From Concept to Pitch: A Conversation with the Architects of The Island FC
October 16, 2026 Long Island, New York
Almost a year to the date, on October 14, 2025, The Island FC was officially introduced to the public during a launch event held at the Long Island Children's Museum Theater. Headed by principal owner and chairman Mitchell Rechler alongside team president Peter Zaratin, the independent professional club was unveiled as the newest expansion team for MLS NEXT Pro. The project represents a significant investment aimed at establishing a complete youth-to-professional development pathway directly on Long Island.
The club is scheduled to kick off its inaugural professional regular season in July 2027. This launch aligns with a historic structural shift for the league, as The Island FC will debut during MLS NEXT Pro's first-ever Summer-to-Spring competition calendar. The season is slated to run from July 2027 through May 2028, mirroring the traditional schedules of leading global soccer leagues, with the playoffs following immediately in June.
The Island FC will play its home matches at a brand-new, privately funded soccer-specific stadium constructed at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, New York. The state-of-the-art facility will initially feature a 2,500-seat capacity with structural plans allowing it to expand up to 5,000 seats as the club's fanbase grows. In addition to hosting first-team matches, the complex will double as a year-round training hub for the club's youth academy programs.
Jorge Martinez and Emilio Lopez of The Exchange FC sat down with two key individuals to discuss the vision and future of the club as it prepares for the 2027-2028 campaign.
Larry Sunderland (Sporting Director): Born and raised in Long Island, Sunderland returns to his hometown roots. He previously built a strong reputation in Major League Soccer, serving as the Director of Player Development for FC Cincinnati for seven years after successful stints leading the youth academies of both Chicago Fire and Portland Timbers. Appointed in October 2026, Larry will oversee first-team roster construction, coaching staff appointments, and youth academy development.
Travis Lamprecht (President of Business Operations): A native of Queens, New York, Lamprecht returns to the local market with over 15 years of front-office executive experience specializing in scaling professional soccer clubs across the United States. Throughout his career, he has held prominent leadership and brand strategy roles across MLS, USL, and the New York Cosmos, which include serving as the Vice President of Brand for San Diego FC and leading business operations for San Diego Loyal SC. Appointed in May 2026, Travis is responsible for leading the expansion club's commercial growth, corporate partnerships, revenue strategies, and community engagement ahead of their 2027 inaugural season.
The Birth of The Island FC:
We began the interview asking Larry, who is a Long Island native, how he got involved in the sport and about his local roots.
Larry:
"Well, my dad was in the game. My dad was the athletic director of Pratt Institute at the time, when I was born. I was living in Massapequa Park. My dad was one of the founders of the Massapequa Soccer Club. So essentially, the ball was at my feet when I was born, right? My dad wasn't a player, but he coached. My dad was a really good man manager. You know what I mean? I wouldn't say he was a tactician, but he could manage people. And that's what he did as an athletic director at Pratt. He was an athletic director at Long Island University, CW Post. He went on to be executive director at People to People Sports. So soccer was there when I was born."
"I think I started playing with Massapequa Soccer Club when I was 6. The club started when I was around 6 and grew to be the biggest club on Long Island for a while. So that was really where I grew my love of the game, I would say, through Massapequa Soccer Club, through my dad's involvement in the game at various levels: professional, college, and youth. So that was kind of where I cut my teeth."
(EL) During those years, could you ever envision yourself, many years later, coming back and helping to start a club in the area?
Larry:
"I would dream of playing for the Cosmos because that was my team growing up. I can go back to Randy Horton, Ziggy Stritzel; I can go back to those guys when I was a kid watching them at Hofstra, and then being at Pele's love, love, love game at the Meadowlands when they did his retirement game. So that was my dream, right, to be a player. As a kid, I never thought about building organizations or even, probably as a kid, never thought about coaching or anything like that. Like all kids, you grow up wanting to be a Yankee; for me anyway, a Yankee, a Cosmo, a Jet, an Islander—that was kind of my New York affiliation."
(JM) With knowing so much of the local history in the tri-state market and kind of growing up in this, how important is it for you to ensure that the culture represented now and in this game is reflected in what happens with the club?
