Mateo is one of the best captains to grace the Footy field, bringing his own combination of intelligence and support to his team, the Best Team Evra. 

Mateo makes sure that everyone, even his opponents, get to feel like they're part of the squad. 

When he's not on the pitch, Mateo is working towards his Masters at NYU. He also volunteers at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, a program he has volunteered with since 2016 when he was living in Ecuador. 

Mateo has a passion for robot design, gaming, legos, as well as politics and economics. 

We're fairly certain by 2040 he'll have created the first fully robotic soccer player, and we just hope that he'll let it sub for us. 

Thank you so much Mateo for being our 5th Captain of the Match! We hope you enjoyed the game!

Meet Rory

J: Hey everyone, James Berry here with Rory Brown on behalf of NYC Footy in our first installment of The Wonderful People of NYC Footy. We’re really excited to kick this off, so Rory why don’t you just dive in and introduce yourself.

R: Hey everyone. I’m Rory. I moved to New York a year and a half ago from Colorado. I wasn’t born there, I was born in Alabama, but I was raised in Colorado because my family loves the mountains and loves to ski. 

J: So what brought you to the city? 

R: I got a job working at Discovery. I thought I was going to be able to work remotely and one day they just said: hey we’re moving back into the office, you have to come here. So I made one visit, saw five apartments, picked the last one I saw, and now I’m just here.

J: Whirlwind kind of move, but it seems like you settled in pretty well.

R: Yup. I love NY, it really feels like home.

J: So then what brought you to Footy, because I’ve heard why and I’ve got a feeling that a lot of people can relate to it.

R: When I first moved here my first friend at work who was training me, Matt, happened to be really really attractive and I had this huge crush on him and we were talking and he found out I played soccer at Cornell. He immediately asked me to join his Footy team with all of his friends from college because they needed girls, which seems to be a pretty common problem.

J: Are you and Matt dating now? 

R: No. That would be a good ending, he has a girlfriend. But we’re friends though. His loss. 

J: Kicking himself I’m sure.

R: Absolutely. 

J: More importantly, are you better than him at soccer ? 

R: I don’t know, he’s pretty good, his a ball hog thought. We’re different players, he scores a lot, but he never defends. 

J: Got it. Pretty standard striker behavior. 

R: Exactly.

J: And what position do you play?

R: I play left mid because I’m a leftie, sometimes center mid, but I was a left-back in college. My favorite thing is when there’s a big strong guy dribbling down the field and they don’t think that I’m gonna go in and I really tackle them. And then… you know. They find out.

J: Cool, note to self don’t test Rory. Got it. So you found Matt, or Matt found you. Had you been playing soccer in the city before then at all?

R: No, actually I had not touched a ball in 3+ years. The pandemic happened, but before that, I was so burnt out of soccer. I hated it. I had gotten two knee surgeries and when I tried to get back into playing, the pandemic happened right before I graduated. The Ivy League cancelled all games and practices, and my soccer dreams ended. I finished Cornell remotely. No more soccer. I told myself I was better off without soccer, and that I’d never play again. And then I moved to the city for a job and here’s, you know, hot Matt inviting me to play in NYC Footy, so how could I say no. 

J: So Footy was your first time on the field in 3 years?

R: Well backing up, after that conversation with Matt, I didn’t hear from him for six months, and one day out of the blue he asked me ‘hey we have a game today can you come play’. I said sure and spent the this whole day getting ready and I was so nervous because I hadn’t touched a ball in so long and thought I was gonna suck, and had bad knees and I didn’t feel like the active Colorado girl that I once was. But I played in the game and I could tell NYC Footy was clearly different.

J: What was different about it? 

R: Well, I didn’t know who or what Footy was to be honest, but I was immediately impressed that we got jerseys. The field (DeWitt Clinton) was nice and so scenic. There were refs who called the game with care for our well being, and the teams we played were all out there for the same reason we were, for the love of the game. We even wound up winning the championship! So we got photos and Champagne and the ref even saw us at the bar after and bought us a round. I was in awe you guys exceeded my expectations. 

J: Championship on the first go, way to go. So you were in.

R: 100%. We joined another league in Chinatown right after. The turf wasn’t as nice, but it was such a unique and special experience. And the view! It made me feel so alive and present in the moment to see the bridges right there, and even these little funny NY moments like a lady coming through with a trash bag, pouring out and taking our water bottles mid game, or the net being a little loose and the ref laughing when he wasn’t sure if it was a goal or not, which strangely but really genuinely added to the whole experience because it was just about having fun and being around other people who had fun. 

J: So you’d found your main team? 

R: Well no, actually. So we won the Chinatown league as well. They bring the champagne out and take the photos. I’m loving it. I figured I was peaking in life at that point. But then the team sort of wasn’t saying anything and I figured I could figure this out myself. Other teams need girls.

J: So you went full hired gun. 

R: Totally. And being a free agent is where I feel like I really started to break out and meet new people. I would just show up to a game as a sub, maybe score maybe not, but it would be easy from there. You know I can be nervous when I’m meeting someone or talking to someone, but when you play your guard goes down, which I really like. 

