‘Crew’ to take ‘flight’ in Lower.com Field



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Columbus Crew stadium naming rights Image: Columbus Crew

The Major League Soccer (MLS) team Columbus Crew and fintech company Lower announced on June 15th a long-term partnership that includes naming rights to the ‘Crew’s’ new downtown home which is all set to get off the ground on July 3rd, 2021, will be named Lower.com Field effective immediately. The partnership sees two Columbus (US)-based organizations that are invested in the local community come together in a landmark agreement, terms of which were not disclosed.

The ‘Crew’s’ opulent residence – Lower.com Field – is set to open its gates at full capacity on July 3rd when the ‘Crew’ hosts its peer team the New England Revolution for the venue’s Inaugural Match.

‘Columbus Crew’ quoted Dee Haslam, Columbus Crew Investor-Operator, as stating, “We are proud to partner with Lower in naming our new stadium. Dan Snyder’s (Lower CEO) leadership and vision align so strongly with the goals of the Crew. Lower is a world-class company, rooted in Columbus, renowned for their culture and fully invested in giving back to our community. Lower.com Field will provide our players a home-field advantage and our supporters a best-in-class experience. In addition to matchdays, we are immensely excited that Lower.com Field will be the cornerstone of a new live, work and play neighborhood in Astor Park. On behalf of the Haslam and Edwards Families (owners of ‘Crew’), we look forward to working together to make a sustainable and positive difference in Columbus and for our supporters.”

The American professional soccer club Columbus Crew SC based in Columbus, Ohio (US) competes in the top division Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference. In December 2020, the Crew lifted the MLS Championship Cup 2020.

The New Columbus Crew stadium is a soccer-specific stadium under construction in Columbus, Ohio, United States, and will be able to pack in a crowd of 20,000. It will primarily serve as the new home stadium of the Columbus Crew SC of Major League Soccer (MLS), replacing the club’s current home, the 19,968-capacity Mapfre Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The Mapfre Stadium and its surroundings will be redeveloped as the club’s new training facility.

Lower is a fintech company whose mission is to make the traditionally daunting task of buying or refinancing a home simple. The millennial and Gen-Z home finance platform is differentiated from other digital lenders as they take a holistic approach to the home ownership journey. With more than 10,000 five-star reviews in less than two years, Lower is becoming the go-to destination for those looking to save for, buy or refinance a home across United States.

Said Lower CEO Dan Snyder, “We have nearly 1,000 local team members, have funded billions in loans and have been named the top workplace in Columbus, and yet, we’re still relatively unknown as a company. So, this partnership, to some extent, is the coming out party for our brand. Very few companies ever get to name a stadium, let alone a brand new one, in their home town. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. On behalf of my partners and the entire team, we couldn’t be more excited to open up Lower.com Field to the City of Columbus on July 3rd.”

‘Columbus Crew’ further stated that Lower is heavily invested in the Columbus community and will collaborate with the Crew on several community-based initiatives as a focal point throughout the partnership. Lower becomes the Presenting Partner to the Crew’s Mini-Pitch Project. The Mini-Pitch Project is a field development project that aims to provide local youth in underserved communities with the opportunity to get outside and play soccer in safe and fun environments. The Club’s 11th field development project – a mini pitch at Northgate Intermediate School in Columbus – is set to open later this month. On matchdays, for each goal scored by the Crew, Lower will donate $1,000 to Healthy Homes.

Healthy Homes is a non-profit housing organization and collaboration between Community Development for All People and Nationwide Children’s Hospital that works to preserve and create high-quality affordable housing. On top of the charitable donation, there will be a second goal-based opportunity, which benefits Crew fans. For each goal scored in the regular season, team supporters will unlock $500 toward their home financing, up to $1,500.

Lower also becomes an Associate Partner to ‘Give Forward’ becoming an integral part of the club’s community efforts. ‘Give Forward’ is a platform of the Columbus Crew Foundation that serves challenged youth, encouraging healthy and positive lifestyles, honoring the military and keeping Columbus beautiful.

Said Columbus Crew Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer Steve Lyons, “We couldn’t have found a more perfect fit with Lower as our naming rights partner. It was critical for us to find a like-minded company, Columbus-based and committed to our community. At the same time, Lower’s bold, upward trajectory reflects the direction of the Crew and the personality of Lower Field. As a leading innovative technological company, they focus on creating world-class customer experiences and their core mission of making home ownership more accessible is impactful for our fans. We are thrilled to welcome Lower and their associates to the Crew family.”

Continued Lyons, “As we prepare to open Lower.com Field, we are excited that this stadium will represent our players, club and City on a national and international stage through events such as Campeones Cup later this summer and potential U.S. Soccer matches in the future. The ability to host high-profile events of this magnitude provides incredible exposure to the club, the City and our partners through the global game of soccer.”

The Crew also announced that the second largest supporters section in Major League Soccer, the Nordecke (3,364) has got officially sold out. While the Nordecke, and as previously announced, all premium club, suites and loge boxes at Lower.com Field sold out for the current season, limited general seating 2021 Season Tickets are still available at a prorated price. Similarly, Limited Partial Plans for four to 10 matches are currently available.

As part of the partnership, Lower is also the Entitlement Partner to the East Field Club, which is set to be named the ‘Lower.com Lounge’. The lounge is the most premier space within Lower.com Field and is inclusive of 10 private field-level suites and 120 field seats.

The new world-class stadium of the ‘Crew’ has a capacity for 20,011 supporters and includes seats that are as much as 28 feet closer to the pitch than any of the seats at the Historic Crew Stadium. Additionally, the incline is steeper, providing improved sightlines for supporters in every part of the venue. A defining feature of the stadium is a 220,000 square-foot canopy that will cover all supporters during the match, providing shelter from weather elements throughout the season.

The premium spaces at the new home of the Crew are among the highest-end premium experiences in MLS and include Ledge Seats which hang over the lower bowl, offering one of the best views of the pitch. The New Nordecke at Lower.com Field is located on the North end of the facility and is set to be the second-largest supporters section in MLS, with standing-only capacity for 3,364 fans. Notably, it features a futuristic tifo-rigging system designed for the ‘Crew’ supporters and meant to intimidate the visiting team. Upon arrival to the Southeast entrance of Lower.com Field, spectators will be able to walk up to and congregate in a 62,000 square-foot public plaza featuring large, outdoor 14-feet by 24-feet video screen. Supporters can then walk across the plaza to the Pub Restaurant and Crew Shop, which will be open on non-matchdays. The concession stands at the venue are also set to feature several local food and beverage options.

At 225 feet wide by 360 feet long, the surface of the pitch at Lower.com Field – which sits 22 feet below the concourse level – will be surrounded by 13 feet of synthetic turf on the sidelines and 11 feet of synthetic turf on the end lines. The SubAir system used in the pitch will allow it to recover faster from adverse weather conditions, as it can increase the temperature of the pitch root zone by up to 28 degrees, allowing for events played in cold conditions to occur with less buildup that normally might affect the flow of the game. Additionally, the SubAir system can drain water from the pitch in three minutes, while gravity systems usually used in stadiums can take up to 60 minutes.

Columbus Crew was represented by Legends Global Partnerships in this wide-ranging partnership with Lower.com.

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