WEBVTT 1 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:31.399 Welcome to another odd man rush here on the SDH network. 2 00:00:31.399 --> 00:00:34.439 And for this one, we head to Montana and I 3 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:36.679 can sit here and say that I have played golf 4 00:00:36.759 --> 00:00:39.560 in Missoula, Montana before. It has been quite some time 5 00:00:39.640 --> 00:00:41.439 since I've done it. But we get to catch up 6 00:00:41.439 --> 00:00:44.799 with friends, and I got to test my Latin out 7 00:00:45.439 --> 00:00:49.479 for our friends at Wildfire FC, because when you look 8 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:55.759 at the crest Ignorno integra and so I remembered how 9 00:00:55.799 --> 00:00:57.479 to pronounce it, but then I had to go back 10 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:01.119 and look it up through fire nature is reborn a hole. 11 00:01:01.240 --> 00:01:03.359 And for this we get to catch up with our 12 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:06.879 friends at Wildfire Shandon flanning it and Charlie vandam. Guys, thanks 13 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:08.280 for dropping by for a two v one. 14 00:01:09.079 --> 00:01:12.480 Thank you for having us. I appreciate it. Thank you. 15 00:01:12.840 --> 00:01:13.840 We're glad to be gone. 16 00:01:14.040 --> 00:01:17.879 Oh and big news is it at Bellavista Field coming 17 00:01:17.959 --> 00:01:21.280 up on the seventh at Spokane Shadow See it's an 18 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:26.640 exhibition match. So let me ask Charlie what it's like 19 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:29.599 to get it to this point with the franchise, to 20 00:01:29.640 --> 00:01:33.519 where you're getting to that first exhibition game and the 21 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:35.840 level of excitement And I can't you know, the I 22 00:01:35.879 --> 00:01:38.239 can't believe we've gotten it to this point of the stage. 23 00:01:39.480 --> 00:01:42.599 Well, I have to tell you, for us to put 24 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:49.400 on one match, it's been her killing an effort. I 25 00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:51.719 can't imagine what is gonna be like once we start 26 00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:55.560 in the league next year. But it's been a lot 27 00:01:55.599 --> 00:02:00.280 of work, a lot of fun. I've got some great 28 00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:03.200 partners I'm working with to put this all together and 29 00:02:04.519 --> 00:02:07.319 we just can't wait for this game to happen and 30 00:02:07.719 --> 00:02:09.759 just see what kind of crowd response we get. 31 00:02:09.800 --> 00:02:13.800 For So, Shannon, why the np Because with all of 32 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:15.680 the leagues that are out there these days, and I 33 00:02:15.719 --> 00:02:18.280 know that there's alphabet soup and all this kind of stuff. 34 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:21.960 What steered you guys in the direction of the NPSL 35 00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:23.960 for the future of this franchise. 36 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:27.159 Well, I think you know, there are quite a few reasons. 37 00:02:27.560 --> 00:02:30.439 And on those initial telephone calls, and Charlie can probably 38 00:02:30.520 --> 00:02:35.759 back me up on this, definitely had a moreh of 39 00:02:35.800 --> 00:02:38.719 a better feel that that league was more engaged with 40 00:02:38.840 --> 00:02:43.680 us than other leagues that we were approaching, And in 41 00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:47.319 terms of just that back and forth collaboration between the 42 00:02:47.319 --> 00:02:51.680 two parties, I felt like it was really solid. They 43 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:54.599 answered our questions and you know, here we are, so 44 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:58.439 to speak, this is our dry run to see what 45 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:00.719 the interest in Missoula is going to be to support 46 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:05.080 a pre professional soccer team. So far, all indications are 47 00:03:05.159 --> 00:03:06.039 super positive. 48 00:03:06.680 --> 00:03:08.319 We've got you know, we've got. 49 00:03:08.199 --> 00:03:12.199 Good social media support, we've got good local support when 50 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:13.479 we're walking around town. 51 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:14.879 Missilla is a. 52 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:18.639 Town of about nine eighty five ninety thousand people, so 53 00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:21.039 it still has a little bit of a small town feel. 54 00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:24.199 So our friends are pretty excited about all of this. 55 00:03:24.759 --> 00:03:26.840 We of course have a big soccer community here and 56 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:29.639 we're looking forward to bringing this over the finish. 