Tampa, FL – Lansing Ignite FC announced today that it has ceased operations, effective immediately, and will not continue beyond the 2019 season. The club officially announced Monday it would cease operations after one year of existence, a week after word leaked out from player Marshall Hollingsworth that the players and the team's supporters' group, the Assembly Line, had been told the team would fold. When City Council signed off on the deal to bring the Ignite to Lansing last fall, it was understood that the city would incur more than $1 million in potential costs over five years, including a maximum of 15 changeovers per year with the Cooley field, going from baseball to soccer and back, costing $12,000 to $15,000 each time. [5] On March 19, 2019, Lansing Ignite FC announced an affiliation agreement with Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer. "I'm not blaming people. The owner is the ultimate decision maker. This decision to cease operations was made by (Lansing Ignite owner) Tom Dickson. Attendance started a little slow and it didn’t get better," Dickson said. They lost in the semifinals, 1-0, to Greenville. All rights reserved. Contact digital sports reporter Phil Friend at 517-377-1220 or [email protected]. Going into this season, Dickson and the organization anticipated that there could be financial losses, but the Ignite ultimately encountered more challenges than expected and fell short of its goal of drawing 4,000 fans per game. Sampson shut down United's men's team to take the Ignite job. I’m devastated at the outcome as this team was something I spent six years building. Lansing Ignite; 2019 season; Owner: Tom Dickson: Head coach: Nate Miller: Stadium: Cooley Law School Stadium: USL League One: 2nd: USL1 Playoffs: Semifinals: U.S. Open Cup: 2nd Round: Top goalscorer: Tumi Moshobane (10) Highest home attendance: League/All: 4,818 (June 22 vs. Orlando City B) Lowest home attendance: League: 1,725 (May 11 vs. Greenville Triumph) All: 100 "We are very pleased to … [8] They fell in the playoff semifinal to Greenville Triumph SC, 1–0. Cooley Law School Stadium, which is where the team played downtown, is owned by the City of Lansing. “We are extremely disappointed to make this announcement, and we know our fans will be disappointed too,” said Tom Dickson, owner of Lansing Ignite. Hello Lansing Ignite. Thank you to our passionate supporters who I know this is such a hard time for. Dickson said that he had been in contact with the city throughout the summer to let it know the club was struggling. Lansing also didn’t do too badly at the gate for a new third division club and averaged 2,788 fans in 14 home games. [2] On October 8, the city council unanimously approved the plans, which are expected to cost the city $1 million over the course of a five-year contract. While Lansing fell short of that attendance goal, the Ignite had the third-highest attendance in the league at 2,788 per match. ", GRAHAM COUCH:Why Lansing Ignite went belly-up – a look at what killed our pro soccer club. I am immensely proud of what we built, and immeasurably grateful to all who have supported this dream along the way. The league and the team also suspended Lopez-Espin for four games. The formation of USL League One (originally announced as USL Division III) was first announced in April 2017, and league officials began touring the country looking for candidate cities for new soccer clubs. The formation of USL League One (originally announced as USL Division III) was first announced in April 2017, and league officials began touring the country looking for candidate cities for new soccer clubs. I spent six years building this organization and now it's gone. "I … Overall this season, their defence has kept a clean sheet on 3 occasions. your username. Led by Majority Owner Tom Dickson, President Nick Grueser and Vice President and General Manager Jeremy Sampson, the club becomes the only professional outdoor soccer team in Michigan. USL senior vice president Steven Short said in a press release that the league was "disappointed" that Lansing would not return in 2020. Saint Joseph's University. But information about the event — billed to be the “biggest sports announcement in Lansing in 23 years” — is largely unavailable to the public. Lansing Ignite FC was a professional soccer team based in Lansing, Michigan, United States. EAST LANSING, Mich. – Goodbye Lansing United. We need another go at it. "I've been around the game enough to know that clubs in lower divisions aren't money generators and that's why it almost doesn't quite make sense.". The club was backed by owner Tom Dickson, who also owns Cooley Law School Stadium’s Minor League Baseball tenant, the Lansing Lugnuts (Low A; Midwest League). "We brought the team to Lansing … The announced attendance was 3,369. Saint Joseph's University. Lansing Ignite team owners told players last week in a meeting that they would stop operations this year. It was upsetting on that aspect.". The potential prize winner(s) may be required to provide confirmation that he or she is the owner … ... About Owner + Founder of Ember Co. a boutique agency out of Idaho