J: How many teams are you on now? 

R: Right now I’m on three free agent teams. I found all of them just randomly or on FootyHQ. Again, it was the best decision. I get to meet so many new people, but I know that they’re all people who enjoy soccer, are here for the love of the game, but also you know, have to go to work tomorrow. I can’t tell you how many friends I’ve made from NYC Footy since moving here. I literally can’t count them all. 

J: Do you prefer being on a team or being a free agent more?

R: I really like both. I like being able to meet new people from the free agent side, but I like the team feeling from the other side. But the team I really like now is cool because nobody knew each other and now people are already becoming friends. And it’s a little motley crew, some people have kids, some people just graduated college, and there’s always an open invite to go to a nearby bar. I watched Rihanna’s half-time show with them, and if I hadn’t been with them I probably just would have been at home watching on my computer. 

J: What do you think makes that community click? 

R: I think the soccer is important; clicking on the field is big. The fact that we are all free agents makes everybody pretty open to hanging out, being welcoming, you know we’re playing on a Sunday, we might as well do something after too. 

J: Has there been a highlight of playing in Footy so far?

R: The first time I scored, I just felt like I still got it. 

J: Are you a soccer fan too? 

R: I really like watching women’s soccer, women’s college soccer. My little sister plays at Pittsburg. Last season it was so fun watching her because they made it to the NCAA Playoffs, to the Sweet 16 I think, and it was just so exciting seeing her succeed and do that? 

J: So are we gonna get her into Footy?

R: I’m already working on it I promise.

J: How about the She Believes Cup, did you see any of that this last round? 

R: Yeah actually one of the players on USA, Mallory Swanson, we grew up playing together. She used to score 10 goals in our little peewee games, just wrecking people. Even when she went to college, I think she just saw that D1 wasn’t good enough for her so she just went pro after I think one year.
J: Is there anyone you really want to play with?

R: Abby Wombach. Meghan Rapinoe, Shannon Box. I feel like they’re kind of iconic. And they’re more than soccer. I feel like as a kid I was inspired by their mission so that would be a dream.

J: That’s a class list, you’ve clearly got some high standards for soccer. How’s Footy holding up? Is there anything about Footy you’d want to change?

R: The nets, some of the fields have old nets. It’s not even that bad but we have this joke on my team because when we won we kind of weren’t sure if the ball actually went in the net. It went through the back and we all just started celebrating and the ref was like, sure. Goal. But that’s also part of the charm. There were definitely some goals over the course of the season that we arbitrated with ref, and I’ve never seen this before in soccer but I like it. 

J: We love a little bit of on the field litigation. Despite the reverse VAR, do you feel happy about joining Footy?

R: Absolutely, Footy has shaped a lot of my experience of exploring the city is through playing on different fieldsIt’s a cool way to get to know your city. Also I love my Sundays now. It’s not the Sunday scaries it’s the Sunday soccer. 

J: Sunday is the holy day for soccer then.

R: No, everyday is.

J: Fair enough. Well before we wrap up, I’ve got ask is there a current on the field crush? Don’t worry, this will only go to the 20,000 or so newsletter subscribers. 

R: There might be some cute guys, but I’ve got like no game. Like my plan is to just play really well and they’ll somehow figure it out.

J: From the way it sounds like you play I’m sure someone will figure it out pretty quickly.

R: Haha hopefully.

J: Is there anything else you wanna add? What days of the week you’re free to play maybe, what type of guy you’re into?

R: Haha none of that no. I just wanna thank NYC Footy. I really do look forward to it so much. It’s funny on my Gramercy team one guy on the team just had a baby, he’s not even from NY he was just visiting, but now he kinda of plays every week and he was saying how it’s just the highlight of his week. Last weekend I scored a header goal and I’ve always wanted to do that, those don’t come often and that whole day was just amazing afterwards. I think I texted my entire family. I could do really well at work, doesn’t matter. If I do well at soccer, it changes my whole week. It’s really the most special thing to me, so thank you.

J: That’s wonderful, yeah I feel the same way. Well Rory, thanks so much for joining us and being Footy’s first Wonderful Person, and I’m both looking forward to and dreading seeing you on the pitch depending on what team your on.

-James Berry

Linda is one of the most recent additions to the NYC Footy Captains club, having learned how to play soccer only one year ago.

Linda started her soccer journey through BetterPlayer, and after hopping around to a few free agent teams, secretly scouting the local talent, she formed Hardly Athletic FC! 

Linda's passion for the game is contagious; even drawing people back to the game after more than ten years off the pitch.

Everyone on Hardly Athletic FC is inspired by and shares Linda's drive, competitiveness, and particularly her love for post-game analysis over half-off drinks.

When she's not playing, Linda is a software engineer of considerable pedigree.

Linda works at Giant Machines and took first place Essteem's 2019 Hackathon Challenge!

Her commitment to code and community goes even further, as shown during her time spent volunteering for Upperline Code, a program that teaches coding to underprivileged high school students.

