Thunder-storm brewing
By Austin Lindberg
The phrase “world class soccer in St. Paul” is a new one, but the product behind the slogan has been around for 18 years. The Minnesota Thunder came from humble beginnings, completing a season of only six games in its inaugural season of 1990.
The Thunder were under the same ownership until 2003, when a partner of the Soccer USA stores of the Twin Cities bought the team. The purchase moved the Thunder from the National Sports Center in Blaine to James Griffin Stadium at St. Paul Central High School, where the Thunder played until May 10.
St. Paul native Dean Johnson of Winfield Corporation heads a group of investors who purchased the Thunder after working with the organization to find a home for their new stadium. Johnson lived in Europe for three decades and brought his love of soccer back to the Twin Cities.
“I think it’s great timing. I think soccer in this country is growing by leaps and bounds not only in the youth level but young adults that like to watch it on TV from Europe or go see a live experience,” said President and Director of Soccer Operations for the Thunder Manny Lagos. “It’s been a nice change.”
The change in ownership changed the way the Thunder operates. Under the previous ownership, the Thunder had one of the smaller payrolls in the United Soccer League (USL) Division One. Now, the Thunder have visions of grandeur.
“I’ve gone to ownership with a wish list,” said Thunder Head Coach Amos Magee. “But for Cristiano Ronaldo, my wish list has been given to me.” Two-thirds of the 2008 Thunder roster is made up of new signings.
“We’ve gotten better players and more better players,” said Thunder defender Kevin Friedland. “We’re much deeper than we ever have been and that’s going to show.” Friedland said that the new owners have been very professional and have taken better care of the players. One illustration is that the team flies to places it used to drive to.
Magee expects next season’s roster to resemble the current one more than the current roster reflects last season’s squad. Magee says that taking care of their players, fielding a strong side and playing in one of the league’s best facilities will be incentive for the majority of players to return next season.
The Thunder played their first two home games of the 2008 season at Griffin Stadium, a high school football stadium with artificial turf that was transformed to house the Thunder. Their last game at Griffin came in a 1-0 victory over Montreal Impact.
The Thunder’s move to NSC will be complete on July 1, when plans to remove the track surrounding the field will be removed and seats will be added. The deal will keep the Thunder at NSC through 2011.
Leaving Griffin was an emotional move. Lagos and Magee both grew up in St. Paul while Friedland has spent his Thunder career in the St. Paul stadium. Lagos and Magee both felt that Griffin did not fit with their aim to create the best soccer atmosphere in Minnesota.
As the only team in USL Division 1 not having a soccer-specific stadium, the Thunder received pressure from the league to move. When NSC approached the Thunder it was apparent to Lagos that there was an opportunity to “create the best soccer environment Minnesota’s ever seen.”
“Our intentions all along were to try to create the best possible soccer environment for the highest level professional team in the state, which is the Thunder,” Lagos said. “Minnesota deserves that, our Thunder players deserve that, our organization deserves that and all soccer fans really deserve that type of venue.”
Magee said that the move to NSC will help the team on many levels. The renovation will make NSC one of the league’s top facilities and that will be a lure to top players and fans. A pitch consisting of real grass will keep players happy and healthy. All around, NSC will help the Thunder produce better soccer.
“On a bigger field we can play attractive, on a smaller field we can play attractive soccer,” Friedland said. “I think it’s the team that can play.” Friedland thinks the move to a larger, grass pitch will be beneficial, especially for the guys who aren’t used to playing at the confines of James Griffin.
The new home will also allow the Thunder to attract larger games to play in exhibition matches. It is similar to Copa Minnesota, the event which brought David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy of the MLS to the Metrodome last November.
“At James Griffin we could never, ever bring in any type of European, South American, any type of team of consequence,” Lagos said. “It’s just not a proper venue to play that type of team.”
Now that the Thunder have financial stability and a good on-the-field product, the organization can turn its attention to the future.
“We want to be one of the top professional soccer organizations in the country,” Magee said. The perceived top level of soccer in the U.S. is Major League Soccer and the question for the Thunder is how do the ideals of the MLS compare to those of the Thunder?
MLS franchise fees upwards of $30 million and the recent growth of the USL have left the Thunder front office contemplating its options. Magee says that a soccer-specific stadium in St. Paul will become a reality for the Thunder and he has high expectations for the club.
“We expect to play entertaining soccer for Minnesota fans and we expect when we do move into our new stadium, we will have a core of six or seven thousand fans that are going to love what we do and follow us happily into that stadium, singing and chanting the whole way.”