57 00:03:29.319 --> 00:03:29.960 Line for them. 58 00:03:30.680 --> 00:03:32.479 I was going to say, Charlie, for those that may 59 00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:36.080 not know the footprint and what soccer means to Missoula, 60 00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:38.840 in that section of Montana and to the northwest, how 61 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:40.759 would you break it down for somebody that doesn't know. 62 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:45.280 Well, you know, it's you think of Montana, you think 63 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:48.560 it's going to be a desert for soccer. But in actuality, 64 00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:54.280 we have a higher percentage of participation of youth in 65 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:58.120 soccer than we then against the national average, national average 66 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:01.039 around eight percent of the kids that are are participating, 67 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:05.599 and we're above ten percent. We all you know of 68 00:04:05.639 --> 00:04:09.479 that town that the population, and Shannon mentioned there is 69 00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:13.120 probably between forty four forty five hundred people that are 70 00:04:13.159 --> 00:04:17.879 involved in soccer, whether their kids are playing, they're playing, coaching, 71 00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:24.480 supporters of it. We have a pretty big percentage of 72 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:28.759 our population that's engaged in soccer. Plus we also have 73 00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:34.319 a very successful women's college team here at the University 74 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:38.759 of Montana. They've they've won, have the most Big Sky 75 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:42.879 Conference titles out of any team in the conference, and 76 00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:45.000 they get a great following. They get, you know, a 77 00:04:45.079 --> 00:04:47.600 thousand people are more at every one of their matches 78 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:52.160 that that that they host. So we just have a 79 00:04:52.199 --> 00:04:54.839 really solid engaged soccer community. 80 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:58.120 Yeah, and Shannon, go for it, go ahead, and elemt 81 00:04:58.279 --> 00:04:59.839 I was just going to pile on top of that. 82 00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:02.560 Know that it's a fairly diverse community as well in 83 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:07.000 terms of age. We both mentioned men's and women's. There 84 00:05:07.040 --> 00:05:11.519 is an international i r C which is they help 85 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:16.120 immigrants immigrant into the United States. So we have for 86 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:20.000 Western Montana. It might seem like it's a fairly not 87 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:23.319 a fairly diverse population, but we have some kids from 88 00:05:23.480 --> 00:05:29.240 Africa plan you know, in our Strikers organizations. Now, so 89 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:32.600 the soccer community was a pretty cool thing to be 90 00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:33.079 a part of. 91 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:37.120 Yeah, and I know that when you look at how 92 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:40.040 the game has grown. You guys mentioned what it's like 93 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:42.600 on the collegiate level. What has it been like, Charlie, 94 00:05:42.680 --> 00:05:44.480 let me start with you. What's it been like to 95 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:48.519 see the game grow to where it is in You know, 96 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:51.560 everybody may sit there and go, well, yeah, the game 97 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:54.399 has really taken off, you know, recently. But what has 98 00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:56.279 it been like there in that footprint to see the 99 00:05:56.360 --> 00:05:59.839 game get its foothold? And we'll get into talking about 100 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:02.240 I am here in a bit too, but what I 101 00:06:02.279 --> 00:06:05.360 wanted to find out about is just the growth and 102 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:07.439 what it's been like for it to take a foothold. 103 00:06:07.480 --> 00:06:10.160 In addition to all of those other things that folks 104 00:06:10.279 --> 00:06:13.959 gravitate toward, whether it's the Griz or the Bobcats or 105 00:06:13.959 --> 00:06:16.360 whatever it is, what's it like to see soccer have 106 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:19.439 its placed there as well? 107 00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:19.839 Well? 108 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:23.800 We do have a pretty vibrant soccer our sports community here, 109 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:31.040 a big following for Universal of Montana Griz football. But 110 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:36.519 you know, I think the important thing is how much 111 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:44.839 our community, this community in Missoula just rallies behind teams sports. 112 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:49.319 They're very engaged in other aspects of our community. We 113 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:55.600 have a pretty amazing arts and music seeing here in Mizula. 