SMITHFIELD – David Peart, in looking around Beirne Stadium at Bryant University, sees the empty seats just as clearly as he does seeing fans cheering on Rhode Island FC.
He knows the team must do better in having the Ocean State embrace the new United Soccer League Championship minor-league soccer club and make home games a hot ticket during the spring and summer months. Peart also knows that there’s a lot of work ahead to make that happen, especially when Rhode Island FC next year moves into its $124 million palace in downtown Pawtucket along the Seekonk River.
In an interview Wednesday prior to Rhode Island FC’s match with El Paso Locomotive FC, Peart,
Rhode Island FC’s new team president, told Providence Business News that the club, despite Rhode Island FC recording its first-ever home victory on Wednesday - 3-0 over El Paso - has to build the fan base because the club is “nonexistent right now” with its identity in both the state and the region.
Rhode Island FC’s inaugural match on March 16 saw a sold-out 5,252 crowd at Beirne Stadium supporting the expansion club. However, Beirne Stadium has not been at full capacity for a Rhode Island FC home match since, including Wednesday evening where 3,481 fans donning the blue and gold witnessed and celebrated club history on its home pitch.
But Peart is equal parts expecting the franchise to put the high level of work in to introduce itself to Rhode Island and gain that fanbase, and realistic that it’s going to take time.
[caption id="attachment_470557" align="alignright" width="384"]
DAVID PEART, Rhode Island FC's new team president, says he wants to increase the expansion soccer club's profile in the Ocean State, but knows it will take time for that to come to fruition. / COURTESY RHODE ISLAND FC[/caption]
Peart said Rhode Island FC is conducting a “significant grassroots effort” where the team is out in the community at events across the state, such as at youth soccer activities and hosting watching parties. He also said the team recently participated in the Rhode Island PrideFest parade in Providence, looking to further build relationships with current and future fans that hopefully will come to a match live.
“It’s not as simple as opening the gates. We know there’s a lot of work that goes into it,” Peart said. “It’s my responsibility to make sure as many people in Rhode Island know about us and that this is an entertainment option for them.
“When you have a new team, in my experience is you will have ebbs and flows [in fan attendance and interest].”
It is also unknown as to how Rhode Island FC is doing on television. The club has a deal with the New England Sports Network, the Boston-based regional entity owned by the Boston Red Sox, to broadcast multiple matches this season. But Peart said Rhode Island FC does not subscribe to the Neilson ratings that will show how many people are watching the club’s matches on television.
Peart did say he is “confident” that people are watching the matches on NESN and being on the same network as the Red Sox and Boston Bruins “gives us a certain profile.”
Peart, who has been on the job for three weeks after replacing Brett Luy – who is
now a special adviser for Tidewater Landing Stadium developer Fortuitous Partners – could not speak as to why this push for Rhode Island FC to introduce itself to the Ocean State sports community was missing before and earlier in the season. He did feel Rhode Island FC not playing in the new Tidewater Stadium in its inaugural year
due to various delays with the stadium’s construction and financing has negatively impacted the team in that fans preferred waiting to see the club play in the new facility.
“In this [Beirne] stadium, it’s a fantastic facility, but it’s not our building,” Peart said. “It’s not a soccer-specific facility. It’s a little bit away from the central business center. From that perspective, all of those [negatively] impact the team.”
Peart said Rhode Island FC moving into Tidewater Stadium next year “will be a difference-maker” for the club and is expecting that there will be 10,500 strong on a regular basis in downtown Pawtucket next year. He said the appeal of going to a new venue is “going to speak to the brand” and the amenities the fans will enjoy while there.
Peart also said the club will reconnect with the fans who put down deposits for seats next year and he feels confident that Tidewater Stadium will bring those fans out for matches. Plus, Tidewater Stadium will have the kind of amenities, such as club seats and suites, that Beirne Stadium currently does not offer, he said, thus possibly further incentivizing fans to take in a match in downtown Pawtucket.
“[Playing in Tidewater Stadium] will have a positive impact for us,” he said.
Additionally, while Rhode Island FC has only three wins in 16 total matches this season, Peart is defining wins and losses in a different way to find victories beyond what occurs on the pitch, including attracting more fans.
Along with its current marketing efforts, Rhode Island FC’s staff, Peart said, is working with corporate partners to purchase and distribute tickets to youth in the community that would not normally come to a game or haven’t come to a game before. He also said all staff are doing an “Operation Sellout” initiative to have all 5,252 seats inside Beirne Stadium sold for the Aug. 10 match against Hartford Athletic.
When asked by PBN if every match should be looked at as “Operation Sellout,” Peart agreed and that will take a plethora of work for the club to build toward that goal. He said the club will also offer fans “some really exciting” elements related to ticket pricing and packaging that would further appeal to the fan base across the state. The club also launched its "priority list" for fans to put down deposits for season tickets next year.
Plus, Rhode Island FC is currently working on finding a corporate partner to have naming rights on Tidewater Stadium, Peart said.
In the meantime, Rhode Island FC wants to build an organization that supports championship play on the field, in the community, with its fans and business partners, Peart said.
“The most important thing for us is we represent Rhode Island in a really positive way, that we are Rhode Island’s hometown team,” Peart said. “It will take a lot of dedicated work for us to get there.”
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
