Energy FC, Rayo OKC face off in battle for fans
Soccer has reached a high point in Oklahoma City, and its biggest matchup is Saturday.
Oklahoma City Energy FC, in its third year in the United Soccer League, has sold out more than half its games, made a deep run into the playoffs and boasts one of the best goal scorers in the country in Danni Konig.
Rayo OKC, in its first year in the North American Soccer League, silenced critics last week. A standing-room-only crowd watched Rayo’s world-class roster play Edmonton to a 0-0 tie in the first match in franchise history.
Two professional soccer teams, vying for the city’s attention, will go at it Saturday, just not headto-head.
Energy FC hosts Saint Louis FC at 7 p.m. at Taft Stadium. Rayo OKC hosts the Carolina Railhawks at 7 p.m. at Miller Stadium in Yukon.
Decisions must be made by soccer fans on which match to attend. For some, though, there’s no question.
Clay Harstad has been a soccer fans for years, getting involved in cheering for the U.S. Men’s national team in 2010. Harstad said when Oklahoma City got a professional team in 2014, the Energy, he might have latched onto anything. But the reason he keeps coming back is community.
“Factors such as community involvement, facility upgrades and overall vision have kept me on board,” Harstad said. “The pre- and post-match tailgating is something I look forward to each week because of the people involved.”
Harstad also says he enjoys the accessibility of players.
“There have been many events and watch parties in which Energy players have attended. Getting to chat with them really personalizes the sport and makes it that much more fun to root them on during matches. “
A lot of Energy fans began supporting the team in 2014, when it took the field for the first time. It was the only professional soccer club in the state.
Fast forward two years, and now fans have a choice to make. Which team? Do you like the USL or the NASL? Do you like this club’s colors, its name, its ownership group?
Picking a team to root for can come from all kinds of different reasons. Your family cheers for this team, you are from this area. You look good in Energy green. You like Rayo’s mascot Flash. Lots of different reasons to pick a team. For two Rayo fans, the NASL itself is a big factor.
Will Bowersox co-hosts, with Porter Cunningham, the Scissortail Podcast. Both grew up playing soccer in Oklahoma City, and both said they did go to Energy matches. But now that there is an option, both have chosen Rayo OKC.
“As I have learned more about the NASL — a truly independent professional league — I have become more attracted to what Rayo OKC is trying to do in the broader context of the development of the game in the U.S.,” Bowersox said. “The NASL enjoyed a strong heritage in the ‘70s and ‘80s in this country. Right now in OKC, we have a front row seat to the continuing rebirth and development of this once venerable league.”
Cunningham said part of his decision to support Rayo came from the reaction of Energy fans to the news of a second team.
“The negative reaction of Energy FC fans at the announcement of Rayo OKC,” he said. “I get it. I understand the logic of ‘OKC is a fledgling professional soccer market, so anyone dividing the metro instead of unifying it is the bad guy,’” Cunningham said. “However, a lot of information I saw across social media regarding the new team in town is negative and nonconstructive. It exudes an air of fear and jealousy rather than one of hope and joy for the growth of the game of soccer. When I saw the principle of open market attacked, I decided to stand with the underdog.”
Fans picking a team is a big deal. Whichever team has more fans in attendance Saturday will have bragging rights. But there’s more than just attendance to this new rivalry.
Half of the Energy’s ownership — Tim McLaughlin — worked with Rayo OKC’s minority owner Sean Jones and the folks at Sold Out Strategies, who are the operating managers of Rayo.
McLaughlin signed the paperwork that would put the NASL in Oklahoma City three years ago before ultimately changing his course. He joined forces with Bob Funk Jr. and Energy FC.
McLaughlin’s leaving the NASL group left it dead in the water for a lengthy period, and it appeared the NASL would never come to OKC. That was until Rayo Vallecano stepped in as a majority investor. The NASL couldn’t say no to a top-flight club from one of the world’s best leagues in Spain.
Energy FC and Rayo OKC aren’t in any hurry to schedule an exhibition match against each other. Playing in different leagues obviously prevents what would be the biggest soccer match in Oklahoma City history. However, there is a chance they play each other in the U.S. Open Cup in June.
For now, the only competition between these two is playing home games on the same day and kicking off at the exact time.
Brad Lund, who is part owner of Sold Out Strategies, said last fall when the NASL was in town to award Oklahoma City with a franchise, that he didn’t think it was too hard to believe both teams could draw big crowds at the same time.
The Energy can get just under 8,000 fans in Taft Stadium. Rayo can put about 6,500 fans at Miller Stadium. Are there 15,000 soccer fans in Oklahoma City? Will they all go to a game Saturday? We’ll know just before the sun goes down.