114 00:06:56.879 --> 00:07:04.399 So it's really vibrant with soccer though I've been involved 115 00:07:04.439 --> 00:07:09.279 in soccer here in Missoula for oh gosh, I shouldn't 116 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:14.560 date myself, but I will forty nine years and and 117 00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:23.959 so it's we've we have a really strong youth participation rate, 118 00:07:24.040 --> 00:07:30.160 as I mentioned before, a really strong elite players coming 119 00:07:30.199 --> 00:07:32.519 out of here. We have one player that's going to 120 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:36.000 play in our match on on Saturday night. He's been 121 00:07:36.040 --> 00:07:39.480 on the national team for the Olympic Development Program, He's 122 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:46.000 played with the Colorado or Rapids Next Pro and and 123 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:52.920 so we have just these people that are committed to excel. 124 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:57.399 And it doesn't matter what it is, whether it's sport, arts, music, 125 00:07:58.319 --> 00:08:00.959 we just have a great community that people just love 126 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:04.600 to invest everything. They jump in it with both feet. 127 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:09.639 So, Shannon, you know, you mentioned all of the things 128 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:12.399 to get to this point. How far back a process 129 00:08:12.439 --> 00:08:15.839 are we talking about here when it comes to Hey, 130 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:18.920 you know, let's this idea, and you know, you guys 131 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:20.959 are you know, hanging out at you know, either in 132 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:24.079 a in a conference room someplace or you know, you're 133 00:08:24.120 --> 00:08:27.560 you're hanging out at your favorite restaurant. From genesis of 134 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:30.920 idea to coming up to this weekend in the dry run. 135 00:08:31.000 --> 00:08:34.159 How long of a runway are we talking here, Well. 136 00:08:34.120 --> 00:08:36.159 I'd say that the concept has been there for a 137 00:08:36.200 --> 00:08:39.720 really long time, but in terms of just any kind 138 00:08:39.720 --> 00:08:42.279 of significant energy put behind it, I'd have to say 139 00:08:42.279 --> 00:08:46.879 that that was sixteen to eighteen months ago, and then 140 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:52.559 more recently, I would say September August September that is 141 00:08:52.600 --> 00:08:55.600 when we really started to get serious about putting pencil 142 00:08:55.639 --> 00:08:58.200 to paper, figuring out what the finances were going to 143 00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:02.519 look like, legalize ns in that sort of thing. A 144 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:04.919 lot of that was initiated by a guy that a 145 00:09:04.919 --> 00:09:07.440 lot of people in the Western United States know. 146 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:09.279 His name was Jeff Bernbaum, and. 147 00:09:10.759 --> 00:09:13.919 He was killed in a car accident this February, so 148 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:19.759 you know, we're looking to carry the energy that he 149 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:24.320 kind of got things started with across the line. And 150 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:29.440 then finally June seventh, so frankly, you know, it's roughly 151 00:09:29.480 --> 00:09:34.480 a twenty to twenty four month runway, which is pretty crazy, 152 00:09:34.679 --> 00:09:37.159 you know, from just talking about it over beers to 153 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:42.240 like having a live soccer game with a professional atmosphere 154 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:45.639 and people are willing to pay for a ticket. 155 00:09:46.440 --> 00:09:48.720 Charlie Vandam Shannon planning and dropping by here to talk 156 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:52.080 about Wildfire Missoula and their first ever dry run going 157 00:09:52.120 --> 00:09:56.960 up against Spokane this weekend up there in Montana. So, Charlie, 158 00:09:57.399 --> 00:09:59.840 there are a lot of things that folks may not 159 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:03.000 necessarily know or understand. You know, a lot of folks 160 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:05.039 may just sit there and wander up on the weekend. 161 00:10:05.080 --> 00:10:08.759 Hey there's a soccer match. Let's go. I ask this 162 00:10:08.840 --> 00:10:13.600 of folks when they're starting something new. There's got to 163 00:10:13.639 --> 00:10:16.279 be that to do list that you guys have had 164 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:19.559 for say the last sixteen eighteen months. And it could 165 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:21.639 be in a Google doc, it could be, you know, 166 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:23.679 it could be on a could be it could be 167 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:26.159 in a notebook. You know, it could be you know, 168 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:28.919 on one of those big six foot by eight foot 169 00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:31.519 dry erase boards that's got a lot of squiggles and 170 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:35.000 lines and things go on a bunch of different directions. 171 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:39.840 Where are you guys on that to do list when 172 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:42.559 it comes to getting everything squared away? I guess A 173 00:10:42.679 --> 00:10:45.559 for the development of the franchise and then be getting 174 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:46.559 ready for this weekend. 