NJ/NY Gotham FC

Team information

Inaugural season: 2007

Home field: Red Bull Arena

Owners: Phil Murphy, Tammy Murphy, Stephen H. Temares, Ed Nalbandian, Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, Carli Lloyd

Team colors: sky blue, Gotham black, cloud white

Overview

The NJ/NY Gotham FC are a professional women’s soccer team based in Harrison, New Jersey. The team is a founding member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Prior to the formation of the NWSL, the team played as a member of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) league. The NJ/NY Gotham FC have been known by other names in the past, including Jersey Sky Blue and Sky Blue FC. In the past, the team was known for its constant administrative changes and for its alleged mistreatment of its athletes. However, since its rebranding as the NJ/NY Gotham FC, both the team’s training conditions and reputation have substantially improved.

History

The NJ/NY Gotham FC was founded as the Jersey Sky Blue, a team in the USL W-League, a semi-professional open league that welcomed both professional players and collegiate athletes. It was owned by Phil and Tammy Murphy, Steven H. Temares, and Thomas Hofstetter. When development began on Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), a top tier soccer league for US teams, the Jersey Sky Blue was selected as the league’s New York and New Jersey representative. It renamed itself the Sky Blue FC and began playing professional soccer in 2009.

Sky Blue FC was initially led by head coach Ian Sawyers, but after a difficult first season when they won just 1 out of their first 6 games, Sawyers was relieved of his position. He was initially replaced by Kelly Lindsey, but Lindsey resigned that same year and was herself replaced by Christie Pearce. At the time, Pearce was also responsible for playing as a member of the team, making her the first combination player/manager in the league’s history. Despite a rough start and several management changes, the Sky Blue FC went on to win the 2009 WPS championships.

During the 2010 season, the Sky Blue FC continued to undergo various management changes. The team replaced its head coach two more times, first with Paulina Miettinen, and then with Rick Stainton. The team was unable to duplicate the performance of its previous season, finishing fifth in the league. In 2011, Jim Gabarra took on the role of head coach for the Sky Blue FC. The team continued to struggle, tying for fourth place out of six teams.

The WPS suspended its 2012 season, noting that its management was having internal struggles. Soon after, the WPS announced that it would not be returning for the 2013 season, and the league officially folded. Several of the WPS teams came together to create the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), a professional women’s soccer league owned by the teams. The Sky Blue FC became one of the founding teams of the new league. The Sky Blue FC performed strong in the first half of the league’s inaugural season but failed to maintain their momentum in the second half. They earned a spot in the playoffs but were eliminated in the first round.

In subsequent years, the Sky Blue FC struggled to win games and make their way into the playoffs. During the 2014 season, the team finished in sixth place. In the following year, the Sky Blue FC went on several long streaks without winning any games. This led to winning just 5 out of 20 games and finishing in eighth place. After finishing the 2015 season, Gabarra ended his tenure with the team. He was replaced as head coach by Christy Holly.

The Sky Blue FC’s fortunes recovered slightly for the 2016 season, when the team managed to win 7 games and secure 5 draws. They finished in seventh place out of ten teams. In 2017, the team had its most successful season since 2014, winning ten games and finishing in sixth place. However, they continued to fail to qualify for the playoffs.

After Christy Holly’s sudden departure from the team, she was replaced by Dave Hodgson, who stepped in as interim head coach. The team performed particularly poorly in the 2018 season, winning only one game and setting a new record for longest streak without a win in the NWSL. Additionally, the team was reportedly plagued by mismanagement. Players alleged that they were routinely mistreated by management, which failed to provide adequate facilities for its athletes. Some players were denied housing, even when previously promised that it would be provided by the team. The Sky Blue FC’s training facilities were unsanitary, lacking running water, showers, and functioning toilets. Many players and team administrations throughout the NWSL began to criticize the Sky Blue FC’s management, and the team developed a strong negative reputation. Despite these difficulties, Sky Blue FC player Imani Dorsey secured the Rookie of the Year Award.

The year 2019 brought the team continued challenges. Two players drafted by the club refused to sign on to the team because of management’s previous mistreatment and mismanagement of its players. Sky Blue FC also lost its first nine matches of the season. They ended the season in eighth place, securing just five wins. Throughout the 2019 season, the team had three head coaches.