Larry:
"Well, one of the things that attracted me to the project was kind of this idea of all for the Island, right? I have a sweatshirt that says all for the Island. And for me, it was like, what is that? And you know, when I look at the team we want to build, and I look at the organization that's going to be below the first team, right? It has to be representative of the people of Long Island, right? And to me, the things I'm most fond of about Long Island are... the grit of the people. That I can sit here with you guys and I know you're going to shoot straight with me, right? You're kind of in your face, aggressive in a good way, straight shooters. When we have a problem, we join together and we solve the problem. You know, Islanders don't, New Yorkers, Long Islanders, we don't screw around. We get to the point, we see what the issue is, we solve the problem, we have a good time doing it, we move on to the next thing. That has to be the identity of our club. I think from top to bottom, bottom to top, and that's what we're going to bring. We can talk about the beautiful game and how the team wants to play on the field and all that stuff, but the one thing we have to really implement throughout the entire club is this Long Island identity, because, ultimately... we want the fans that come to see the game and they want the players, the team to reflect what Long Island is and what Long Island and New Yorkers are. And I think that's what we really want to try to build."
Travis:
"I'll just add one thing to your point on the soccer heritage and history on the Island. I think we're all connected to it in some way, individually and as an organization. For example, we still operate the Long Island Rough Riders and maintain good relationships with the Alfonso Mondelos and the Gio Savareses. It's something that is important to us, and we continue to honor what's been here before us. We're not the first ones, and we're aware of that. It's important to carry the torch in many ways for those who have laid the groundwork before."
Club Identity:
(JM) Travis, is there any concern about losing your identity or becoming too commercial, with that corporate vibe that fans often claim to dislike, but which is inevitably present and beyond our control? You actually need that element. So, how do you ensure that you maintain your identity?
Travis:
"Look, we're a community club first and foremost. I know that's kind of cliché these days, but that's why I do this personally and why I'm doing this now. Obviously, the game has evolved commercially, globally, nationally, regionally, right? But with that, it doesn't mean that you can't still be all the things that you're saying. Grassroots is where it starts. Block by block, that's how I envision this on the island. So I think you can balance the two. And to me, building the emotive fan connection is our currency, and that comes from being authentic. So we want to do that first and foremost."
Larry:
"From my perspective, the vast majority of my post-playing career has been in development. And that's very much about the community. That's very much about connecting with the youngest players and those players that have the aspiration to one day play professionally. I think that that's also a real thread that we have to develop through the entire club, right? That there is a pathway from the community, from rec soccer all the way through to the first team. And I think you'll see us really diving into that and really trying to connect to that idea."
(EL) Discussing your background, as you mentioned, with development in youth academies such as FC Cincinnati, Chicago, and Portland, the focus was primarily on nurturing players to progress to the first team rather than prioritizing results. How do you manage this as an independent club, not linked to another MLS team? How do you balance player development with the pursuit of on-field success, given that fans are particularly interested in results?
Larry:
"Yeah, absolutely. Look, I think winning and development are not mutually exclusive. They work off each other and with each other all the time. So throughout my entire career, winning is very, very, very, very important, right? You know, a famous soccer personality once said to me, it has been and always will be about winning. So it's about developing winning players, ultimately. You don't separate the two things. And I think if you look at my career, whether I'm coaching at the first team level, whether I was coaching with national teams or all my academies, winning has to be there. It's an integral part of it because that is part of developing a player that is going to move into the professional ranks. So they work very, very much hand in hand. And I've never looked at separating the two. So we will do both here. We absolutely will win. We absolutely will compete. But a large core part of our mission is to develop players and provide pathways beyond the Island FC to potentially different levels domestically and certainly internationally."
(JM) Regarding the local scene, is that where you plan to begin searching for your players? Or do you have a different strategy to attract players to join this club?
Larry:
"For the first team in particular? Yeah, look, we're a professional team. So we are going to look everywhere. But Long Island, New York roots are very important to us. So what I would say is, Long Island is definitely going to catch our eye, and we're going to have our eye on it. But there are also standards that have to be applied to all the players moving to a professional first team. Do I think there's talent on Long Island? Absolutely. Is it going to be important that we have Long Island talent, New York talent on our first team? Absolutely. But we're going to be a professional team, and we are also going to look at regional college players. We're going to look at professional players that are in the ranks of MLS Next Pro, USL League One, USL Championship, and players moving from MLS as well as internationally. We're going to scout and recruit internationally."