175 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:50.559 Well that's a loaded question. 176 00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:56.600 Let's just put it this way we burned all the 177 00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:58.159 hair off of our heads. 178 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:04.000 Yeah. 179 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:06.519 Oh you know you have you have a checklist a 180 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:09.600 mile long, and you know, you you think you can 181 00:11:09.639 --> 00:11:11.440 get through all of it, but in the end, you know, 182 00:11:11.480 --> 00:11:13.639 you go like, oh, what about this other page that 183 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:17.279 we forgot to deal with them? But you know, all 184 00:11:17.320 --> 00:11:21.960 in all, I really like, you know what, how we've progressed, 185 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:26.159 what we've done, how we promoted the game. We're getting 186 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:29.960 exposure on the radio and TV and you know, in 187 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:35.240 print media and and so and you know, as men 188 00:11:35.320 --> 00:11:39.159 Shannon mentioned earlier, we run across people in town and 189 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:41.200 going like, oh, how I can't wait for the game 190 00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:44.960 this weekend. And so it's just so we're not we 191 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:48.639 haven't got everything completed. I mean there's there's some still 192 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:51.759 some things that need to get done. But you know, 193 00:11:52.600 --> 00:11:55.679 when it comes Saturday, we're just going to enjoy the day, 194 00:11:55.960 --> 00:11:59.360 enjoy the ride, enjoy the game, and we're going to 195 00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:02.240 have fun doing it. That's what it's what's that's the 196 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:03.080 most important thing. 197 00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:07.440 Yeah, in terms of like I can speak to volumes 198 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:10.519 to it, like volumes of emails. I don't think we're 199 00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:13.679 quite at a thousand yet, but I'm sure we're approaching 200 00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:19.480 back and forth, and in terms of the game, you know, 201 00:12:19.559 --> 00:12:22.480 I've got a hit list that's probably fifteen items long 202 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:26.720 between now and Saturday night at seven o'clock when kickoff is. 203 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:31.159 But the thing that's really wonderful about all of this. 204 00:12:32.519 --> 00:12:33.120 Is that the. 205 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:35.519 Energy that I have for it is actually I'm fifty 206 00:12:35.559 --> 00:12:38.279 five years old. I've had a professional life, I sold 207 00:12:38.279 --> 00:12:42.279 a business, and now this is something that actually stokes 208 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:43.720 my fire pretty hard. 209 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:47.480 Which means that I have the energy. 210 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:51.759 To digest those thousands of emails and those fifteen bullet 211 00:12:51.799 --> 00:12:54.559 points that I have to take care of before Saturday night, 212 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:59.440 and I'm really looking forward to the result. So, like 213 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:01.919 soccer in a lot of people's lives, so it is 214 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:05.480 in mine. It gives me a lot back. You know, 215 00:13:05.639 --> 00:13:08.399 I put a lot into it, but what I get 216 00:13:08.440 --> 00:13:12.519 back is far exceeds any energy that I expend. 217 00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:15.840 Yeah, Shannon, it's good to know you only have fifteen. 218 00:13:15.879 --> 00:13:17.200 I can give you another ten. 219 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:20.399 Charlie, easy, doesn't buddy. 220 00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:25.360 I mean the two of you seem to be Now, 221 00:13:25.480 --> 00:13:28.720 how many are there in addition to the two of 222 00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:32.519 you that are full bore into this process to get 223 00:13:32.600 --> 00:13:34.639 Wildfire up and running. How many other folks are we 224 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:35.120 talking about. 