ROGERS, Ark. — The United Soccer League team coming to Northwest Arkansas has announced its newly established mission, vision, and values that were crafted by the community.
In 2023, it was announced that Northwest Arkansas will soon host a men's and women's professional soccer team, which will play in a 5,000+ seat stadium planned for Rogers.
Over the past six months, USL Arkansas has been gathering feedback from fans as they work to create their team's name and brand.
Now, USL Arkansas tells 5NEWS that "phase one" of the group's branding journey is complete.
The club's managing director Wes Harris says that after they asked the community of future fans for feedback, they received a huge response.
"We embarked on kind of our community listening narratives, and that led off with our 16 different listening sessions, with over 300 people, almost 40 hours of collective listening across those," Harris said.
Harris says that the survey for the team's name and crest ideas generated around 2,000 responses.
While the team names have not yet been found, the community submissions led to the creation of the club's mission, vision, and values, which have now been unveiled.
"We, as a club, are going to challenge the ordinary and cultivate the extraordinary and use the beautiful game to unify, uplift, and propel Northwest Arkansas in new and unparalleled ways," Harris said.
The club's mission, vision, and values were announced in a press release on Jan. 5 and can be seen below:
- Mission: Challenge the ordinary and cultivate the extraordinary, using the beautiful game to unify, uplift and propel the Northwest Arkansas community.
- Vision: More than a Club, we will be the premier creator of unforgettable moments and enduring memories, impacting our community both on and off the pitch.
- Values: Authentic: Upholding the courage to be unique and delivering unwavering truth. Belonging: EVERYONE is welcome and we are all united by a common goal. Commitment to Excellence: Ensuring every action is intentional and heartfelt. Passion: A fervent dedication to Northwest Arkansas, the Club, and our community. Compassion: Living with empathy and a kind heart, going beyond ourselves.
“We were overwhelmed with thousands of incredible suggestions reflecting the passion and creativity of our community,” Chris Martinovic, co-founder of USL Arkansas, said in the release. “In professional sports, a team's name goes beyond the game—it represents a community's identity and spirit. This team is going to truly represent what our region stands for, thanks to the unwavering support we have already received from soccer fans in Northwest Arkansas."
Harris says that the long-term vision is to be more than a club, but a curator of experiences, on and off the pitch. He says that going into "phase 2" of the brand journey, USL Arkansas is still seeking community feedback, with hopes to create a "founding fan group."
The founding fans panel will include 36 passionate people who commit to ensuring the club's identity and future, the release said.
"You'll be able to participate in focus groups and help us refine, you know, what does our crest look like? What are our colors? What are the elements that we need to include," Harris said. "You guys told us whatever the name is, whatever the crest is, that what's most important to you is that it's connected and unique to this area in this region."
Applications for the founding fans panel are open from Jan. 5 to Jan. 9, with details available here.
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