In 2020, the team reached an agreement with the New York Red Bulls that allowed them to share their training facilities. This significantly improved the facilities available to members of the Sky Blue FC. Though the 2020 season was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Sky Blue FC was able to participate in the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup. The team advanced to the semi-finals, where they were defeated by the Chicago Red Stars. The Sky Blue FC’s performance was praised by the media, and many fans hoped that the team might make a comeback in future years. In 2021, the team officially changed its name to the NJ/NY Gotham FC. The team continued using its iconic color scheme but changed its logo to feature the Statue of Liberty’s crown. The complete overhaul of the team’s brand was intended to distance itself from its prior negative performances and help revitalize the club.

In 2022, Gotham FC finished the season in last place. After this, Juan Carlos Amoros became the head coach. The next season proved to be much better. The team finished the regular season in sixth place and defeated North Carolina Courage to advance in the NWSL Championship Game. On November 11, 2023, Gotham FC won the NWSL Championship.

Notable players

Christie Patricia Pearce is an American athlete who grew up in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, and attended Monmouth University. While attending Monmouth, Pearce distinguished herself in soccer, lacrosse, and basketball. Following college, she began playing soccer for the Central Jersey Splash but was quickly recruited for the professional leagues by the New York Power. In 2008, Pearce was recruited for the Sky Blue FC. She was chosen as team captain, becoming the first person in the league to serve as both an active player and a head coach. In 2010, Pearce switched teams, joining magicJack. She athlete went on to play in five FIFA Women’s World Cup finals, winning two. She also won three Olympic gold medals and captained the US women’s national soccer team.

Raquel Rodriguez is a Costa Rican soccer player. She began playing soccer at a young age and quickly received attention from national teams. Rodriguez attended Penn State, where she led her soccer team to win the NCAA College Cup and was granted the Honda Sports Award. She was drafted by the Sky Blue FC in 2016, where she was named the NWSL Rookie of the Year. Rodriguez remained with the team through 2019, when she was traded to the Portland Thorns FC.

Imani Dorsey was born in Elkridge, Maryland. She attended Duke University, playing for their soccer team during her time there. Dorsey distinguished herself as a college athlete and was named Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Offensive Player of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Dorsey was drafted by the Sky Blue FC. She scored 4 goals and 1 assist during her first season. The league recognized Dorsey by naming her the 2018 NWSL Rookie of the Year. She remained with the team through its rebranding as the NJ/NY Gotham FC.

Bibliography

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Kassouf, Jeff. “NWSL Beginnings: Wine, an Applebee’s Napkin, Swedish, and the Original Sky Blue FC Brand.” The Equalizer, 7 May, 2021, equalizersoccer.com/2021/05/07/nwsl-beginnings-sky-blue-fc-name-logo-meaning-wine-applebees-napkin-malmo-pda/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Landergan, Katherine. “Murphy’s Soccer Team Named in Visa Investigation.” Politico, 16 Feb. 2021, www.politico.com/newsletters/new-jersey-playbook/2021/02/16/murphys-soccer-team-named-in-visa-investigation-491752. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Lee, John Jay. “Transforming Sky Blue FC into Gotham FC: An Insider’s Deep Dive into the Rebrand.” Urban Pitch, 9 Apr. 2021, urbanpitch.com/transforming-sky-blue-fc-into-gotham-fc-an-insiders-deep-dive-into-the-rebrand/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

“Sky Blue FC Announces Re-Brand As NJ/NY Gotham FC.” Once a Metro, 6 Apr. 2021, www.onceametro.com/2021/4/6/22369381/sky-blue-fc-announces-re-brand-as-nj-ny-gotham-fc. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Vaird, Paulina. “A Fresh Identity Is Just the Start for NWSL’s Gotham FC.” SI, 26 Apr. 2021, www.si.com/soccer/2021/04/25/gotham-fc-fresh-identity-nwsl-new-york. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Yang, Stephanie. “Sky Blue FC Created Untenable Player Conditions for Years.” Once a Metro, 17 July 2018, www.onceametro.com/2018/7/17/17583026/sky-blue-fc-created-untenable-player-conditions-years-nwsl. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.