FC Indiana News Release - www.fcindiana.com

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

LAFAYETTE, IN -- USL W-League’s FC Indiana and Chicago Professional Women’s Soccer of the newly formed WPS have joined forces to grow the sport of women’s soccer in the Midwest, the two teams announced today.

FC Indiana, that will play its 2008 home games at Purdue University and at Kuntz Memorial Stadium in Indianapolis will be the Exclusive Development Partner and the Official W-League Affiliate of the yet-to-be-named Chicago franchise, which will begin play at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois in 2009 as part of the new top level professional women’s soccer league. The teams will benefit by sharing technical and commercial opportunities.

“We are excited to partner with a club that has been a dominant force in the WPSL the last several years and is positioned to be a leader in the W-League this year,” said Chicago President and CEO Peter Wilt.

The partnership was enabled by the shared ownership in the teams. Gary Weaver and FC Indiana Coach Shek Borkowski own FC Indiana and are also shareholders in Chicago Professional Women’s Soccer.

The relationship will begin immediately as FC Indiana will assist Chicago with identification of future players for the professional team. FC Indiana will serve as a team where players can be trained, developed, and identified for the pro league draft. These players will be in a developmental environment established by FC Indiana Coach Shek Borkowski, which will allow them to gain the tools needed to step up to the professional league that will launch next year.

FC Indiana, which won a League and Cup double in 2005 by capturing the WPSL title and the USASA Open Cup crown in 2005, and repeated as the Premier League National Champions in 2007, will benefit from an annual exhibition game in Indianapolis, coach and staff education programs, and other business and soccer elements.

“We are delighted to be entering the new league this season having formed an exclusive partnership with the Chicago franchise,” said FC Indiana Executive Vice President Anton Maksimov. “I’m especially thrilled for our current players and for all the aspiring girls and women playing soccer in Indiana who will now have a wonderful opportunity to experience first-hand the highest level of the game and, hopefully, one day don a jersey of what promises to be the leading women’s soccer organization in the world.”

“This is a great opportunity for both teams because I will be able to observe players prior to the 2009 draft and Chicago’s first season,” said Chicago General Manager Marcia McDermott.
Once Chicago starts training, FC Indiana and Chicago’s relationship will include an annual exhibition match in Indianapolis as well as some closed-door practice games at the Chicago team’s training base. This will allow the coaching staffs of both teams to create a mutually beneficial developmental relationship for both sets of players.

Other benefits for FC Indiana include a position on Chicago’s Advisory Board, access to Chicago players for appearances and coaching opportunities, and sponsorship sales by Chicago’s staff. Chicago team will be promoted by FC Indiana at all of their home games and at their training facility in Lafayette. Convenient season ticket plans involving both teams will be offered to fans of women’s soccer across the state of Indiana.