Roster Building:
(EL) With MLS Next Pro being primarily focused on younger players moving up from the academy ranks, are you also looking to bring in some veteran players to provide leadership and show the younger players how to be successful in the pro game?
Larry:
"Absolutely. We're looking at some; we will have some players on the roster who are seasoned professionals to help some of the younger players, to set the tone for some of the younger players, and also to help us be competitive from day one."
Impact on Local Soccer:
(JM) This question might be more for Travis. We obviously know that pay to play is a big deal, and everybody's always talking about it, it has this stigma, right? But the truth of the matter is, you got to keep the lights on, you got to pay the reps, you got to pay the coach. Everybody's time costs something. Does the Island have a plan to help in this? situation that has become like now like a black eye on USA soccer. Everybody, I feel like since the World Cup, it's become this thing where it's like pay to play is so bad. But the truth of the matter is people's time costs money. You know, they've got to turn the lights on. You got to pay for balls. You got to pay for equipment. This is just the nature of the beast.
Travis:
"I'll say that most of my entire career has been spent largely on the pro side, right? So the youth landscape is something, honestly, that's new to me in many ways, especially being a part of launching something that's brand new. We already have an ecosystem that exists. It goes to the old saying of, we hope that we give back more than we take. And I think that is done in more ways than one. On the grassroots level, you have something like MLS Go, which is kind of like your entryway to the game at a very low level and a recreational level. Whether it's community activations through partnerships with nonprofits and ways to give back, I think there are a lot of opportunities to make this more holistic and not be such a competitive environment. And I also want all youth clubs, no matter the affiliation, to feel like the Island FC is their home in many ways. I want the pro side to be Long Island's team, period, right, without all the other extracurricular things that go around it. But it's early on, right? So we need to develop a plan. And so I want it to be authentic and real before I just start saying, like, you know, generic things in terms, but it's certainly top of my mind, right, to make this feel like everyone is a part of it."
(EL) Have you established or are looking to establish relationships with youth clubs in the area to make them, maybe feeder programs to your academy?
Larry:
"That's absolutely a big part of it. To Travis's point, we want every player on Long Island to view The Island FC, the professional team, from both an inspirational and an aspirational viewpoint. You know, aspiring to one day get to that first team, but also an inspiration to continue to develop, to continue to play. Everybody has a different pathway in the game. And as it relates to youth soccer as a whole, I've always felt like, you know, there is a pathway within The Island FC. But we don't need to own every player's pathway. We would like to be a part of every player's pathway, whether it's aspirationally or inspirationally, but we don't have to own every player's pathway. So that means we don't look for every player to be in The Island FC. We want everybody to feel a part of it, but there are hundreds of youth clubs on Long Island that have done a great job for decades and will continue to do a great job. Yeah, we want to work with them. We want to be part of the process with them. It's absolutely not a competition in any way. I would love nothing more than a local youth club that has done a great job developing a player over 16, 17, 18 years. And the next thing you know, that player's playing with The Island FC first team. That's a wonderful story and that's something both clubs can be proud of."
Sustainability:
(JM) Looking at this from a financial perspective, is this project something that you see as a stable long term project? Is this something that there's a plan for in the long haul? Is this something where people have to be patient, and the fans kind of have to do their part too, to keep showing up and do that kind of thing?
Travis:
"I think we're in this for the long haul, 100%. And as I mentioned before, I've never launched a club that already has a robust youth ecosystem that exists, right? This is a business that's been around for two decades, right, on the island. So that has proven to be sustainable. The launch of the Pro Club will only scale the youth side, right? And then building our own stadium. That is an asset that we are committed to. And that shows that we want to be here for the long term in many ways. So yeah, we are looking at this as a legacy project in many ways and hope that others get to enjoy it and run it long after Larry and I are here."
Larry:
"I came back for very, very personal reasons, right? Coming back to Long Island, but I came back to steward something that, to Travis's point, is we're going to leave this in a much better place. And I think it's going to be a long time here. And that was the idea in coming back to Long Island was to really, I felt like my dad left a legacy and this was kind of a draw to come back and personally to leave that legacy and do something that my dad would be really proud of."
New Stadium:
(EL) As far as the stadium is concerned, can you comment on the status of that and the plans going forward?