225 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:38.559 Well, we have two other partners with our investment group, 226 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:44.600 and so there's kind of like a natural, oh, I 227 00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:49.720 guess division of labor. Shannon comes with a marketing background 228 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:52.919 and and so he's kind of taken up beating our 229 00:13:53.759 --> 00:14:00.039 He's our our marketing guru. We have Eric Peterson, and 230 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:04.519 there's another partner, former soccer player in Missoula, and he 231 00:14:04.679 --> 00:14:07.879 comes from a finance perspective, so he's our finance guy. 232 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:10.080 We have a. 233 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:17.559 The Nick Layer is a physician assistant, lives outside of Missoula, 234 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:21.120 but he comes with a lot of passion and operation 235 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:25.039 of soccer leagues, and so he's going to lead up 236 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:28.799 our operations. And because I'm more of the. 237 00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:36.559 Oh, Charlie knows everybody in Montana who plays soccer and 238 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:37.399 coaches soccer. 239 00:14:38.200 --> 00:14:41.240 I'm I'm the general manager, so I don't have any 240 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:45.240 specific expertise. I've just my task is to heard these 241 00:14:45.320 --> 00:14:46.399 cats into place. 242 00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:51.039 Yes, with all of these chainsaws that the four of 243 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:54.360 you seem to be juggling here, how would you how 244 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:58.559 would you grade how you guys have done in the 245 00:14:58.679 --> 00:15:00.639 last say year and a half. Have to get to 246 00:15:00.759 --> 00:15:03.360 forty eight hours away from the dry run, how would 247 00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:04.240 you grade yourself? 248 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:12.240 So I'm a really critical person. I'm going to give 249 00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:16.440 myself like a BD minus C plus right now. 250 00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:20.080 Yeah, And of course it's a learning curve as well. 251 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:21.960 This is something that's brand new to me. 252 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:26.759 Uh and there are idiosyncrasies with a soccer community, just 253 00:15:26.919 --> 00:15:29.799 like you would expect worldwide. You're getting that sort of thing. 254 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:33.279 So but I'm a quick study and we're going to 255 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:34.039 have it nailed down. 256 00:15:35.399 --> 00:15:37.200 Yeah, I'd agree with Shannon, and I think that we 257 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:40.200 you know, we we we're going to learn. That's really 258 00:15:40.279 --> 00:15:43.200 what we're trying to do right now is learn, you know, 259 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:45.159 the process, what do we do right? 260 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:46.000 What do we miss? 261 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:48.840 And so we're going to have a deep brief next 262 00:15:48.919 --> 00:15:51.159 week and just go like, okay, how do we do 263 00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:53.840 this differently? How can we improve? What did we do well? 264 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:57.440 So that's why we're doing this trial run, just to 265 00:15:57.639 --> 00:16:00.320 kind of see how it all works and and get 266 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:04.080 ready to be get an A plus for next year's season. 267 00:16:05.639 --> 00:16:08.799 So when you're trying to get a roster together, and 268 00:16:08.840 --> 00:16:10.279 I guess this is me trying to talk to the 269 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:12.720 GM a little bit. What has it been like to 270 00:16:13.159 --> 00:16:14.559 has your phone been blowing up? 271 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:14.879 Is it? 272 00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:18.679 What's apps and texts or emails or phone calls? How 273 00:16:18.759 --> 00:16:21.720 are you recruiting? How did you recruit the roster that's 274 00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:24.279 going to be there for the weekend. How did the 275 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:26.320 player recruitment process come together? 276 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:29.200 Well, you know, we're trying to bring in players for 277 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:32.600 just one game, so it's not like we're going to 278 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:36.840 get some a player that's on another NPSL team or 279 00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:39.360 playing in another Tier four team. 280 00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:41.279 To come over. 281 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:47.039 So we are we leaned into former Missoula players that 282 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:51.919 are currently playing college and you know, so we have 283 00:16:52.759 --> 00:16:57.440 probably a handful of five six players coming from out 284 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:01.960 of town that are former youth players in their Mozilla 285 00:17:02.039 --> 00:17:05.559 system and they're bringing over a couple of players with them, 286 00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:09.359 a couple of their buddies. We have some you know, 287 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:12.000 players that are a little bit older that have a 288 00:17:12.119 --> 00:17:14.799 lot of experience playing that played in college, played in 289 00:17:15.880 --> 00:17:19.680 at you know, pre pro soccer, and they're on our roster. 