We, and her teammates, are better for having Linda on the pitch. She represents how so much can happen and change in such a short amount of time if you really want it to.

Thank you Linda for being our 4th Captain of the Match!

Grisha has been a player in NYC Footy since it's inception in 2010, and is one of our longest tenured captains.

He's one of the special few who really knows how to balance fun and competition on the pitch.

Between his never-say-quit attitude on the field and his patented half-time white-board strategy meetings (which put Arteta's to shame) he's a cornerstone of every team that he plays on.

Though it's off the field that sets Greg apart.

His commitment to always learning and his unconditional love and deep respect for others (as well as the game), are what make him the quintessential captain, player, and friend.

As one example, Greg takes in and fosters stray cats, making sure they find homes filled with the same love, joy, and care he brings to his teams (anyone in need of a loving Cat? Find Greg on FootyHQ and ping him).

I can't tell you how lucky we are at NYC Footy as well as those around him that count him amongst their own, and how grateful we are as a community have him as a captain of Rottenham FC (with their sweet custom kits), and as a part of the bedrock of NYC Footy.

Thank you, Captain Grisha!

Emily is the captain of NoHands FC, a team which would not have existed if they all hadn't serendipitously joined a BetterPlayer practice together last year.

From day 1 it was clear that they all understood the assignment, that Footy, and BetterPlayer, are about doing something fun with people you love.

There is no better team that exemplifies that than NoHands and It's been amazing to watch them grow, in no small part because of Emily.

You can find the tight-knit but open to all NoHands FC all over the city, at Gov Cup, and Footy Fest (last year they even made an amazing documentary about it), with their patented pink kit and custom banner, all thanks to Emily's leadership. 

When Emily is not wrangling NoHands players onto the pitch, she dances and volunteers.

She has two performance intensives coming up this spring, and volunteered with CAAAV doing public housing outreach and organizing of tenants in Mandarin, as well as with a program that helped formerly incarcerated folks learn how to code and transition back into the workforce while she was in school.

We're so proud that people like Emily are a part of our community, and who can create such a wonderful place for so many people to simply come, be together, and have fun.

Thank you, Captain Emily!

Gotham FC & NYCFC Partner with NYC Footy

This week marks one of the biggest moments not only for NYC Footy, but for soccer in NYC (maybe even in the United States).

NYC Footy is now partnered with two of New York’s major soccer teams, NYCFC and Gotham FC.

The partnerships spell a lots of integrating potential for our players. From standing ticket discounts, NYCFC’s Captain of the Match program (now powered by NYC Footy), Footy Days at their respective stadiums, in-stadium advertising, Footy tournament activations and so much more.

But beyond the tangible benefits, there is something unique and new within this partnership, the likes of which have not been seen here in NYC or, more broadly, the US.

Let’s meet our partners:

Gotham FC

Gotham FC was founded in 2006, under a different name, the Jersey Sky Blue, which would go on to become one of the founding members of the National Women’s Soccer League in 2013.

In their inaugural year in the first division of the league (they had spent 2006-2008 playing in the second division), the Sky Blue won the inaugural Women’s Professional Soccer Championship in what can only be described as one of the greatest all-time underdog stories in sports.

Over the next decade the Sky Blue battled in and out of the playoffs until 2021, when they changed their name to Gotham FC, landing on the new name, logo, and colors after extensive fan involvement.

The change has catapulted the team forward, allowing them to do a bit of restructuring post-Covid. Not only have they taken on new head coach Juan Carlos Amoros, who took Tottenham to the Women’s Super League in 2018, they’ve also grown their ownership team to include some really big names, like Sue Bird, Kevin Durant, and Eli Manning.

While primed for success in the 2023 season, Gotham FC represents more than just what they are able to accomplish on the field.

Through programs like Gotham FC Heroes, Gotham Kids, as well as their youth community clinics and community partners, Gotham FC is a team that enriches the lives of those around them. They understand what it means to belong to a community and how give back in a way that makes those around them thrive.

It’s for this reason, more than anything, that we’re proud to have them as a part of our community, and to be a part of theirs.

We can’t wait to see what we can achieve together!

NYCFC

NYCFC is New York’s biggest and best MLS program. A fact even more remarkable because the program is less than ten years old.

The inaugural season for the boys in blue was 2015, which technically makes their supporter group, The Third Rail, older than the team as the group was created the same day the club was announced!

Despite their age, NYCFC is one of the biggest names in the league, drawing thousands of fans for each home game, as well as the likes of superstars Andres Pirlo and David Villa to play on their roster.

The team has also enjoyed no small amount of success on the pitch, consistently breaking into the playoffs, going deep in the Eastern Conference Championships, and winning the MLS Cup in 2021!

Not bad for the new kid on the block.

Over the short amount of time NYCFC has been in the city, they have ingratiated themselves to the city of New York in ways that make me proud to be a fan.

They understand what it means to be a part of the sports culture of the greatest city on earth, and the expectations that come with that.

They have plans to build their own stadium in Queens, which is New York’s most populous and underserved sports borough, strangely enough as Queens has some of, if not the, most avid fans in the whole city.

