If you're an FC Cincinnati fan, you'll have a unique opportunity to cheer on some of its early teammates later this year.A new global competition called The Soccer Tournament will take place in June 2023 in North Carolina. It is a 32-team competition that will feature a seven versus seven styles of play. The tournament will feature a World Cup-style play and elimination protocols, with the winning team taking home $1 million. The Soccer Tournament is run by the same company that runs The Basketball Tournament – TBT Enterprises – which operates a similar $1 million prize structure for its winning team. So far, four teams have been announced from all over the world, including a Cincinnati team featuring original FC Cincinnati players from the team's days in the USL.Former FC Cincinnati player Michael Millay has been retired from the sport for more than five years. Since then, the 31-year-old co-launched a visual and experiential agency named Rooted Creative based in Cincinnati. The Soccer Tournament is currently a client of Rooted Creative. Millay told WLWT he saw the hype grow for the tournament and decided he wanted to jump into the competition. He decided he wanted to put together a team of his former FC Cincinnati teammates from their days in the USL."That first year," Millay said, reflecting on the growth of soccer fandom in Cincinnati, "so many people found community within their supporters, groups that didn't have that before. You know, it really changed a lot of fans' lives. People became soccer fans for the first time. So we really just want to bring fans a unique experience and let them kind of relive the glory days."The team decided to name the team "Nati S.C." to pay homage to the city that brought them together as players and friends.WLWT talked with former players Dallas Jaye and Andrew Wiedeman. Jaye was the team's goalkeeper and Wiedeman scored the first USL goal for FC Cincinnati. Both are now retired and say they are excited to reunite with friends while also giving back to Cincinnati."Cincinnati will always be a home for me," Jaye said, talking about the effect of representing the city in a global competition. "Two years playing for FC Cincinnati, and then I did another year and did my MBA at Xavier, so alumni of that school. And since, I was always going have a special place in my heart." Over the next five months, Millay said the team will train and practice to be able to be ready for a healthy, high-stakes competition. Millay talked to WLWT while at a training session at Beyond Exercise in Oakley. Before he worked on strengthening exercises, he told WLWT about how special this opportunity is as a player and teammate."It's just been very nostalgic," Millay said. "That's kind of been the word we've thrown around a lot. Like it's, you know, we got back together and had like a little meeting and nobody really skipped a beat. And, you know, everybody's kind of had each other's backs. And there's been a lot of great energy. I think we all were excited."The team is set to take the global stage in Cary, North Carolina, from June 1-4. Millay said the hype is already growing from FC Cincinnati supporters, including those who want to travel to North Carolina to watch the team's matches. Millay said more information will be released about the team's roster and potential pub partners.
If you're an FC Cincinnati fan, you'll have a unique opportunity to cheer on some of its early teammates later this year.
A new global competition called The Soccer Tournament will take place in June 2023 in North Carolina. It is a 32-team competition that will feature a seven versus seven styles of play. The tournament will feature a World Cup-style play and elimination protocols, with the winning team taking home $1 million.
The Soccer Tournament is run by the same company that runs The Basketball Tournament – TBT Enterprises – which operates a similar $1 million prize structure for its winning team. So far, four teams have been announced from all over the world, including a Cincinnati team featuring original FC Cincinnati players from the team's days in the USL.
Former FC Cincinnati player Michael Millay has been retired from the sport for more than five years. Since then, the 31-year-old co-launched a visual and experiential agency named Rooted Creative based in Cincinnati. The Soccer Tournament is currently a client of Rooted Creative. Millay told WLWT he saw the hype grow for the tournament and decided he wanted to jump into the competition. He decided he wanted to put together a team of his former FC Cincinnati teammates from their days in the USL.
"That first year," Millay said, reflecting on the growth of soccer fandom in Cincinnati, "so many people found community within their supporters, groups that didn't have that before. You know, it really changed a lot of fans' lives. People became soccer fans for the first time. So we really just want to bring fans a unique experience and let them kind of relive the glory days."
The team decided to name the team "Nati S.C." to pay homage to the city that brought them together as players and friends.
WLWT talked with former players Dallas Jaye and Andrew Wiedeman. Jaye was the team's goalkeeper and Wiedeman scored the first USL goal for FC Cincinnati. Both are now retired and say they are excited to reunite with friends while also giving back to Cincinnati.
"Cincinnati will always be a home for me," Jaye said, talking about the effect of representing the city in a global competition. "Two years playing for FC Cincinnati, and then I did another year and did my MBA at Xavier, so alumni of that school. And since, I was always going have a special place in my heart."
Over the next five months, Millay said the team will train and practice to be able to be ready for a healthy, high-stakes competition. Millay talked to WLWT while at a training session at Beyond Exercise in Oakley. Before he worked on strengthening exercises, he told WLWT about how special this opportunity is as a player and teammate.
"It's just been very nostalgic," Millay said. "That's kind of been the word we've thrown around a lot. Like it's, you know, we got back together and had like a little meeting and nobody really skipped a beat. And, you know, everybody's kind of had each other's backs. And there's been a lot of great energy. I think we all were excited."
The team is set to take the global stage in Cary, North Carolina, from June 1-4. Millay said the hype is already growing from FC Cincinnati supporters, including those who want to travel to North Carolina to watch the team's matches. Millay said more information will be released about the team's roster and potential pub partners.