Springs, Colorado helping outdoor, lifestyle and breweries ignite their brands. It's possible that we shot too high.". Welcome! For Lansing Ignite, that responsibility rests with Tom Dickson, and I am devastated at the outcome. Ignite captain Brandon Fricke believes the goal of an average home attendance of 4,000 was unrealistic. The Michigan-based side had an excellent season, finishing second in the 10-team league. Lansing, Michigan’s professional soccer team, Lansing Ignite, announced Monday that the club will not continue after its inaugural 2019 season. Back in October, the Lansing Ignite FC was unveiled to the masses by an ensemble of familiar faces, including Mayor Andy Schor and Lansing Lugnuts and Ignite FC owner Tom Dickson. The licensing agreement between the club and the city to play in the stadium is a five-year deal . LANSING, Mich. — Yes Club Ignite Prize Package Giveaway. In 2019, League One teams such as Lansing Ignite paid a $500,000 expansion fee while Championship teams paid $7 million, according to a Dallas News article from November 2018. LAHR was critical of the player, but it stopped short of calling for his dismissal. Log into your account. The Popular Amateur Lansing United Club is Turning into Lansing Ignite FC, Thanks to a New League and New Team Ownership. your password Not only for soccer, but for any business, that's lofty expectations. “We brought the … In 2018, United moved from NPSL to the Premier Development League, another amateur league often considered the fourth tier of American soccer. "The owner of the organization is the ultimate decision-maker," Sampson told the State Journal. Federal jobs in Falls Church, VA. 24,943 open jobs. This also signaled the end of the Lansing United men's team, as United owner Jeremy Sampson became the new club's general manager; however, Lansing United Women would continue to operate as planned. Dickson said he reached out to multiple parties in an attempt to sell the team, but there were no takers. The team was a joint effort with the city of Lansing to revitalize the downtown area. ... owner of Lansing Ignite. "This team has captured the hearts of so many people throughout Lansing. [4] On November 14, 2018, Lansing Ignite FC announced Nate Miller as the inaugural head coach. "The owner of the organization is the ultimate decision-maker," Sampson told the State Journal. The Ignite declined to confirm LAHR’s assertions, which were made in a letter LAHR released to City Pulse. ... owner of Lansing Ignite. [10], On October 21, 2019, it was officially announced by USL League One that, despite a successful first season performance-wise, the Ignite would not be returning for the 2020 season.[11]. A new era in sports for Michigan’s Capital region was announced yesterday on the field of Cooley Law School Stadium in downtown Lansing. This decision to cease operations was made by (Lansing Ignite owner) Tom Dickson. "I couldn't get anyone else to step in and say, I want to be a part of this.". And now it’s gone. Ignite owner Tom Dickson decided to pull the plug after falling well short of attendance goals — needing 4,000 per game over time to be solvent … "For Lansing Ignite, that responsibility rests with Tom Dickson, and I am devastated at the outcome. The Ignite’s owner is Tom Dickson, who also owns the Lansing Lugnuts. Lansing Ignite forward, Ricky Lopez-Espin, was banned and fined for, what is being reported as, anti-gay comments said to fans during a game on Saturday night. The city of Lansing was already home to Lansing United, an amateur soccer team in the National Premier Soccer League. ", LIFC coach Nate Miller declined to comment to the State Journal, but he tweeted this afternoon, "I am really proud of our phenomenal young players who represented this city so well. “I would say two months ago we started to face the reality we may not have an option here to keep it going the way it was,” Dickson said. This page was last edited on 18 January 2021, at 21:34. This season was the first ever for Lansing Ignite FC. "With the Lansing Ignite Football Club, the City of Lansing's second professional franchise, we're putting the Capital City on the map in the national sports landscape," said Ignite Owner Dickson. "We were the ones grinding out the hours, putting our bodies on the line to build something for the city and we really thought we had a good product. Includes USL Regular Season, USL Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup. A new era in sports for Michigan’s Capital region was announced yesterday on the field of Cooley Law School Stadium in downtown Lansing. [6], Lansing played their first USL League One match on 30 March 2019, beating Richmond Kickers 3–2 at City Stadium, Richmond. "Now we're not going to have a chance to run it back here in Lansing. "The owner of the organization is the ultimate decision-maker. Team President Nick Grueser said that the team would not give an update on the team's future until after the conclusion of the League One final. For Lansing's home opener against the Richmond Kickers on April 13, Dickson said the expectation was somewhere between 7,000 and 8,000 fans. The new club