Travis:
"Yes. Targeting a groundbreaking next month. The plan is for us to kick off at home in July 2027. It's a modular stadium. It's a public-private partnership with Nassau County. They have been tremendous partners along the way. And the focus there, yes, it's going to be our home pitch, but it'll be multi-purpose. We want to host other events, youth sports, perhaps cross. We want it to be as 365 as possible, considering the climate and weather that we have here. But really looking at it as a transformational gathering place on the island."
Head Coach Search:
(EL) With the season starting in July 2027, you need certain things in place. So what's the status of the search for a head coach? And have you determined the type of coach you want? Do you have a philosophy in mind already of how you want to play?
Larry:
"I have, over the next three months, three very important hires for the club. The first one is the head coach. The second one is a director of scouting and recruitment. And the third one is what I'm calling the Director of Sporting Operations. So, to the head coach question, yes, we have an idea of what the profile needs to look like. In our mind, it needs to be an educator/developer, needs to have a proven record of winning, and needs to have a very good understanding of the professional landscape as well as the developmental landscape. So, the academy landscape in the United States, the professional landscape meaning USL across the board, MLS, and MLS Next Pro. I would like to have a multilingual head coach. I think that's very important. Obviously, not a deal breaker, but very important. Could that person be related to Long Island or New York in some way? Again, that gets initial eyes on you, but you still have to tick the other boxes. But that's kind of the profile that we're looking at and some of the people that I've been speaking to thus far."
Travis:
"I think it just comes down to your identity and kind of that grit mentality as well. And obviously, we want somebody with the balance that you guys discussed, developing and winning."
Creating the Identity:
(JM) Starting something like this, how does something have an identity that doesn't have an identity yet? Do you get what I'm saying? how do you decide something like this organically with nothing here?
Larry:
"Well, really great question. So first, from the first team level, I think what you see very often, whether it's an identity, whether it's a playing style, whatever it might be. When I was coaching first teams, we always had a little joke in the locker room during preseason. Preseason is happy time, right? Everybody's happy until the ball hits the back of their net, right? So I think this is the same. This is true at the first team level. Everybody has an identity. Everybody has a way they want to play until the ball hits the back of the net, right? And then panic sets in. I think, you know, to your question, are we in this for the long haul? Yeah, we are. And we have to have courage. We have to have courage to, one, build that identity by bringing the right people into the first team level. And then two, letting that identity kind of percolate, not just through the first team, but all the way down through the whole youth program, right? So that when you go watch The Island FC, if you took the jersey off, you look at it and go, whoa, that's an Island FC team. Not just because of the way they're playing, but because of the identity they show on the field, right? Now, often... People say that. People have words. You know, it's like culture. There are words up on the wall and all this stuff, right? But you really have to have an intentional way of building it. I took Travis and ownership through a process that I've done now in a number of places where this is the identity we want to have. How do we intentionally build that by our actions on the field? And then how do we intentionally build that by our actions off the field? When you're building something, you're asking for an awful lot of trust from an awful lot of people. But trust is built through watching what we build, watching how we operate, watching what we do, and watching that and calling us out that that matches what our actions are matching what we're saying. So yeah, I think the idea of we're going to have this identity or we're going to play this style. A lot of times it gets thrown out the window, but that's because people aren't really committed to it. People aren't doing it in an intentional way and people aren't giving it time to grow. And I think the organic growth comes from the youth program that's attached to everything we're doing. And I think the immediate growth with the first team will come from getting the right leaders in place and then really doing a good job on the profile of the players we bring in."
(EL) And as far as the youth program is concerned, what stage are you at with that? When is the team going to start competing at the MLS Next levels?
Larry:
"Well, we already have our Long Island, The Island FC teams playing at the MLS Next levels. In the East and the West, we have homegrown and academy teams at every level in both Nassau and Suffolk. On the girls' side, we've replicated that with the Girls Academy and the Aspire Academy, both in the West and in the East, where we have the Aspire programs. We're trying to replicate everything we're doing on the boys' and men's side on the girls' and women's side."
The Womens Game:
(EL) Do you see yourselves, maybe in the future, expanding on the women's program to maybe a professional team?
Travis:
"I think we both could talk about it, but you're closer to the game, but in short, yes we do, but Larry, you can add to that."
