Clad in Velocity gear, Spokane packs downtown brewery to cheer on new pro soccer team

It didn’t take long for Spokane’s new professional soccer team to give its fans something to cheer about.

Josh Dolling’s goal in the 13th minute of the Spokane Velocity’s first match sent a packed crowd of fans into a celebration Saturday at Brick West Brewing Co. in downtown Spokane.

The Velocity are the newest member of the United Soccer League’s League One and kicked off their franchise on the road against the Greenville Triumph in South Carolina.

“To have live soccer here, I’m over the moon,” said M.E. Williams, who wore a Velocity sweatshirt and scarf at the Velocity’s inaugural watch party.

Several fans at the party were decked out in light blue, black and gray Velocity sweatshirts, scarves and beanies.

The eruptions of applause started early when brewery staff simply turned the game on five of its screens – one large screen that attracted most fans’ eyes and two smaller screens on both the east and west ends of the establishment.

The cheers commenced again when the team, dressed in white jerseys and shorts, took the Furman University football field to play the Triumph.

The Triumph tied the game a few minutes after Dolling’s goal and added two second-half goals to win 3-1.

Some fans at Brick West stood with beer and hard ciders in hand, and others sat at tables with their beverages and tasty treats, like nachos. Nearly all had their eyes glued to the screens.

They applauded loudly during a promising offensive attack or near-goal and groaned when the Triumph halted the Velocity’s threat.

Anthony Mantz, a 28-year-old medical student, said he’s not a die-hard soccer fan but watching a live sporting event in a social environment drew him to the watch party. Plus, his friend sells tickets for the Velocity, he said.

“It’s a cool environment,” he said. “I mean, why not support something local?”

Mantz, who wore a Velocity scarf, said the atmosphere at Brick West was “popping.”

“I was not expecting it to be this crowded,” he said.

Velocity merchandise was available in the corner of the brewery, and light blue Velocity balloons were scattered throughout the room. Two mini soccer goals were deployed in the grassy area outside the brewery where some children kicked around neon green soccer balls.

Williams, who attended several Seattle Sounders soccer games while living in the Emerald City, now has Velocity season tickets at the new ONE Spokane Stadium.

The Velocity’s home opener is Saturday against the Richmond Kickers.

“I’m hoping that this is just a small sample of what’s going to be happening in ONE Spokane,” Williams said of Saturday’s atmosphere.

Williams said the Velocity will unite the people involved in local youth and adult soccer leagues.

“The interest is here,” Williams said. “It’s definitely here. It’s just never had anything to kind of rally around cohesively, so this is definitely gonna be the glue that gets the community together.”

Carlo Churape, who watched with his 17-year-old son, Harper, said Spokane has many soccer fans and is excited to have the Velocity.

“I think this community’s built for soccer and I think it’ll support the team well,” Churape said.

Like Mantz, Churape, 44, said he was surprised at the watch party’s turnout, which filled the room.

“It’s pretty cool to see,” he said.

Churape said he hopes for a solid first season but understands it can take time for an expansion team to develop chemistry and make improvements.

“I think they’ll do well,” he said. “It’s so hard to know this early in the season where they’ll end up, but we’re hoping to see big things.”

Harper Churape said the Velocity signed some good players and he was excited for the season.

“I think they have a good chance to be pretty good this year in the first year,” he said.