PAWTUCKET – Ever since Rhode Island FC announced its formal name in November 2022, three years after plans to build a soccer stadium in the city were first introduced, having the club be distinctively “Rhode Island” has been its primary focus.
That push is reflected in the club’s current season ticket member numbers and where the fans reside. Thus far, 4,000 members have put down deposits for season tickets, with members representing all 39 cities and towns across the Ocean State. The record-setting interest in the expansion soccer franchise is partly based on Rhode Island FC looking to fill the void left by the Pawtucket Red Sox when the minor league baseball team moved to Worcester, Mass., in 2021.
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Also, Rhode Island FC has netted approximately $96,000 in season ticket deposit revenue, based on the $24 deposit fee the club is charging.
However, financial woes delaying the new $124 million, 10,500-seat Tidewater Landing stadium’s opening until 2025 prompted the club to partner with Bryant University to have Beirne Stadium be the franchise’s home pitch for next season. Rhode Island FC’s leadership acknowledged the situation has put the club in a tricky spot in how it wants to grow its in-person fanbase in the near term.
Rhode Island FC President Brett Luy told Providence Business News the club needs to address the potential of “overdemand” of more and more fans wanting to see the club in action in person, but with limited supply. Even with Bryant and Rhode Island FC adding seats to bring Beirne Stadium’s capacity to a little more than 5,000, it is half the size of what Tidewater Landing will hold and season-ticket members will occupy about 80% of Beirne Stadium next year. That percentage is well above the United Soccer League Championship’s league-wide average of 50% season-ticket occupancy at other stadiums. At the current 4,000 number, Tidewater Landing’s season-ticket occupancy would be at around 40%.
Luy said the club is considering “at a certain point” for next year is to put a cap on the number of season ticket opportunities. The reason, he said, is to allow for the general public and groups to purchase single-game tickets to see the club live.
“It’s one of those things we’ll try to navigate, while still maintaining the opportunity for people to come in on a one-off basis,” Luy said. “We won’t essentially block all that [seating] off to be overzealous with the season ticket push.”
It is unclear what that season-ticket cap will be. Luy said Rhode Island FC is currently working out the logistics to sort that out, including installing the additional seats at Beirne Stadium. Also, Rhode Island FC spokesperson Mike Raia said not all season-ticket packages that have been sold are for the club’s full home schedule, a la the Providence Bruins and the Providence College men’s basketball team. Therefore, there will be additional chances for the general public to purchase single-game tickets for Rhode Island FC.
Luy also said one of the reasons the club encouraged the public to put down season ticket deposits is for fans to be part of the team “as early as they can.”
USL spokesperson Tyler Tetzlaff said Monday in an email to PBN the wave of deposits for season ticket packages at Rhode Island FC places the club among the league’s top performers, which “exemplifies the work done by [the club] to engage with the local community and showcases the interest and excitement for professional soccer in Rhode Island.”
Luy said June 9 in announcing the club’s temporary venue that playing in a facility in the Blackstone Valley area was key, mainly because most of the season ticket membership base resides there. Of that membership, about half reside in the Blackstone Valley area, which includes Pawtucket, Central Falls, Cumberland, Lincoln, Providence, North Smithfield and Smithfield, among others, according to the club.
Luy said along with the stadium and parking configurations, Rhode Island FC is working with Bryant on plans to provide fans transportation to games in Smithfield, especially for fans within Pawtucket who initially planned to walk to Tidewater Landing for games. Soccer fans within cities typically walk to stadiums for matches.
Luy said the club has been proactive in communicating with season ticket members, especially after the news broke about the delays with Tidewater Landing, involved in understanding changing situations has been an ongoing element to the club’s operations. He also said the club engaged the fanbase, going into the communities and asking fans what they want to see for their stadium match-day experience, such as food and beverage options, potential team mascots and using smoke in the venue after goals are scored.
Raia added that emails from Luy about Beirne Stadium being the club’s 2024 home site were sent out to season ticket members before the general public was notified. Furthermore, Luy acknowledged that over communicating with fans is vital considering Rhode Island FC – and professional soccer in general – is new to the Ocean State.
“It feels like [the ticket members are] inside the tent with regards to information,” Luy said. “The group continues to be very supportive of the football club. At the end of the day, we’re working to grow that fanbase and cast that net as wide as we can.”
(Updates: Comments from United States Soccer League added in 5th and 9th paragraphs)
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.
Note to Luv: Don’t stop taking deposits for season tickets until folks actually start paying for the season tickets, if you want the stands to be full come game day.