Larry:
"In short, yes, we do. I think our ownership group is very committed to that. This is not just about providing opportunities for boys. This is not just a club for Long Island boys, right? This is a club for everyone on Long Island. It's very important to us that we provide the same opportunities on the boys' and men's side as we will on the girls' and women's side. So yes, there are definitely intentions for us to replicate what we're doing on the men's side, on the women's side."
Community Acceptance:
(JM) How have you guys been received by the community, and have you gotten any feedback?
Travis:
"I could touch on, I think we both have like different experiences, but this is probably in different communities. I started in May and then we did a host of watch parties for the US men's matches, ran the World Cup in partnership with Nassau County. So from just from like a soccer passion perspective, right? It was like overwhelming the amount of people that came out. And obviously not everybody knew who we were, but they were so eager to learn about who we were, right? So seeing the hunger and appetite for something like this was special. And then a lot of my time has been on the ground, like spent on the ground and meeting people. Larry and I just did a Q&A at a post in the Garden City. From my viewpoint, the reception has been well received. People are very curious and interested in what we're doing and what's coming. You know, I'm sure There's those that don't feel the same way, and there's a lot of people that still don't know about us at the same time. But for my eye level, it's been very positive. It's been very positive on the corporate side as well. There's definitely just a building excitement for what is coming and what we're doing. Obviously, the World Cup, right, helped the attention there. But I think Long Island overall is yearning for something new, period, right? And I think anytime you get an opportunity to introduce, you know, something that's more than honestly just the game. It's entertainment, it's culture, it's lifestyle, right? We're going to bring a lot of these things to the table. So for my POV so far, it's been well received."
Larry:
"From my standpoint, everything about Long Island and my move here has been this personal and soccer connection. And it's been just awesome coming back. I can't tell you how many people have reached out to me, high school friends I haven't seen in 30 years. Last weekend, I went to see one of my high school buddies, his band in Massapequa, just connecting with people the other night when we did this event at Prost. I reconnected with... Someone mentioned, they said, do you remember my last name? And I'm like, yeah. He was like 8 or 9 years old and I was playing for his dad's team in Glen Cove. You know, so it's been like this personal soccer connection that has been just amazing to come back to. It's been, I can't tell you how cool it's been."
(EL) With so many teams in the New York area, USL, Long Island coming in in 2028, you have a bit of a head start on them, but how do you become the team of the Island? How do you differentiate yourselves from the other clubs or the other competition in the area?
Larry:
"The way I see it is, Long Island is a very deep soccer community, right? And, you know, why wouldn't people want to bring more professional soccer here? I think from our standpoint, we're very focused on delivering what we're building, acting on what we're saying, and what our intentions are. We want to be the professional club that connects to our academy, that we have a dedicated stadium for our family and our fans, and that we create a great experience every time they come to a game, and that they truly can identify and feel like what they're seeing on the field represents them in a way that they can be proud of."
Risks Involved:
(JM) This is more of a personal question. You guys have families, right? I'm assuming that you guys have other things that you're dealing with. How are they coming along with this process? Because obviously, it's time taken away from them. It's time that you could be spending with family and doing other things. And if this, for some reason, I'm not putting the horns on it, doesn't work, you've kind of taken that away or put away this time from them. That obviously is a discussion that I guess had to have had before jumping into these roles.
Larry:
"Well, yeah, that's a great question. I'm incredibly blessed that my wife knows the business. And my kids, we have moved a number of times around the game. And look, in this business, there's always risk involved, so you don't tend to shy away from risk, right? It's a little bit easier for me now because my kids are, for the most part, out of the house. I have one in Europe, one's in Minnesota, and one's just about to graduate nursing school in Kentucky. So it's my wife and I and our three dogs in the house. And I've come out here now. My wife is still in Cincinnati/Kentucky now. And one of the reasons that we kind of set it up this way is knowing how busy I'll be for the foreseeable future for sure. But she gets it. And, you know, as we settle, she'll begin to get the house on the market and get that sold and make another move. But like I started with, I'm really blessed to have such a great wife who's so supportive of this. And look, we really embrace these challenges because they're great opportunities. I was on the phone with a good buddy of mine in Chicago today, and he was like, man, you sound really invigorated and excited about this. And I'm like, yeah, man, I'm building again. This is what it's all about. So, yeah, it's a challenge. There's always risks involved with that, but you know, you take them as they come and you dive right into them."