Beyond their plans to build a stadium, NYCFC has also created programs, like the Healthy Hat Trick, Saturday Night Lights, and Soccer Bloc, that give back to New Yorkers off the field by supporting after school programs, violence prevention, and addressing the lack of free community programming in parks for the youth of New York City.

Our partnership with NYCFC means a lot of things. Beyond just the fun and excitement of getting our players to the games, and seeing NYCFC at our events and tournaments, it signals the opportunity to be a part of something greater, granting our players an opportunity to be a part of an instrument of positive change here in the city.

We’re proud to see what we can accomplish with NYCFC at our backs. Or more specifically on our chest.

NYC Footy

Founded in 2010, NYC Footy is a collection of thousands of creative humans from all walks of life, coming together on and off the pitch to enjoy the beautiful game, who over the years have turned Footy into the largest and most visible recreational soccer league in NYC and one of the largest leagues in the country.

It is not accident. There is something special, something even beyond soccer, about Footy. It is a place where people come to find not only fun, but family.

It’s something you have to experience for yourself, but I have simply lost count of how many people I know who have joined Footy to try to get a bit more exercise or just want to have fun, but wound up finding a second home and a group of friends that stick with them for the rest of their lives.

All of our leagues are mixed gender, a fact that we’ve prided ourselves on from the start, but are not content to rest on.

Through existing partnerships with organizations like Women In Soccer, our new partnership with Gotham FC, and how we build our programming (we’ve recently introduced ‘flip’ gender leagues, where instead of the traditional two-female-minimum, we’re placing a two-male-maximum on the pitch), we are striving to make soccer a more equitable place for women, and players from all walks of life.

So if you’ve never played, or you played in college, and anything in-between, come see what the fuss is all about.

We’ve got leagues year-round, indoor and out, as well as two incredible tournaments: Gov Cup, a two-day soccer palooza on Governor’s Island, and Footy Fest, a more relaxed, autumn jaunt in the Catskills.

What the Partnership Represents:

In the last decade, soccer in the US has been on an exponential climb.

The sport has moved into the mainstream over that time, with larger and larger portions of people in the United States tuning in.

Not only the biggest events the sport has to offer (The World Cup, The Euros, The Champions League), but to the MLS and its more established geographical cousins in Europe (The Premier League, La Liga, and so on) have all found a steady foothold here in the United States after decades of wondering whether or not soccer would ever stick in the one place on earth it never seemed to.

During that time, Footy has continued to grow on its own, organic, intrinsic to the identity of soccer in New York City, and parallel to the growth we’ve seen in the sport around the country, becoming a microcosm of that growth we’ve seen on a national level.

A steady climb of interest and attention within a small, dedicated, wonderful community of soccer fans and players, that has erupted in the last few years.

This feeling of a gigantic swing forward was in no small part because of Covid.

The foggy and ominous peril of Covid as a virus, which sparked a wave of dislocation and isolation the likes of which the world, let alone NYC, had never seen, illustrated a few things.

First, when the world buckled, on the inside its own doorstep and unable to leave without some trepidation no less, it became clear how precious community is, and how invaluable doing things with people we care for can be.

That feels like such a blunted, obvious thing to say, but there were not only moments, but months, where for many that felt like it was not an option.

Second, we all realized how important it was to move and play.

Moving not to just shuffle from the fridge, back to the kitchen table 15 times before sunset, but the type of play that can take us out of our heads and grant us those moments of quiet freedom only unvarnished enthusiasm can provide us.

The type of unvarnished enthusiasm that soccer has garnered globally for many decades.

Footy was, for so many people, a perfect solution to the woes that Covid had brought upon them.

It gave them a chance to be a part of a community, be active, and be involved in something that took them out of themselves.

NYCFC and Gotham FC play the same role for so many more in NYC and around the country, providing the space for community, friendship, and enthusiastic participation, things that were taken away from everyone during the pandemic.

Beyond a shared solution to the personal blows dealt to everyone by the pandemic, Footy’s partnership with NYCFC and Gotham FC represents something fascinating and unique in the landscape of soccer in the US.

The tethering of two ends of the soccer spectrum, the professional and the recreational. It is the type of partnership that sets the groundwork to fill in the gaps of our national soccer programs and interest, gaps that has held us back for so long and which are finally beginning to fill in thanks to programs like Gotham FC, NYCFC, and NYC Footy.

These partnerships aim to build upon that growth and it’s our sincere and shared belief that it is one more step towards bringing soccer to more people, both on the pitch and in the stands, and ultimately reshaping the landscape of the sport in this city, and around the world.

-James Berry

For us, Footy Fest is a special thing.

It’s an opportunity to do what we can’t while we’re in the city.

To play on real grass, breathe fresh air, enjoy the sport of football somewhere the trees outnumber the buildings and pedestrians.

It’s an opportunity for the NYC Footy community to get together once a year, around what is really meaningful to all of us, around friends, family, and football, and try something different.

That’s the ethos we started Footy Fest with and it’s been a privilege to see it grow over the years into what it is now, a tournament where over 500 players come up to the Catskills and enjoy the quiet side of life for a weekend.

