Gotham FC: A fighting mentality as a club of the future

With everything to gain and nothing to lose, Gotham FC is taking its role as the NWSL underdog seriously as they strive for excellence on and off the field.

If there’s one thing that most sports fans can agree on, it’s that everyone loves an underdog, and Gotham FC is undoubtedly the NWSL’s underdog this season. After finishing last in the league in 2022, Gotham is looking to transform itself both on and off the pitch this season.

They acquired some heavy hitters who are overflowing with experience, and they’ve created an environment where players want to be which speaks volumes considering the NWSL’s history. Gotham is putting players first, and cultivating a worst-to-first mentality that they intend to ride all the way to the playoffs.

Gotham FC: Grit and glory

When it comes to getting results on the field, Gotham’s attitude is its strength. There’s grit to this team, and we’ve seen it with just two games so far this season. Whether that’s Kelley O’Hara arguing over a yellow card, Midge Purce getting fired up from the chants of an away crowd, Kristie Mewis shoving someone over in the midfield, or Lynn Williams coming back on in an arm cast, you simply can’t look away from the battle Gotham puts up. Their roster is full of players who won’t take no for an answer, refusing to settle for anything less than the best.

This mentality isn’t unwarranted because Gotham has the skills to back it up. They pulled off a win in their season opener on the road against Angel City FC, defying a home crowd and racking up three points to start the season. Lynn Williams was honored as the first NWSL player of the week with her game-winning goal against Angel City. Their home opener suffered an unfortunate rain delay, postponing the start time for over an hour. But you wouldn’t know it based on the energy Gotham took the field with. Even though they suffered a loss to OL Reign, Gotham played a strong game against last year’s shield winners. They had several good looks and, as always, put up a formidable fight.

Power to the players

Their offseason rebuild has created one of the strongest rosters in the league, bringing in Kelley O’Hara from the Washington Spirit, Kristen Edmonds from the Kansas City Current and Yazmeen Ryan from the Portland Thorns. After nearly eight years away from the game, Gotham welcomed Sinead Farrelly back to the league this year. She praised their club environment, saying she couldn’t “even imagine doing this with another club except Gotham FC.”

Gotham is investing in their club for the future, drafting rookie Jenna Nighswonger from FSU. Nighswonger has appeared in both matches so far for Gotham, and has shown great skill in both, she’s definitely a rookie to watch. After their opener, Lynn Williams was asked about Jenna’s skill and said the following:

"“Jenna’ s a baller. I think people should watch out for her in this league. She looked calm and confident on the ball”"

Changing the game off the field

But Gotham isn’t just excelling on the pitch, they’re also making an effort to be better off the field They currently have an all-female executive team backing up their efforts, including former player Darian Jenkins who joins Gotham FC as their Chief of Staff after announcing her retirement from the Orlando Pride in January.

Their players make an impact off the field as well, with several members of the team serving on the Black Women’s Player Collective board including Midge Purce, Lynn Williams, and Ifeoma Onumonu. They’ve partnered with US Fertility who will be providing fertility options to their players and staff. They’ve also partnered with Common Goal and the Play Proud campaign, joining other soccer clubs in promoting LGBTQ+ and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Gotham players are no strangers to these issues, with several LGBTQ members on the team who have been advocates for LGBTQ rights in the past such as Ali Krieger, Ashlyn Harris, and Kristie Mewis. As a fan who is also part of the LGBTQ community, seeing a club prioritize a safe and inclusive environment for fans and players makes me feel seen in a sports landscape that so often doesn’t provide space for all kinds of fans.

Fits, footy, & fun

In addition to all the great change that Gotham is working towards, their brand is also just a lot of fun. Their gameday fit photos are the stuff of legend, with players walking the black carpet and pulling up to games in style. They had great billboards up around the city before their home opener, featuring phrases like “Big Kick Energy”. They often drop limited edition merch and have gifted their season ticket holders sleek black boxes and exceptional member shirts. Not to mention the occasional surprise FaceTime from their players. To celebrate their goals scored on Twitter, Gotham put out videos of their players writing their signatures for the camera, promoting that player-first mentality.

Gotham is here to compete on the field and leave the sport better than they found it off the field. They’re a club with a vision building to create a legacy as a club of the future.

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