Indy Eleven is an American professional soccer team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 2013, the team made its debut in the North American Soccer League in 2014. The franchise plays its home games at the Michael Carroll Stadium located on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, with long-term plans of a new stadium in the city's downtown district.
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
History
Thanks in part to efforts from a grassroots soccer organization, better known as the supporters group Brickyard Battalion, on January 16, 2013, the NASL announced that an Indianapolis expansion team owned by Ersal Ozdemir, CEO of Keystone Group LLC, would join the league in 2014. Ozdemir named Peter Wilt as the team's first President and General Manager, this after the veteran American soccer executive had served in a consulting role to explore the viability of professional soccer in Indianapolis in the three months leading up to the January 2013 announcement.
Indy Eleven's vision is to create a team that is representative of Indiana and creates strong emotional connections with its fans. Those connections will be made with Indiana's youth and adult soccer community and the active young adult urban and ethnic populations. The makeup of the team will reflect the community, so that it can live up to its slogan of "The World's Game, Indiana's Team". The club sold over 7,000 season tickets for its inaugural 2014 campaign.
The name and club colors were officially revealed to the public on April 25, 2013 during a ceremony held at Indianapolis' Soldiers and Sailors Monument. The team was named after the 11th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment, an infantry regiment that served with notoriety in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Colonel Lew Wallace commanded the regiment, which was mustered on April 25, 1861. The team name reflects both the culture of the game and pays homage to the history of the state. The number also is an obvious reference to the number of players on the field when at full strength. The number eleven is also important to the world-renowned Indianapolis 500, with the race traditionally featuring eleven rows of cars and drivers and the first race being held in 1911.
Indy Eleven named former Indiana University standout, U.S. international and English Premier League and Major League Soccer veteran Juergen Sommer as its first Head Coach/Director of Soccer Operations on June 11, 2013.
On October 1, 2013 the team announced Kristian Nicht as their first signing.
Even though the team did not begin play until the spring 2014 season, the team announced in November 2013 that it had already sold over 7,000 season tickets, and in capping season ticket sales, became the first team in NASL history to have a wait list for season tickets.
The team made its NASL regular-season debut on April 12, 2014, in a 1-1 draw against the Carolina Railhawks, now North Carolina FC, at home in front of 11,048 fans at Carroll Stadium.
On 2 June 2015, Juergen Sommer was fired as manager, with Tim Regan taking over in an interim capacity.
On 2 December 2015, Regan's interim role was ended, with Tim Hankinson being appointed as the clubs manager.
Indy Eleven won the 2016 Spring Championship after an undefeated season. The team, in a game called "The Miracle at the Mike," overturned a three goal tiebreaker deficit to secure its first title.
On January 31, 2017, the Eleven announced that they would seek to join the MLS in the coming year's expansion.
League and cup history
Crest
The name "Eleven" references the eleven men who will take to the field representing Indiana and also pays homage to Indiana's 11th Regiment Indiana Infantry in the American Civil War, while the navy colored checkered background is a nod to both Indianapolis' auto-racing culture and the Brickyard Battalion supporters group (more information below). Lady Victory from the Soldiers' and Sailors' monument is the focal point of the crest. The color scheme is the same as that of the civic flag of Indianapolis.
Supporters
Brickyard Battalion
The primary supporters group for the Indy Eleven is the Brickyard Battalion and were established on August 3, 2011. The supporters group has its origins in a grassroots campaign to elicit local support for bringing professional soccer to Indianapolis. Membership consists of more than 2,000 supporters, with over 4,000 officially registered supporters throughout the state of Indiana; affiliate chapters in the greater Indianapolis area and beyond include, but are not limited to: Slaughterhouse-19 BYB, Battery 37 BYB and Cologne - Germany BYB (an affiliate chapter based in Cologne, Germany).
Stadium
- 2014 - IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium (campus of Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis)
In early 2014, Indy Eleven sought to build a new $87 million stadium with a capacity of 18,500 seats, but were not able to build the political support to finance their plan. On January 13, 2015, House Bill 1273 was submitted to the Indiana General Assembly, proposing to pay for the stadium by expanding ticket taxes through 2045 instead of ending in 2023 at a projected $5 million per year
Jerseys
Predominantly red, white and blue, the jerseys unveiled on October 1, 2013, also feature a sublimated checker board pattern paying homage to Indianapolis' rich auto racing heritage centered around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The jerseys will be manufactured by Diadora and Honda is the shirt sponsor.
Players
Current roster
Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth. Squad correct as of May 5, 2017.
Staff
Honors
League
Individual records
Top goalscorers
Most appearances
Managerial records
- Notes:
P - Total of played matches W - Won matches D - Drawn matches L - Lost matches GS - Goal scored GA - Goals against
%W - Percentage of matches won
Nationality is indicated by the corresponding FIFA country code(s).
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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