Last year we made a video about the experience of Footy Fest, with the intention of creating a sizzle reel for the upcoming year.

The video turned out to be anything but that. It really captures the soul of Footy Fest, in ways that I can’t hope to do here in this short blog post.

So if you haven’t gone before and want to understand what Footy Fest is about, or you have and know that how spending 5 minutes day-dreaming about it is time well spent, watch this video.

And if you’ve got any friends who might like to come, feel free to pass it on to them too.

Ever,

James

Hi Footy Friend,

This is our year in review email. It's a once-a-year narrative and it's quite long.

You don't have to read this (and if you don't, at least scroll to the second to last image).

But, if you're curious what it's like to run a soccer league, then grab a comfort drink and settle in.

It's consistent with my random emails over the years that explain, in detail, what the hell is going on at Footy. Last year was the most intense year in our history and I don't think it's a stretch to say that, at moments, the entire operation was at risk.

Here's what went down.

TLDR: 2022 asked a lot from us, to a point where I was genuinely concerned about our future (and my health). But monumental efforts from a growing team helped right the wrongs, re-wire some circuits, launch new, helpful initiatives and set NYC Footy up for lots of new in 2023.

For years NYC Footy was such a small, manageable operation that we knew damn near every player in the league. It was pretty easy to get the "vibe" we were pushing because we played in basically all of the leagues and tournaments we offered. 

Our original vision for Footy was one league in Williamsburg where we could set the standard and play weekly. Turns out quite a few folks liked the type of league we created for ourselves and it started to grow.

Things changed first in 2013 when we got our first permit at BBP. But a larger inflection point was probably 2018 when we finally landed a permit in Manhattan (it took 7 years). 

The biggest change, however, may have been the ripples of COVID in NYC. Creating migration patterns that welcomed many new New Yorkers, but also an acute need for activity and, more importantly, connection.

Footy B.C. (Before Covid) was a strong, steady, wonderful, and not necessarily small community of players in NYC. Since then, the community has nearly tripled.
 

Suddenly, things get far more complicated.

I am pretty focused on ensuring everyone in this league understands how important this operation is to us. Many of you don't fancy my long-winded emails explaining every decision we make. But others really appreciate it. I tend to fall in the latter category myself, which is why I over-index a bit on TMI.

2022 was far and away the most challenging professional year of my life. The year began without anyone working exclusively full time at NYC Footy. For me, it had been a full-time job already, but I was (and still am) running my other company (Uncubed). Gerardo and Joe also had other serious obligations. G managing a band that went gangbusters and Joe operating the most iconic hardware store in NYC.

At the start of last year, it became very clear that we could no longer run NYC Footy as we had for the previous decade. Everyone in the community deserved better.
 

Help is on the way.

I began seeing the demand was outweighing our abilities, no matter how many hours I worked. Fortunately, a few faces began to show up to help, starting with Grace, Gianluca and Kristin, all of whom came on board in part time capacities to support the overwhelming workload.

Last year there were, quite literally, thousands of brand new players. Far more than any previous year. For a league that is desperate to maintain the culture we've created, this is a massive opportunity to expand that, but also a real challenge to ensure so many new faces catch the drift of our operation and understood that Footy is a league built upon community more than anything.

The customer experience is at risk

With my declining success in responding to these new faces, we started to feel the bolts loosen on the operation. By now, I was downright failing on the attentive, quick-to-respond customer service standard we had set.  

We also began seeing more league disruption. It wasn't a lot, but for our small team, it was the largest contributor to our stress. Perhaps a referee didn't show up on time (or at all). Or maybe goals were destroyed or we couldn't get into our storage box. Embarrassing stuff and we couldn't catch up because we didn't have enough resources.

The hight of this stress was the summer of this past year. I was living in Portugal for 3 months, working from 8am to 3am with no end in sight. To top it off, we suddenly lost one of our keystone contributors for 3 weeks that summer. That's about when I had to see a cardiologist because my heart started doing very unusual things (all checked out, thankfully).

There's light at the end of the tunnel

Fortunately, Grace came on board full time to support Kristin, who joined us full time a couple months earlier. Then, our first full time customer service hire started, Zimanta. "Zee' for short. This changed the game, as she began taking over the customer service tasks that helped all of us focus on ensuring we solved any potential league disruptions while continuing to meet the demands of players living all over this great city.

We started to see light at the end of the tunnel when G, my co-founder, reworked his schedule to commit a near full-time effort to Field Operations and ensuring we right sized the issues we were having with jerseys being delayed, goals being broken, and refs being unprepared.

Soon after, Gianluca committed a meaningful PT effort to his FT role at BetterPlayer to support field operations and our referee manager, Markus. His top priority: recruitment and training of new refs.

Finally, as we entered Q4, the referee shortage we'd been experiencing all year, causing the majority of our league disruptions and staff stress, was beginning to wane. We're not fully there (just this morning, we had a ref emergency at 3 fields), but we are a long way from 6 months ago. And I'm not going to bed at 3am anymore.

