INDIANAPOLIS — Ninety-nine days after coming to fruition, the team born as Indy Pro Soccer recently announced its official transformation to the Indy Eleven during a ceremony held at the iconic Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Indy Eleven Owner Ersal Ozdemir also unveiled the North American Soccer League (NASL) expansion side’s colors — red, white and navy blue — and crest during the event.
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, Indiana War Memorial Executive Director Brigadier General J. Stewart Goodwin, USAF (Ret.) and Indiana Soccer Association President Murray Clark joined Ozdemir and Indy Eleven President Peter Wilt at the ceremony to usher in a new era for Indianapolis’ professional soccer team.
The Indy Eleven identity is rich with symbolism, beginning with the name itself. Indy Eleven is a nod towards club names that evoke traditional soccer culture, referencing the eleven men taking to the field of play in a fashion that is unique to the professional soccer landscape in the United States. At the same time, Indy Eleven pays homage to the state’s history as a reference to Indiana’s 11th Regiment in the Civil War, which was founded on today’s date, April 25th, in 1861. The 11th Indiana Regiment posted a significant contribution under the Command of Colonel Lew Wallace, who later became the Adjutant General for Indiana and authored the literary masterpiece Ben Hur.
A grass roots effort of the Brickyard Battalion has brought in 3,000 season ticket deposits for the 2014 season. In conjunction with the team’s new moniker and marks, Indy Eleven has rolled out a new-look website at www.IndyEleven.com, which features an online store component where fans can order the first items of official club merchandise. Indy Eleven has claimed new pages for its popular Twitter (@IndyEleven) and Facebook (IndyEleven) homes, and also debuted new Instagram (IndyEleven) and Vine (IndyEleven) accounts to further bolster its social media presence.
Fans can show their support of the Eleven by reserving 2014 season tickets with a deposit of only $25 per season ticket. Full season ticket packages will range from $135 to $390 and include tickets to 15 home games. The number of season tickets will be limited, so fans are encouraged to place deposits early to assure the best seats available for the club’s inaugural 2014 campaign.