290 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:23.480 And we have some young talent, some really good high 291 00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:27.519 school age young talent that are you know, many of 292 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:30.519 them are graduating this year that are on the squad too. 293 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:34.000 So it is a little bit of a challenge to 294 00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:37.079 try to pull together a team for just one match, 295 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:40.920 but got a roster of twenty three players. So I 296 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:44.200 think we we did pretty well and there's some good 297 00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:44.920 talent on that. 298 00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:48.559 That's a that's a big poll to pull in almost 299 00:17:48.599 --> 00:17:52.000 two dozen players for a first ever match, especially where 300 00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:54.920 it's like, okay, I need I need to get to 301 00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:57.319 talk to you. Can you talk to folks? Folks come 302 00:17:57.400 --> 00:18:00.000 back in you Since you know everybody in Montana soccer 303 00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:02.119 or Charlie obviously, you know, it's just like you pick 304 00:18:02.200 --> 00:18:04.000 up the phone, make two phone calls and you get 305 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.160 twenty four players. Am I am? 306 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:08.119 I Well, I'd like to think it's that way, but 307 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:12.000 it doesn't work that way at all. But actually, you know, 308 00:18:12.680 --> 00:18:16.400 we've got for most of the Missoula players we reached 309 00:18:16.440 --> 00:18:19.400 out to, they were more than excited to being able 310 00:18:19.400 --> 00:18:25.039 to come back and play. And there's probably probably a 311 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:28.200 dozen more that we could, but we just we only 312 00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:30.440 have one match. We can't have more on a roster 313 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:33.480 than twenty three. We're already overloaded on a roster. So 314 00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:36.200 I think we've done pretty well. Shannon. 315 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:40.160 When you're in and around town and you've been everybody 316 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:42.480 knows the date and everybody knows when things are going 317 00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:46.240 to happen. Are you getting stopped in the stores? Are 318 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:48.559 people like you know, stopping you when you're when you're 319 00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:50.640 feeling up your car, or you're at the restaurant and 320 00:18:50.759 --> 00:18:54.119 asking for progress reports? What's the what is the interaction 321 00:18:54.279 --> 00:18:57.000 there inside the town when it comes to getting ready 322 00:18:57.039 --> 00:18:57.200 for this. 323 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:01.400 Well, the people that know me as a soccer fan 324 00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:05.400 and a soccer player, they're asking me about it, for sure. 325 00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:09.440 I have a group of old boys that I play 326 00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:12.880 soccer with. We call ourselves them old Boys, and it's 327 00:19:12.920 --> 00:19:16.279 a forty and over pickup game. Our oldest player is 328 00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:20.000 seventy four years old this year actually, and they're all 329 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:21.160 very interested. 330 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:21.480 In what's going on. 331 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:25.440 So we have plenty of conversations about it, and I 332 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:27.920 expect that we're going to have some support from them 333 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:32.599 showing up watching the game. It's an interesting thing in Missoula. 334 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:36.680 People that live here and in Western Montana have their 335 00:19:36.759 --> 00:19:38.440 eyes on the outdoors all the time. 336 00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:41.039 So there are so many things that you. 337 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:42.920 Can do here in Missoula, but I expect that a 338 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:46.000 lot of those guys will forfeit one weekend to come 339 00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:48.000 and watch a pre professional soccer game. 340 00:19:49.640 --> 00:19:51.319 In terms of walking around downtown. 341 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:54.200 You know, there are a couple of places that we 342 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:57.920 go that are haunts of hours, and the Thomas Marbar 343 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:03.000 is one of them, and we get all kinds of questions. 344 00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:05.920 There actually, And that's kind of a soccer. 