Building the Club:
(EL) And for Larry, during your time in Cincinnati, you integrated a lot of different departments into the footballing area, sports science, psychology, schooling, things like that. Are those things that you're looking to also add to The Island FC?
Starting from the youth up to the pros.
Larry:
"Yeah, absolutely. I kind of planned out my first three months around the three key hires I spoke about with the first team and working on those, but really diving into the entire, let's call it the entire youth system, community, youth, and academy, and taking a look at that infrastructure and building something that we can, for lack of a better word, professionalize and build an infrastructure that will provide an improved environment for every player in the entire system. And that, a lot of that comes down to kind of building departments, not silos, but departments that integrate with one another. And that's what I would, that's what I've done everywhere I've been. And then, and then really improving how we deliver those things to the players within our programs."
(JM) Long Island has had some players come through. One that sticks in my mind is Tim Parker on the Red Bulls. He's a Long Island guy, if I'm not mistaken. But then you've had other guys like Tony Meola play for the Rough Riders on Long Island. You know, Chris Armas, if I'm not mistaken, I want to say Joe Scally's from the Island too, if I'm not mistaken. Are there any plans to maybe get guys like that involved just for notoriety purposes, or is that not really the way you guys want to go with this?
Travis:
"Yeah, I think we definitely have thoughts about, if you will, I guess maybe you're saying like club ambassador-type faces, right?"
(JM) Yeah, but here's the thing, I considered mentioning a club ambassador, but typically, club ambassadors are from within the team, right? So I was thinking more about individuals involved in soccer to help with the movement, or perhaps bringing in a player like Tim Parker, who isn't necessarily at the end of his career, to be that person, since he's a local guy, something along those lines.
Travis:
"Yeah, I think naturally, right, we want to connect with players—current players, former players that are from here regardless, right? They should also know who we are, right, and what we're doing. And we would love for them to help be our evangelists in many ways, right? So I think those are ongoing conversations about how to best do that. How do we strategize it, right? And how does it come off? We're not just forcing someone to do something, right? We want that to happen organically. A lot of times it does. Like someone will reach out to us and they want to get involved. We've had a few of those, especially since Larry joined. So I would say it's something we definitely are looking to do in some form or fashion."
Larry:
"It's about holistic development, right? And having Long Island roots and people from Long Island who want to come back and be involved with what we're building is great. And a lot of these players that you mentioned, they're all at different stages in their careers. And yeah, what are they looking for? How are they looking to grow? How are they looking to develop? I mean, we're here to help with that for sure. It's not just, you know, it's not just moving someone to the first team. There are people within the organization, you know, Travis and I talk about every day, people in the office. It's like, yeah, how do we help this person develop where they want to go? So I think it's very, very similar with players that are, you know, moving on from different aspects of their career. What do they want to grow into? What do they want to learn? How would they like to be involved? I think we're absolutely here for that."
(EL) This is for Travis. You have a lot of experience with a lot of clubs, helping them get on the ground running. What's the biggest difference between those other experiences or any big challenges that you've faced with this project?
Travis:
"Good question. I'm still learning what that will be. I think it's pretty early, but also it's getting late at the same time, right? We're kicking off just literally next year. I think, look, Long Island is still New York. New York's a tough market to crack, right? You just said it before, there are a lot of other things to do, whether it's other professional sports teams, or just enjoying New York City and Long Island itself. I think the attention economy is more chaotic than ever. So how do you cut through that? But I think I'm trying to apply the playbook I've used everywhere else, and that's focused on, again, community, emotive connection, the game, that tribalism, that only, right, some few professional soccer clubs can kind of own and operate. So the focus remains on ourselves and putting the energy behind the club, and the rest will take care of itself, honestly. So looking forward to all of that taking shape."
(JM) Have you guys looked into your local soccer scene, not on the field, not with players, not really with fans, but more like bars, restaurants, and breweries where people go to watch games, to kind of start reeling people in, or even look for sponsorship opportunities, something like that?
