Fort Wayne FC aims to grow fan base after Mad Ants’ departure

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - After the Fort Wayne Mad Ants announced their move to Noblesville, the Fort Wayne athletics landscape has a void that sports fans want to see filled.

One team is on its way to doing just that: the Fort Wayne Football Club.

Building a strong community around a sports team is a long and difficult process, but the Fort Wayne Football Club is taking its efforts directly to the source.

Wednesday night, there was a buzz at Hop River Brewing: a buzz about local soccer in the Fort Wayne FC, which is in its fourth year in the Summit City.

Players took the time to meet and get to know their new-found loyal fans at the brewery, both young and old.

Leo graduate and FC defender Reid Sproat, this event has helped the club grow.

This event was not just for the sake of building relationships with fans, it was also a way for the team to show their appreciation for their supporters.

Sixth-grader Demetrio Wegner-Guerrero and his mom, Christine, were just two of the many fans that packed the building on Wednesday.

He says he really enjoys going to watch the games, as well as meeting the team members.

As support for the Fort Wayne FC continues to build, Sproat says he can see the “wide-open goal” the club has in front of it to become a pillar of Fort Wayne sports. He also says he thinks there is an opportunity for the club to grow into the minor league scene Fort Wayne has established.

The next meet and greet event is scheduled for Saturday, June 3, at the club’s new home for the year, Bishop D’Arcy Stadium at the University of Saint Francis.

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