In October, just after the Footy Fest, the event that truly culminated an extraordinary year, Federico joined full time to direct our customer efforts and focus on player retention and happiness (this will be a never-ending job). 

We rounded off the year by making a full-time offer to James, who started this year as our manager of marketing and communications. He's the fella that now preps these emails for me (and why you're starting to see some more consistency).

This also does not highlight the part-time help we continue to get from the likes of Ashley, Amanda, Thais, Markus and many more that keep our social media flowing, our designs original and our refs scheduled at the right field!

Meet the team.

I would love for you to meet this team and, as of yesterday, we have a number of faces up on our about page here.

This is a work in progress, because there are far more faces than these that help make NYC Footy what it is. For starters, the dozens of referees that have such a critical role in your experience (soon their faces will be up on our site as well).

So that's the story in a nutshell, but if you're interested in getting a more specific idea of the good, the bad and the go-forward, then read on.

A Lens Into The Good & The Bad

Lots of good. Here's a sample of what we're proud of this year.

As you might have noticed, Footy grew multiplicatively in 2022, welcoming more new faces in 2022 then in the first 9 years combined. This meant we had to expand current offerings and, where we couldn't expand, get creative.

Tournaments: Governors Cup became the largest soccer tournament in the city, spanning two days in June. The Footy Fest welcomed 500 players, turning it into one of the largest single-day gatherings of city slickers in upstate New York. 

Sunset Leagues: We launched leagues that required players to kick off at 5pm on a weeknight. An experiment that was so successful, it will open way more doors for us this year. 

New Locations: Thanks to an effort led by Kristin, we added dozens of new locations last year to accommodate the many New Yorkers that can't be bothered commuting anywhere!

Vampire Leagues: Nearly all of our vampire leagues (10pm to midnight) were full. Another exciting opportunity moving forward.

We Won a Small Business Award: We won the Mastercard City Assist Award for our contributions to the NYC community as a small business.

Sponsors & Partners: We welcomed NYCFC, Umbro, Pumpkin Pie and NY Orthopedics as league sponsors and partners, culminating in a Footy Day out at Yankee Stadium where 1,000 Footy players attended.

Return of In-Person Events: We came back with a bang with our 1st-timers happy hour, Champion's League Final (over 500 of you attended) and World Cup Viewing Parties.

Growing Online Community: We launched a new online community to help teams and players connect, fill rosters, avoid forfeits, play pickup and more. To date, more than 1K of you have joined.

There's more where that came from, but this email is already far too long!
 

Things we need(ed) to do better on

None of the above was possible without lots of opportunities to learn.

We had more moments than any of us are comfortable sharing where we...well I'll just use the metaphor...dropped the ball. The frequency was enough that we created a "league disruption form" to track these issues and ensure we took care of our players appropriately.

Field Changes: We had a field closed due to poor field conditions, a natural grass field destroyed after hosting a concert and a new field that came online a full month later than promised. In all scenarios, teams were re-located to different locations and different times.

No Ref: There were times when players showed up to a field and there was no ref.

No Equipment: Players showed up and our refs couldn't get into our storage box. Playing games with cones as goals.

Customer Service Delays: Before Zimanta joined, my biggest nightmare began to manifest. Customers not getting a response, or getting it so delayed that it no longer mattered.

That doesn't scratch the surface with internal challenges that made decision making and transfer of information seamless and efficient.

When we fail players, it's stomach churning. It creates more work for us, a growing number of "nastigrams" (some justifiable) and the need to dig ourselves out of a hole that should not have been there in the first place.

What I can say is this: league disruptions declined meaningfully between summer and fall, and have become almost non-existent this winter. That is very much credit to our laser focus on these issues and a committed team determined to solve them.

And The Footy (Changes)

In order to continue being the place where you can come hang, play and form the kinds of relationships that made us start this league in the first place, we're making changes that are frankly long overdue.

The first thing will be the least popular.

Generally speaking, prices are going up (with shades of grey).

Starting this spring, we are going to do something we've only every done once before. Raise prices. In fact, the average price for a team captain or free agent is less today than it was at any point in our history.

We've delayed this as long as possible, but it's clear with our nearly universal increase in costs, coupled with building a team that can maintain (if not improve) our standard, we have to. More to come on that in a separate email (cause we'll also have more opportunities to save).

We've increased our number of referees.

Over the last few months, we've increased the number of refs we have to over 50, and have implemented a new ref training program so that every ref who steps onto the field is fully prepared to best represent Footy.

Reducing waste.

We're looking to reduce our jersey waste by implementing return programs and making custom jerseys easier to make.

Get more out of our partners & sponsors for our community.

We've continued to grow our relationships with existing sponsors, and have made connections to new sponsors.

This means that things like getting tickets to NYCFC games and joining us for World Cup Viewing parties will not only continue, but will continue to grow as we add more programming in the year to come. 

Doing more for team captains.

We some of the plans we have in store, we're hoping that by the end of this year, everyone will want to be a captain.

Here's to 2023.

We have a feeling you're going to love what's coming your way in 2023. 

