Stoppage Time Special: How Soccer is Changing Northwest Arkansas

This Stoppage Time Episode pulls a powerful snippet from one of our earliest Pitch to Pro conversations - Ep. 16 - From Local Chambers to Soccer Fields: Pioneering Progress in Northwest Arkansas.

Soccer isn't just a sport; it's an engine for economic growth and a force for community connection. In this archival highlight, we revisit a moment that explored how professional soccer is helping transform Northwest Arkansas through both cultural integration and economic momentum.

As fans pour into Rogers from across the four-state area, local businesses—from restaurants to breweries to retail shops—see meaningful boosts. The sport’s economic footprint is already rivaling established regional draws like the AMP, while also sparking long-term infrastructure improvements.

But beyond dollars, soccer serves as a cultural bridge. With over 60% of Northwest Arkansas residents having roots elsewhere—many from soccer-loving countries—the game offers a shared language that builds inclusivity and belonging. It's a vital layer of connection that traditional sports can’t always offer.

Even then, the vision was clear: professional soccer wasn’t just entertainment—it was a “community shared value” in the making. Collaborations with youth leagues, schools, and local institutions pointed to a deeper model of community integration.

Listen back with us and see how the seeds planted back then are now helping shape the future of Northwest Arkansas—on and off the pitch.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to the Stoppage Time edition of the
Pitch to Pro podcast.
This is a highlight reel ofsome of the best moments from
the show so far, and every otherweek we will be bringing you a
special five to seven minutesegment featuring the best
stories, tales and moments ofthe podcast.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
From a nuts and bolts tourism standpoint, you're an
attraction.
It immediately becomes aprofessional sports team.
That is an attraction that'sgoing to draw people in from the
four state area around here tocome in for games, to see stars,
to spend their money whilethey're here and go home
afterwards.
So it's new dollars that comeinto the destination and all of

(00:42):
that.
So from a nuts and boltsstandpoint, you're a great
amenity and a great attractionthat's added here and it's
something that we can go out andpromote that not everybody has.
You're a unique attraction aswell.
But then from the communitystandpoint and knowing the
impact and the appeal of soccerin Rogers and Northwest Arkansas
, knowing the investment of ourschools and our families and our

(01:04):
kids in the largest game on theplanet and the impact that can
have to get ingrained in thecommunity, it's a double play,
it's a twofer that gets youexcited about having that.
And then the way you've goneabout doing business, quite
frankly, and coming out andengaging with organizations like
the Chamber and DestinationRogers about how do we partner,

(01:26):
how do we collaborate.
Can you help us get in front ofthe right people?
We want to be a big communitypartner that speaks to the way
business should be done, andthat excites me about what the
future holds for the club andfor the community as we all grow
together.
Well, thank you.

Speaker 3 (01:48):
And I look at it from an economic standpoint as well,
not just as it a great qualityof life amenity and something
you know, a feather in the cap,but it's also that secondary
impact of people are coming tothe game.
Well, okay, what are they goingto do before the game?
They get.
You know they're going to go torendezvous junction and have a
beer they're going to.
You know they're going to eatat public safety.
That's investment in.
You know road constructionamenities, you know all of that

(02:10):
stuff that benefits theresidents as well.
And so, just looking at that, Imean I consider it on the same
level as the AMP in terms of theeconomic impact that it's going
to bring.

Speaker 1 (02:20):
Yeah, no, that's that's great to hear you guys's
perspectives.
Thank you, and I think that'swhat a lot of people you know.
Some of the feedback that we'vegotten from from just residents
in in a lot of the listingsessions and and online surveys
and all the the listing thatwe've done thousands of hours
collectively across allplatforms, is because this is

(02:42):
the world's game, like you said,jr, and the broadest appeal in
terms of you know, over 60% ofour population is now from here.
They're from the rest of theworld, yes, and we love our
Razorbacks so much.
We love the naturals.

Speaker 3 (02:55):
As a Kentucky fan, I'm not a big fan of the
Razorbacks right now.
Oh hell, no, he's my next guest.
There we go, you think?

Speaker 2 (03:05):
Come, he's my next guest.
There we go, you think come on.

Speaker 1 (03:06):
Yeah, exactly, I wish maybe we'll get him.
Welcome, coach Calipari.
For those I know the reference.
But because of that, I thinkthis is potentially going to
potentially and what we hope,what we aspire to, is that this
is going to be something thatunlocks a new avenue of growth

(03:32):
in interconnectivity between ourdifferent communities, not just
Rogers Fayetteville, but also.
We have an incredibly diversecommunity, absolutely, and I
think that's wonderful and howit's growing and bringing not
just different backgrounds butdiversity of thought, which

(03:52):
always drives innovation and allthese other different things.
I mean, there's a whole lot ofother studies out there that
show that that's great for acommunity, and I think we're
we're still figuring it out onhow do we work together.
We do it very well.
I mean, how do we get all of usinvolved in a lot of different

(04:13):
ways and different vehicles touse to do that, and I think that
this could be one of those.

Speaker 3 (04:18):
Sports is a universal language and it brings people
together.
I mean it always does.
It's common fan bases.
I mean yeah.

Speaker 1 (04:24):
It's not going to solve it, but like can it be
another lever that we can allpull together and unify in a way
that maybe some other thingscan't?
And that's what is also.
That's been just feedback, butalso what we know from doing it.
Mr Warren Smith has done itmultiple times.
I can speak to that more than Ican, but that's what gets us so

(04:46):
excited.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
I think too there's a term that we talk about in
advocacy, with destinationadvocacy, and it's about
becoming a community sharedvalue.
And I can see that as the clubgets ingrained in the community
and it's not just somethingwhere other people go to and
then leave, but it becomes partof the community From local

(05:07):
clubs, local teams, talent,education, all the above using
the facility.
That's what we hope is going tohappen in the future, exactly,
yeah, I think that's the goal is, if you become that shared
value, then people care aboutyou as much as you care about
them and everybody grows.

Speaker 1 (05:24):
I love that.
Well, thank you guys so muchfor joining me today.
I think this has been just anawesome discussion and I look
forward to our continuedpartnership.
You guys have been fantastic.

Speaker 3 (05:33):
So we appreciate you guys and everything you're
bringing to the table.
I mean it's we.
We cannot express how excitedwe are Once we see happening and
we we want to be right there onopening day and 26 and just
yeah, it's, it's, it's justgoing to spur so much more for
for Rogers and NorthwestArkansas.
So we truly appreciate you guysselecting us to be here.

Speaker 1 (05:54):
Yeah, Thank you.
It's going to be here beforeyou know it, guys.

Speaker 2 (05:56):
I promise it seems like a ways away but but I
guarantee you again, it's amarathon, not a sprint.
You blink and it's going to behere.
We'll have to do this againsometime in a couple of times in
the future and just talk aboutsome of the other developments
that are going on through thearea, that are going to
complement and help yourorganization, and your
organization can help some ofthese other developments down

(06:16):
the line too.
Absolutely, I just invitedmyself back Consummate salesman.

Speaker 1 (06:23):
Gladly have you guys back, for sure.