Travis:
"Yes, we just had that event at Prost. That's a local soccer bar in Garden City. That's an important part of this groundswell. And we want a passionate supporters group when we open the stadium next summer. So we have to start that groundwork now, meeting people and hoping we get approached as well. I hope that there are supporters who want to get involved. I just recently chatted with the head of the American Outlaws chapter on Long Island, so I'm looking to continue those conversations as well. But honestly, that's the lifeblood of the pro club. So it's something I don't take lightly and I don't take for granted."
Larry:
"I've been doing a lot of Q&A's at bars informally for many, many years. So to do it professionally would be great, Travis. I hope someone's laughing."
Travis:
"The focus is certainly hyper-local. We want Long Islanders to rally behind us, and we see the club as a source of civic pride, but we also want those outside of Long Island to come experience us. You know, we're looking to punch above our weight, especially on the match day experience side, and honestly provide something new that maybe the region hasn't seen before. But we welcome everyone with open arms to come experience us. We hope If you're visiting Long Island from the Boroughs or Jersey.That we're on your to-do list when you come visit, especially when you come to Nassau County. We want to be a can't-miss canvas entertainment product, but also like canvas football team stuff."
(EL) We don't know the exact date of your first match, but it will be during July 2027. How do you guys envision that first match, and what would be a perfect day?
Travis:
"Larry and I probably have the same vision in many ways, but Larry, you can take it first."
Larry:
"I haven't really had time to think about, like, from a sporting director standpoint. I would love to, like, be walking into a full stadium, with a solid team on the field, feeling good about what we've done over the last year. And really, what would be awesome would be just to sit back and enjoy a really good game that the fans loved and to just kind of see this thing come to fruition."
(JM) Is there any part for both of you that's nervous about this? Because I've heard that if you're not nervous, there's a problem. If you're not nervous, it isn't big enough. If you're not nervous, you don't care enough. Where are you guys with that, with everything in this process?
Travis:
"Of course, I could speak to that. I've done this a number of times and that feeling doesn't go away. It's a healthy anxiety. That's what it is. It's not so much nervous. Because, I think I was a lot more nervous early in my career. I didn't know what to do or I didn't know how to navigate this. But the butterflies and all of that and the health anxiety doesn't go away. And to your point, if it didn't exist, then it's not real, in my opinion. But I'll say why, even from the sporting side, I can imagine it's the same and why we keep doing this, over and over, is there's really nothing else that gives you that real-time, that real-time success feeling, of like seeing a full stadium, seeing someone while you're getting a cup of coffee in the morning wearing your jersey. You literally see the work you put in come to life through the community that you play in. And there's really, I don't know of anything else like that. So that kind of is what keeps you going. And I keep saying in my head, I can't wait till like week three. It's like a couple home matches, our first away match, like then I'll take a breath, but until then, it's healthy anxiety and that's kind of what you agree to when you do this."
Larry:
"That's a great answer, Travis. I think the physiological responses to anxiety and excitement are exactly the same. So it's how you want to phrase it and how you want to work through it in your mind."
(JM) I have one final question. I believe some clubs don't make enough effort to engage the local community. If there were a stadium nearby, even if I weren't a soccer fan, I'd visit regularly just for the activity. Do you have a strategy to attract the locals in this way?
Travis:
"Yeah, I think it's not rocket science in terms of typically those that live closest to the stadium usually do go to your matches more often than not. It's kind of how it works. But we also can't sleep on that and just expect it to happen naturally. So I want to be neighbors with the local neighborhoods in many ways. So there is certainly a strategy that we're crafting now on how to tackle that. But yeah, my hope is that within that 5 to 10, 15-mile radius, everyone knows who we are, knows what we're about, and wants to check us out for sure."
(JM) Is working with interns something you are looking into? Are you looking to help kids in college and high school to have roles with the club, to maybe get their foot in the door in this sports world?
Travis:
"Yeah, for sure. I think it's a great place to learn and experience something new. Launching something from scratch is very rare. And I think that experience, no matter what you do with your career after, kind of shapes your professional life. But yeah, we're looking to definitely go local on that in terms of internships."
(EL) I think you guys answered a lot of questions. We got a feel for where you are going with this project, and we'd love to be there on the first day, first match.
Travis:
"You will. We'll stay close. We have some exciting stuff coming up from now until the end of the year. So we'll definitely stay close."
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