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INDIANAPOLIS (March 19, 2013) – Indy Pro Soccer announced a partnership with Indiana Champions League today that will increase the new pro soccer team’s season ticket total by 500. The agreement, which pushes Indy Pro Soccer’s season ticket deposits past the 2,700 mark, also allows the NASL club to represent the youth soccer organization’s marketing rights.

ICL will be the exclusive ticket outlet for the 500 seats that will comprise the youth supporters section for all Indy Pro Soccer home games at Carroll Stadium in 2014. The section will be branded in consultation with the Brickyard Battalion, the team’s primary supporters group, once the team’s name is announced next month. “The Indiana Champions League is excited to partner with Indy Pro Soccer and the Brickyard Battalion,” said Brent Paulson, ICL General Manager. “We believe that this partnership will create opportunities for all youth soccer players to enjoy watching the game with their friends and teammates”.

ICL will have a position on the team’s advisory board, a night for ICL at an Indy Pro Soccer home game featuring pre-game and halftime youth games, post-game autograph session, promotional table, promotional PA and scoreboard announcements and a social gathering in a hospitality tent for ICL members. Player and mascot appearances at ICL tournaments will also be included as part of the partnership.

“I’m excited to extend Indy Pro Soccer’s grassroots base of support to the Indiana Champions League,” team president Peter Wilt said. “This is a remarkable show of support by a growing youth soccer organization. ICL is making a commitment to connect top level players in the state by helping them support the state’s professional team.”

Additional mutual cross-promotion includes e-mail blasts, website enhancements, print advertising, piggy-backed mailings and use of a suite for the ICL Night. Each ICL member will have the opportunity to register for free as a Youth Supporters Group member and receive an additional membership to the Brickyard Battalion’s youth division. Each ICL member who registers in the Youth Supporters Group will also receive a “BYB card” offering discounts at selected retailers, restaurants and services in the Indianapolis area (subject to BYB restrictions). ICL will be featured on a stadium matrix board at every home game and in advertising promoting ICL Night.

Tom Dunmore Named Team Vice-President of Marketing and Operations

Indy Pro Soccer also announced the hiring of respected soccer executive and writer Tom Dunmore to head up the team’s marketing and operations efforts. Dunmore, who has developed and managed the team’s online presence for the last five months, will serve as Indy Pro Soccer’s Vice-President of Marketing and Operations. “I chose Tom due to his soccer industry experience and his demonstrated success marketing, selling, promoting and handling operations for professional soccer organizations,” team president Peter Wilt said.

“Tom is one of American soccer’s most knowledgeable executives in terms of fan development. He understands supporter culture and general fan culture better than any executive I’ve worked with,” Wilt said. “I have worked with Tom before and know that his strengths complement me and he will make Indy Pro Soccer a stronger organization,” Wilt said. Dunmore served in a similar capacity with the Major Indoor Soccer League’s Chicago Riot, which quickly gained remarkable grass roots support thanks in large part to Dunmore’s efforts.

“I have been amazed by the passion for professional soccer shown in Indiana over the past few months,” Dunmore said. “It’s an honor to have the opportunity to help launch Indy’s new team and work to embed it into the fabric of the community.”

Dunmore is also a leading soccer writer, editor and publisher. He is the author of two books, Soccer For Dummies and a Historical Dictionary of Soccer . He founded the award winning soccer website Pitch Invasion and the print periodical XI Quarterly, two leading outlets for long form soccer writing. Dunmore was formerly the Chairman of Section 8 Chicago, the Chicago Fire’s Independent Supporters’ Association, and has served on the Chicago Fire Foundation board and the Chicago Red Stars advisory board. He is a native of Brighton, England and is relocating from Chicago with his wife Monika and infant son Jack.

Additionally, the team named former local soccer star Molly Kruger as Account Executive and Marketing Coordinator. Kruger starred locally with Carmel United, Indiana University and Butler University. She also played in Los Angeles collegiately with UCLA and in the WPSL with Pali Blues.