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Madison’s Wilt Opens Up Ahead of Home Opener

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 04/25/19, 3:31PM EDT

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In Reddit AMA, discusses challenges in launching clubs, and building brands for FMFC, Green Bay


Forward Madison FC's Peter Wilt. | Photo courtesy Forward Madison FC

Since he first came to major prominence as the man behind the success of the Chicago Fire’s launch, Peter Wilt has had a special place in American soccer culture. This week, ahead of the home opener of his latest club, USL League One’s Forward Madison FC on Saturday night at Breese Stevens Field and the inaugural season of USL League Two’s Green Bay Voyageurs FC next month, he took some time to venture onto Reddit to answer questions from fans around the country and the world on what it took to build a successful club.

On launching a club in USL League One
PW: Starting a lower division club is hard. Starting it successfully is REALLY hard…and you need to have a number of well aligned variables including well located venue, talented, hard-working staff, proper approach and appropriate financial resources. Amount depends on the level, the market and the goals. In general, you get out what you put in. Investment in talented personnel and attention to details are important. Connecting to the community, including them and making them part of the process is critical. It’s not rocket science, but it is a lot of hard work and long hours.

On the key elements of community inclusion in building a club
PW: Public ownership is ideal, yes. Short of that it's crowd sourcing as many aspects of the team as possible, especially during development of the team. It also means active participation in charitable events, other sports teams in town, festivals, cross promotions with social, civic, charitable, sporting, recreational and commercial organizations. Just getting out in the public. Players, owners, organizational leaders and staff......via speaking engagements, town halls, taking influencers to lunch, having beers with die-hard fans, attending youth soccer tournaments and board meetings.....getting engaged.

On building an organic brand that will resonate with the community
PW: With Madison and Green Bay (and Indy, the Chicago Fire, Red Stars and Riot) we crowd sourced names to varying degrees to get advance fan reaction and buy-in. We also asked fans to provide rationale for the names (and colors) using local or regional history, culture, tradition etc.). Having a large group participating in the decision making process complicates the process, but I think in the end leads to a better product.....though they say a camel is a horse designed by committee.....personally, I like camels - Dromedaries anyways.

On the future goals for League Two’s Green Bay Voyageurs FC
PW: The expectation is not that the Green Bay Voyageurs will join a pro league in the future, but Capital Credit Union Park in Ashwaubenon where we'll play would make a fine pro team venue. Green Bay and the Fox Valley could potentially support a USL League One team. I'm looking forward to seeing the response in Northeastern Wisconsin. Brian Kamler has put together a good squad that we hope will battle for a division title.

On hunting for the best burger in Madison
PW: That's a very hard one.....I suspect I may not have found it yet......but it's fun searching!!!

So far I really like the 'Bou Burger at the Caribou Tavern, The Plaza Burger (Plaza sauce is delish and the Plaza has bubble top hockey as a bonus), Player's Sports Bar in Atwood has a great burger and I have a $50 gift certificate burning a hole in my pocket which I may just use tonight, and yesterday I discovered a good one on State St. (though it's a chain :-( ) - MOOYAH, and Dotty Dumpling's Dowry has great burgers and NO DUMPLINGS - go figure.

On his personal flamingo collection, and FMFC’s home opener
PW: I own one plastic flamingo personally....if I had more they might breed and I live in a small home....

Saturday's inaugural home game will be special, because it is the first regular season home game. The fans are excited, the players and staff are excited. There's a buzz in Madison and it's not just leftover from 4/20. 


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