And if you don't. Tell us.

We have always thought of ourselves as a league for players, by players (every full timer here at Footy was a community member first), so your feedback on what we can do better is extremely useful to us.

Critical feedback, big ideas, funky requests, etc. All are welcome. Just be nice.

We apologize for the abnormally bulky, dry, text ridden email. We wanted to make sure that as we go into 2023, we did so with our intentions clear so that you can continue to get the soccer and community experience you deserve, and which is so vital and needed in the world we live in today.

With love, always,

Tarek and the Footy Fam

P.S. Enjoy the best email from 2022 👇 

If you do not have enough players to register a full team, but you want to ensure your group of friends plays together, then be sure to “register as a small group”.

Here’s how to do it:

Choose your Desired League.

The most important step is knowing where and when you want to play. NYC Footy has leagues all over New York City, every day of the week. You can find leagues by clicking “Leagues (By Location)” in the navigation and selecting your desired neighborhood. Or, you can select “Leagues (By Skill)” if you’d prefer to only see available leagues by skill level.

Once you and your friends decide on the best league, you’ll start the registration process.

Click “Register” and Select “Small Group Member”

Once you have found your desired league, you’ll click on the blue “Register” button. From here, you’ll see a little pop-up window like this:

Create or Join a Small Group

Once you select “Small Group Member,” you will begin entering your registration details.

If you are the first in your group to register, then you will select “I want to create new Small Group.” You’ll then be prompted to give your Small Group a name.

If a small group has already been created, then you will select “I want to join existing Small Group” whereby you’ll click on the dropdown and select the appropriate small group that your group will be joining.

Complete the Registration Process

The rest of the process is straight forward and applies to all players. You’ll fill out the rest of your registration details, pay the league fee and you’ll be all set.

In the days leading up to the season kickoff, NYC Footy staff will ensure your small group is together on a team and additional players will be added to complete the roster. Additional players may be made up of other small groups, or individual players.

Now that you know how to register for a small group, take a look at our available leagues here.

Hey Footy Family,

Many of you may already been familiar with Upper 90, as it’s one of the best soccer stores in the city, but some may not know that they also have four beautiful futsal sized fields in their Astoria location.

Between the two fields inside on the ground-floor and two more on the roof, there is soccer going on all the time here and the fields are incredibly nice. There is something wonderful and uniquely metropolitan about playing soccer on a rooftop

The store is usually open when games start as well in case you need to grab any last minute supplies like shin guards or goalie gloves, not to mention there's a small little bar wedged between it all where you can pick up snacks, gatorade, a quick post game beer.

Up Next: Astoria

The Field: 

All of the fields are made for 4 on 4 games, 5 on 5 if you include the goalies in your count. If you're unfamiliar with how futsal fields are designed, the entire field is wrapped in a wall, with nets covering everything above chest height on the upstairs fields, and walls going all the way to the roof on the downstairs fields. The goals are also designed lower, only about 3 feet high, so make sure you keep the ball low when you shoot. 

Since the field is so compact and there's effectively no out of bounds games are incredibly action packed. Even though there are only four field players out on the field at a time, make sure you have a deep roster as everyone is moving all the time on a pitch of this size. If you're looking to join a fun, exciting, fast pace league, register for NYC Footy here. If you're a beginner looking to get into soccer, you've haven't played in years, or are just looking for some extra touches during the week, sign up for our Better Player program!

Remember that cleats aren't fit for this field so bring turf shoes!!! 

The Neighborhood:

Sek'end Sun: A laid back cocktail bar right in the heart of Astoria and just a short walk from the field, that hits just the right spot between upscale and laid back. Sek'end Sun features an excellent roster of cocktails, a solid beer list, great food, and a super friendly staff. The bar has a ton of space and a big backyard. The bar itself is dressed down with warm, welcoming lighting, so feel free to come as you are, however you are.

Oliver's: I've been told on "good" authority (shout out to No Hand's) that Oliver's is one of the go to bars for Footy Teams that play at U90. A tap house with a welcoming, warm atmosphere on the inside and heaps of space out front, you'll find everything you could want here and probably a bit more. Cocktails, taco Tuesdays, and trivia nights, pop in if you're looking for a solid time or to get in with a little bit more of the Footy crowd. I’ll also give a quick shout out to Las Margaritas, which is right across the street and serves great pitches of frozen margs if that is more you speed.

Cronin's and Phelan's: If you're looking for a classic Irish pub, just a block away from the field, look no further than Cronin's. What is best described as another great good place, they've been serving Astoria for over 100 years, so rest assured they know what they're doing. They've got knockout pub fare, more whiskey then you can, or should, shake a stick at, and karaoke nights, this might just become your second Footy home. Did I mention, their head bartender is also a magician?

Directions: 

Train: Both the M and R trains stop right underneath the facility at Steinway St. and the N and W trains will drop you off about 5-10 minutes away at 36av

Bus: The Q101 will drop you off right where the Steinway subway stop is and the Q66 only a block further away, so either one will get you right next to the fields.  

