PAWTUCKET – In just 11 words, Fortuitous Partners LLC Co-Chairman and Principal Brett Johnson threw the gauntlet down on Rhode Island FC’s performance expectations when he introduced the new professional soccer team’s name in November 2022. “Our team is going to compete for championships from day one,” Johnson told the crowd at the Blackstone Valley
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RHODE ISLAND FC fans celebrate Nov. 16 at The Guild in Pawtucket after the team advanced to the United Soccer League Championship Final. / PBN PHOTO / JAMES BESSETTE[/caption]
The club’s on-field success, Peart said, has played “a big part” in getting Rhode Island FC attention in the general populous beyond the core fans the club engaged. He said the club’s social media profiles on Instagram, X and TikTok have seen double-digit engagement growth from the end of the regular season to now. Peart also said Rhode Island FC has the largest social media engagement by percentage of all the USL Championship teams.
More fans are calling the box office for tickets as well. While he didn’t offer specifics, Peart told PBN that Rhode Island FC is “ahead of [its] plan” for season ticket sales for the month of November – the club has sales targets for each month – even after the club recently introduced five- and 10-game season ticket packages this week.
“I would attribute that to the success the team has had in the postseason,” he said. “We’re feeling really good about where we are [with sales].”
Peart did not say if season tickets were sold out or are close to selling out, or if there will be a cap on season ticket availability for next year to allow for general ticket sales. He did say the club expects to have sellouts for “several” home games at Tidewater Landing Stadium next season.
Peart also said that the club did “walkaround focus groups,” going into local restaurants and engaging patrons about the club. The conversations about Rhode Island FC and its success are “now more frequent,” Peart said.
“The momentum and trend of interest has exceeded our expectations,” Peart said. “That’s what we had hoped for and we had been working on since June 
RHODE ISLAND FC forward JJ Williams, right, goes for a kick against a Charleston Battery defender during Rhode Island FC's 2-1 win Nov. 16 in the United Soccer League Championship Eastern Conference Final match. / COURTESY RHODE ISLAND FC[/caption]
The club also plans to further engage with local civic groups and business organizations for a “get on board” campaign, Peart said, to provide them premium hospitality, season and group tickets to gain more support. Rhode Island FC has done some similar engagements already with groups such as the Pawtucket Foundation, local youth soccer organizations and local chambers of commerce hosting them at the team’s downtown offices for breakfast and showing them the stadium to “bring them into Pawtucket.”
The club is also offering the public tours of the new stadium, which is set to open in April. Tours