Phoenix Rising FC midfielder Federico Varela, center, fights off Memphis 901 FC defenders Saturday during Fan Appreciation Night. (Photo courtesy of Phoenix Rising FC)
PHOENIX – Fan Appreciation Night is also known as a moment to honor fans for the support they’ve provided the entire season.
For Phoenix Rising FC, it means more than just honoring supporters, but paying it forward despite the adversity they faced throughout the season.
Rising’s efforts started Thursday at home by hosting a fan event, Rising Together, an open training session for attendees to watch the team train and be part of the squad.
After the training session, fans headed onto the field for a meet-and-greet with players, including Gabi Torres and Tómas Ángel, and interim coach Diego Gómez. Members of the team signed autographs and spoke with many of the fans.
Torres, out with a broken bone in his hand since Oct. 7, walked around the bleachers during the training session to greet and embrace those in attendance.
“We owe so much to the fans,” Torres said. “They’re the backbone of the club, and I’m very thankful for the fans who were able to come by today and watch us train. Despite me not being able to play, I always want to thank the fans for their support.”
Phoenix Rising FC goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky, left, poses for photos with fans during the Rising Together event ahead of the final home game of the regular season. (Photo courtesy of Phoenix Rising FC)
Rising has been one of the more interactive professional sports teams in Arizona, allowing more leeway for fans to embrace the squad and make them feel welcome. With the Arizona Diamondbacks and Phoenix Suns nearby, Rising has offered fans an opportunity to support the best way they can.
Hispanic Heritage Night is one way the team promotes inclusivity with a celebration geared toward the Hispanic community. Fan Appreciation Night celebrates the entire fan base, no matter how long a fan has supported the team.
Logan Moran, a first-year Rising fan, saw the love in soccer with his son and quickly became amazed at the events offered by the club. He appreciates the effort put into connecting with the fans.
“This is huge for me and my son,” Moran said. “To be out on a Thursday Night to watch the team play is incredible. This is our first event that we attended, and we’re waiting on Saturday to attend our first match this season, even though it is the last one. With playoffs at stake, I couldn’t be more excited to attend Fan Appreciation Night.”
The momentum from Rising Together shifted to Saturday in the final home game of the season for Fan Appreciation Night. Rising gave fans Thursday and Saturday a 40% discount at the team shop.
Despite temperatures dropping, nearly 9,000 fans showed up to the home game. The ultras, Banditos, started tailgating from the moment the gate opened at 6 p.m. A band played as fans danced before kickoff. But the fun wasn’t enough to distract from the night’s goal, outside of showing appreciation for fans: winning.
“I was nervous heading into this matchup, especially because of what’s at stake, but now I feel at ease with the group,” said Alexander Shaddock, one of the Banditos drummers. “From what was going on throughout the season to where we’re at now, I’ll never take for granted the support we were able to provide to the club.
“They deserve all the support they can get, and I’m honored that they host events such as today to pay it forward to the fans.”
Phoenix Rising forward Dariusz Formella shows his appreciation by signing autographs and chatting with fans before Saturday’s match on Fan Appreciation Night. (Photo courtesy of Phoenix Rising FC)
After witnessing the club win the USL Championship last year, many fans had high expectations heading into this season. However, after going 6-6-7, Rising decided to move forward without former coach Danny Stone and left fans with mixed emotions on the status of the club. Gomez took over as interim coach but also produced mediocre results in the club. After their loss against Monterey Bay FC, Rising’s chances for the playoffs were extremely dimmed.
However, after two wins against New Mexico and Oakland, Phoenix all of sudden found themselves in a great spot to grab a postseason berth. That prize gave Rising fans a reason to support the team to the max in their final home game of the season.
During halftime, Rising selected a couple of lucky fans to go to the field and attempt to make a half-field shot to win season tickets for the 2025 season. By that time, the majority of the stadium was filled with fans as they prepared to see Phoenix clinch a spot in the playoffs.
Rising ended up losing to Memphis, 1-0 and fell to 11-9-13, but other results in the USL Championship allowed Phoenix to a playoff spot.
The club has found a rhythm heading into the playoffs and will look to run back last year’s magic to the title.
Despite the loss Saturday, many fans left the stadium excited and were celebrating the clinched spot. The loss will prevent Phoenix from hosting a home game in the playoffs, but as last year, expect the Banditos to travel and support the team in the first round of the postseason.
Gómez wasn’t happy about the loss, but still celebrated making it to the postseason. His efforts from two weeks ago, when Rising posted two crucial wins, earned him USL Coach of the Week honors.
Gomez is honored to take Phoenix back to the playoffs and give something back to the fans, but knows there’s more work to be done with their last matchup of the season against Louisville FC.
“Our locker room is hungry and we wanted to win,” Gomez said. “We didn’t get the results we wanted for our fans, but I’m happy that they were able to come out and give us the support we need. We have qualified but the season is not over yet. We have one more week to prepare and I know we can achieve it. A big thank you to our fans for the support this season, and I hope you’ll support us even more for the playoffs.”