TUCSON, Arizona (May 20, 2020) — Rarely in sports do you get a do-over. But with the unprecedented times we are living in, a do-over just might be in order. FC Tucson’s season was due to begin on March 28th and has been on hiatus since March 12th. The club originally intended to launch the jersey on March 18th at a posh event for season ticket holders, sponsors, and VIPs but that event was cancelled at the last moment due to the rapidly unfolding news of COVID-19.
“We knew 2020 was going to be a remarkable year but a season hiatus, a global pandemic, and complete economic and social unrest is not what we had in mind,” says FC Tucson President, Amanda Powers. “Since the hiatus, we have done everything we can to be a beacon of hope, create joy, and lend helping hands wherever possible. It’s times like this that prove what football clubs are made of whether we’re on the pitch or not,” says Powers.
Over the past two months—as FC Tucson works toward a return to play scenario—they have continued to forge a community by promoting local businesses; donated dollars and time to those in need; held a successful blood drive with the Red Cross; and managed to win a national eSports tournament.
“We’ve been busy but wanted to find the right time to release the jersey,” said Powers. “Once we knew there might be a path to resumption of play, we decided this would be the time our fans could use some hope and a simple distraction from what has felt like Groundhog day for more than 60 days.”
In honor of 5-2-0-day, FC Tucson chose to release the kit today to celebrate city pride. This year’s kits feature a unique 10-year anniversary emblem on the sleeve, featuring:
• Rattlesnake skin representing the desert strength
• The Santa Cruz river to honor what gifts the monsoon season brings to our communities and wildlife
• A lightning bolt as a symbol of Tucson’s energy and illumination of the desert skies.
Equally important, is this year’s match day jersey sponsor partnership with Chapman Automotive. Each year, FC Tucson has both the honor and privilege to partner with a special Tucson company in a unique way. As FC Tucson celebrates its 10th anniversary year, a key theme has been to celebrate heritage with a sense of pride, reflecting on a decade of success highlighted by division titles in the Premier Development League and advancing in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. However, FC Tucson’s greatest accomplishment has been working to advance the hopes and dreams of not just FC Tucson’s first team players, but youth players across Southern Arizona. Chapman Automotive has played an integral part in the success of FC Tucson and MLS preseason.
Chapman Automotive has been a corporate champion of youth, adult amateur, and professional soccer in Tucson and across Arizona for nearly a decade. Their generosity has helped both children and adults alike live their soccer dreams. Through their Chapman Cares Project, their employees choose to make a difference in the community throughout the years from raising awareness at Making Strides Against Breast Cancer to facilitating events that help sheltered dogs find new homes.
Chapman Automotive shares in FC Tucson’s continued vision of being a champion both on and off the field and is undoubtedly a name brand synonymous with soccer. For these reasons as well as their years of service to FC Tucson soccer, the club is proud to announce Chapman Automotive as the 2020 official match jersey sponsor.
For a limited time, each jersey purchase will come with a FC Tucson cloth PPE mask. You can purchase the jerseys and other great team gear at fcutcson.com/shop
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