Bike: There's a city bike station right on the corner where the facility is and if you're coming from Brooklyn or Queens, it's a fairly straightforward trip. 

Thanks for listening.

- James

Hey Footy Family,

The next field we are adding to our ever-expanding repertoire of NYC locations is Peter's Field in Gramercy. The field was only set down less than a year ago and every league we've had here fills up incredibly quickly. Make sure to keep this one on your radar!

Up next: Peter's Field (Gramercy)

The Field: 

Peter's Field in Gramercy Park looks fairly innocuous. You've probably passed it by if you ever bike through the city as the second avenue bike path runs right alongside it. 

When the city laid down new turf over what used to be just concrete, in October of 21', they quietly turned the field into one of the best places to play in lower Manhattan. 

It's a city field through and through. While I love idyllic open fields and wide open spaces, I think there is something beautiful about playing soccer right in the midst of all of the hustle and bustle of NYC. It's a reminder that you don't have to get away from the city, but you can disappear on one of these small but invaluable plots of land around the city, and that's where you can really make the city yours, which is exactly why we love this field.

The Neighborhood:

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that most of you have already been out drinking on or around the Lower East Side, but there are still a few bars I would like to recommend at least to put on your radar.

Barfly NY: Just a block away from the field, Barfly fits the bill for your classic sports bar/pub to a T. They've got a pool table, darts, happy hour specials, and a bartender who, if you spend some time warming up to them over your season, might supply you with one or two free rounds of shots.

The Winslow: Right on 14th street, the Winslow is one of the few proper gin bars in the city that was created to be like a British-style pub and eatery. Don't be intimidated though, The Winslow is an incredibly friendly, warm environment. They regularly have trivia nights, happy hours until 8PM, live music, and will even educate you on how their gin is made.

Taproom 307: If you or your team are looking for some craft beers after your game, look no further. Taproom 307 has dozens of craft beers, which they rotate season to season, and great bar food including flatbread pizzas, and cocktails. They're always airing movies or sports on their giant wall projector too, so rest assured you will be entertained.

Directions: 

Train: If you're coming from Brooklyn or the West side, I recommend taking the L and walking up. Otherwise, I recommend taking the 4, 5, or 6 to 23rd street, which is just a five-minute walk away from the field.

Bike: As per usual, the field is incredibly easy to get to by bike, as the 2nd avenue bike path runs right alongside it. 

Bus: The M15 runs downtown along 2nd avenue and uptown along1st and will drop you either right next to the field or only a block away.  

Thanks for listening.

- James

Hey Footy Fam,

We’re here to tell you about another one of our amazing fields, this one’s in Sunset Park, right along the water.

The Field: 

What on the surface seems like just another field in a typical NYC park, Sunset Park is anything but. The whole park sits on top of a hill, the tallest in the surrounding area for miles, which gives you a breathtaking view of the city skyline. Sunset or high-noon, it doesn’t matter.

The field itself is in good condition. It’s all turf with goals at the field, good lines, and a fairly tall fence so even the most misguided shots won’t dovetail into some poor family’s picnic. If you’ve been playing for any amount of time in NYC, the field should be a familiar sight.

The Neighborhood:

Down below the Red Hook inlet, Sunset Park is surrounded by quiet streets, on the border of where the city goes from urban to suburban, but with the best of both worlds. No crowds, low noise, beautiful parks, and easy parking side by side with great bars, easy public transportation, and some of the best food around.

To start it off, let me tell you about one of my favorite spots, Judy’s

Judy’s: You know that one friend you have that seems to be able to do twelve different things, exceptionally well, without batting an eye and still being a genuinely (read frustratingly) kind person. That’s Judy’s.

Judy’s is a bar, coffee shop, and a small shop wrapped into one. They serve and sell everything. all day, but the vibe switches from coffee shop during the day, to bar at night. During the day they have freshly made pastries and at night they make their own pizza. They’ve got sidewalk seating, indoor seating, and a patio with a roof. Judy’s alone makes the trip worthwhile. Did I mention it’s across the street from the field?

L’wren: Don’t be fooled by the sleek interior or the french name, L’wren is a wonderful and incredibly friendly bar. They’ve got an assortment of amazing food, from tacos to table popcorn, excellent cocktails, and if you like what you taste, you can even order 35oz of freshly made margarita to take home with you in a bottle if you want. They have outdoor space on both ends, a great atmosphere, and are located just across the street from the park.

Minnie’s: Female owned. Check. Let’s you order pizza from table 87 to the bar. Check. Has nothing to do with Minnie the Mouse. Check. Minnie’s is your fun, easy, casual bar that you and your team will find it hard not to become regulars at. They’ve got boardgames, a great backyard, and five dollar beers, don’t think too hard. This place is a catch.

Directions:

Trains: The quickest and easiest way to get to Sunset Park is on the R and N Trains, which stops at 45th, only 1 block away from the field. The D train also stops five blocks away from the field at 36th.

Bike: There are Citi bike stations on two corners of the park and the park itself is an easy bike ride from anywhere in the city.

As always, thanks for listening.

-James