345 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:09.839 Haunt in Missoula, decorated a little bit like your office, 346 00:20:10.119 --> 00:20:14.480 but spread out over a much longer and wider backbar, 347 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:15.400 for example. 348 00:20:16.839 --> 00:20:18.720 So there is a buzz developing. 349 00:20:18.920 --> 00:20:22.119 We had a radio show locally here that we participated 350 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:25.559 in a couple of days ago, and I think that 351 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:28.400 people are starting to get pretty excited, pretty fired. 352 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:31.279 Up about it, as they should. Shannon flannagain, Charlie vandam 353 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:33.440 getting ready for the Big Sky Challenge coming up this 354 00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:38.160 week with the beginnings of wildfire there in Missoula. I'm 355 00:20:38.200 --> 00:20:40.279 looking forward to seeing what the feedback is so and 356 00:20:40.359 --> 00:20:42.960 I know that Charlie. At the same time, when you're 357 00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:47.640 trying to assemble an organization, you have the folks there 358 00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:50.079 at the front of the line where the four of 359 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:52.440 you are trying to orchestrate something to get it ready 360 00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:54.200 for next season and try to figure out what to do. 361 00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:57.480 But I know that you want to have folks associated 362 00:20:57.599 --> 00:20:59.759 with the brand and with the product and with the 363 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:03.839 board where you want the messaging to be the right 364 00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:06.160 way and you want the club to be represented the 365 00:21:06.279 --> 00:21:09.720 right way. When it comes to representing the club itself, 366 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:13.200 how do you go about doing that? And how have 367 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:15.880 you gone about doing that? As you get ready for 368 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:19.119 this big blast off here this weekend, what's the how 369 00:21:19.160 --> 00:21:22.680 do you how would you personify I guess what Wildfire 370 00:21:22.839 --> 00:21:24.880 would like to be there in miser. 371 00:21:27.079 --> 00:21:31.759 Well, that is just hitting at the heart of why 372 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:37.359 I'm involved in this, because we really believe that we 373 00:21:37.559 --> 00:21:44.359 can create this this environment in the stadium that's similar 374 00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:48.920 to you know MLS teams where you have supporters groups 375 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:55.839 that are cheering, chanting, singing, drumming. And that is really 376 00:21:56.359 --> 00:22:00.279 why I'm involved in this, is to create that kind 377 00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:05.759 of vibe of energy that people come to a match. Sure, 378 00:22:05.799 --> 00:22:07.640 they want to watch the match, they want their team 379 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:10.240 to win, they want them to be successful, but they 380 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:13.440 also want to be a part of the experience and 381 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:17.440 and that is what I am most excited about, and 382 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:21.640 in just having that same level of experience that you 383 00:22:21.799 --> 00:22:25.640 could have in a small town in England or you know, 384 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:30.559 or in Brazil or you know. That's I think we 385 00:22:30.759 --> 00:22:33.839 have the community that we'll want to do that, and 386 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:38.319 and that's what we're working towards. I'm super excited. This 387 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:41.640 will just be a small test run. We're hoping to 388 00:22:42.200 --> 00:22:44.960 play in a two thousand and six stadium next year, 389 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:51.119 and our goal is to get a thousand. But I'm 390 00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:56.279 I'm I'm wanting to fill that our stadium in every 391 00:22:56.359 --> 00:23:01.079 home game that we have and have the sound reverberating 392 00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:05.119 from that big sky you know stadium, high school stadium 393 00:23:05.799 --> 00:23:09.119 and just you know be heard, you know, blocks away. 394 00:23:09.640 --> 00:23:13.559 Hopefully the police will get complaints about how loud it is. Yeah, 395 00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:17.599 but that's what we want to create. We want that energy. 396 00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:23.880 We want people community members to experience and love and 397 00:23:24.039 --> 00:23:27.759 want to go back just for that experience and then 398 00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:30.759 root for their team. Just the balance of that, that's 399 00:23:30.759 --> 00:23:32.400 what we're looking forward to making here. 400 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:35.960 Yeah, in terms of just adding to that a little bit, 401 00:23:36.839 --> 00:23:39.640