team, one of and a founding member of the upcoming USL League One, is now days away from taking the field. The city of Lansing was already home to Lansing United, an amateur soccer team in the National Premier Soccer League. People are going to come to what they want to come to. [7] Lansing finished their first season with a 12–6–10 record, good for second place in USL League One. Tom Dickson made one thing clear: The decision to fold Lansing Ignite Football Club after one season came down to how much money the team was losing on a month-to-month basis. “We were concerned at different points in the season as the season continued. LANSING, Mich. – USL League One welcomed Lansing Ignite FC on Thursday as a founding member of the new professional league, which will kick off play in 2019. "We thought 4,000 should be a laydown," Dickson said. View profile View profile badges Get a job like Lansing’s. Both the player and team owner Tom Dickson have apologized for what he said. Dickson did not go into specifics regarding how much money he lost, but he said revenue came at about half of what was expected. While this effort was unsuccessful, my administration is continuously working to bring even more vibrancy, excitement and amenities to Lansing.". The owner of the Lansing Ignite soccer team confirms one of his players is suspended for making an anti-gay remark on Twitter. In the buildup to Lansing's inaugural season, team president Nick Grueser said the club would need an average home attendance of 4,000 for it to be financially stable. 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays. The Ignite played in USL League One, the third division of American soccer. "I think the only way you could probably try something like this is to be prepared to lose a lot of money for a while," he said. [3], On October 25, 2018, USL League One officially announced Lansing Ignite FC as its ninth founding member team, to begin play in 2019. Excludes friendlies. Seven representatives from numerous partnering entities took turns addressing the crowd and media members to announce the only professional soccer team for the state of Michigan, Lansing Ignite. Led by Majority Owner Tom Dickson, President Nick Grueser and Vice President and General Manager Jeremy Sampson, the club becomes the only professional outdoor soccer team in Michigan. For Lansing Common FC, the new league is a crescendo of a movement gaining momentum since the abrupt shutdown of the third division United Soccer League 1 Lansing Ignite … The move was seen as a step towards establishing a professional team, as the PDL is managed by United Soccer Leagues, the same organization that manages League One as well as the second-tier United Soccer League. "We worked hard for many months alongside the team, the stadium and other stakeholders to build Michigan's first professional soccer team. The move was seen as a step towards esta… We really thought it would do better. "We are extremely disappointed to make this announcement, and we know our fans will be disappointed too," Ignite owner Tom Dickson said in a statement. [9] On October 14, 2019, midfielder Marshall Hollingsworth posted on Instagram that the Ignite would be folding and that all players had been released from their contracts. Kirk is also a former professional soccer player, who most recently played for Lansing Ignite during their inaugural season. Let's not let them quit on the team! None of those power players would have wanted to team to quit on the field. As difficult as it is to watch it come to an end, I am glad that we had the opportunity for a professional season in USL League One, and that we took the risk to create this organization. After approaching Michigan Creative Owner and CEO, Brian Town, with a business proposition, Kirk and Town worked together … The new soccer team comes after the semi-professional soccer team Lansing United played its last season this past summer. Dickson, the team’s owner, did not go into specific financial details when meeting with the media Monday afternoon, but he said the decision to fold the city’s professional soccer team came a month ago. Sampson, who was the owner of Lansing United, said Lansing Ignite will elevate what Lansing United did for Lansing the last five years. LANSING, Mich. – USL League One welcomed Lansing Ignite FC on Thursday as a founding member of the new professional league, which will kick off play in 2019. "We didn't have the resources to lose that much money for that long. Federal jobs in Falls Church, VA. 24,943 open jobs. I’m devastated at the outcome as this team was something I spent six years building. "For this to be a financial decision, there's either some miscommunication or disregard for the facts regarding the finances," Fricke said. Co-Owner at IGNITE BASEBALL ACADEMY. Lansing Ignite will be looking to keep up the momentum today against North Texas, having lost just 1 game from the last 5. Top Scorer includes statistics from league matches only. In their lone season, the Ignite finished in second place in USL League One with 46 points, qualifying for the playoffs. 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