and CEO Deon Gra- ham didn’t think twice. They pooled their re- sources, connections, and experience from years of being soccer dads to daughters and decided to take the plunge. “Some people think we’re crazy to invest in women’s sports, but we don’t think that’s true,” Smith says. According to experts on the topic, he’s right. Professional women’s sports are on the verge of explosive growth. Ticket sales for the WNBA are up 93 percent from just one year ago, and NCAA women’s volleyball games are selling out entire football stadiums. Olympic stars like Simone Biles, Ilona Maher, and the United States women’s national soccer team have Americans invested in the games like never before. The most recent FIFA Women’s World Cup broke ticket sales, broadcast fig- ures, and attendance records. It’s only a matter of time before all major cities have franchises in various women’s sports, and Fort Lauderdale United is ensur- ing South Florida isn’t left behind. The area hasn’t had a women’s professional team here since the Miami Sol shutdown in 2002. The team behind Fort Lauderdale United thinks it’s far past time to change that. “The interest is there. We know the com- munity will support us and show up for us. We just need to let them know we’re here,” Graham adds. And they are here, right in the heart of Davie. The team took over the Miami Dol- phins former training facility at Nova South- eastern University. It’s now home to Fort Lauderdale United’s headquarters, com- plete with brand-new locker rooms, practice fields, film rooms, and a freshly renovated 7,000-seat stadium. The goal is for the team to become some- thing the community can rally behind. They aim to become a neighborhood hub where families, students, and locals can connect and build a passion for women’s sports. “We want to build these opportunities where a family of four can spend their Saturdays affordably catching a game at the stadium, eating some good food, cheering on the team, and making memories together,” Smith explains. Smith and Graham are also looking toward the future. They plan to follow the European sports club model, where one franchise is home to teams of different sports, ages, and levels. Aside from the soccer team, they also have a youth volleyball team that uses their facilities and plays under the Fort Lauderdale United name, with plans to add more sports in the coming years. The idea is that the club serves as a home base for young players from the community. “We want to build an academy that actually develops young players and gives them the resources and facilities they may not have ac- cess to through their club or travel teams,” Smith says. The academy would welcome both boys and girls at all levels of play. One of the draws of the USL Super League is that it allows players from the under-18 divi- sion to play on a professional team without los- ing college eligibility. Right now, through a partnership with a local high school, Fort Lau- derdale United has four high-school-aged play- ers who practice with and play with the club. “This gives the athletes the opportunity to not only develop their skills at an elite level but also give them a taste of what their future could be like. From here, they can go be part of a university soccer program, maybe sign with a pro team, or maybe decide this level of soccer isn’t for them,” Graham says. The professional team is made up of elite players from clubs and Division 1 programs around the country and overseas, as well as some athletes and coaching staff from right here in South Florida. Head coach Tyrone Mears has a storied career himself. He played for England’s Premier League for several years before becoming a coach, most recently for Inter Miami CF. As of the time of writing, Fort Lauderdale United is sitting at the league’s number two spot four games into the season. The team’s next game is against Lexington SC on Saturday, October 19, at its stadium in Davie. Fort Lauderdale United FC vs. Lexington SC. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 19, at FTL UTD Stadium, 7530 SW 30th St., Davie; ftlutd.com. Tickets cost $20 to $35. [email protected] ▼ Culture Fort Lauderdale United FC is South Florida’s first professional women’s soccer team. Fort Lauderdale United FC photo “SOME PEOPLE THINK WE’RE CRAZY TO INVEST IN WOMEN’S SPORTS, BUT WE DON’T THINK THAT’S TRUE.”
