Over the past 11 seasons, what started as Brett and I trying to connect people in pub and wanting to out-sing the other supporters groups, has turned into one of the things that I am most proud of in my life. Together, we built a community, a family, a place to belong and connect, and support the greatest football club. We've seen marriages and lifelong relationships formed, and children born through this thing of ours'.
In 2007, if you’d have told us that we’d have grown in such a way that extended to 7 pubs across NYC, I’m not sure we’d have believed you. It wasn’t until 2010-11 that we founded our first Arsenal-exclusive pub, The Blind Pig, later expanding to O’Hanlons just a street away. We hosted Pat Rice! In 2012 we welcomed The King, and organized 2 events for fans to meet and greet with him at Red Bulls stadium. In 2014 we hosted one of the greatest Arsenal events here in NYC turning 14th St in Manhattan red, and helping to organize the events with club. We eventually expanded out into Brooklyn at Woodwork, and Highbury Pub, and downtown to The Barleycorn. We hosted Arseblog twice, and Arsenal legend Liam Brady!
We became the first city outside of Arsenal America to become an officially recognized supporters club by Arsenal Football Club, and became a legal corporation in the state of New York, and believe me, that was hard, and really tried some relationships.
We’ve managed to build something special, and paramount for many. We constantly tried to be innovative with our approach and what we were doing, and I know we succeeded surpassing all of our expectations. We set the bar, and we set it high.
With that said, there is and was, always room for improvement. There were times that I could not and did not give 100%, and as I approach 40 years old, and my own busy life of working as a Creative Director, owning and running a radio station, DJing, making time for family and somewhere in there finding time for sleep, I know that it’s my time to hand over the reigns to someone that can and will commit to seeing this through. It doesn’t come easy, as this by all means has been my baby, my pride, and a bit of my identity as well, but any good leader knows when its time to step aside and let someone else carry the torch. For me that person is Jessica. Never has anyone given the amount of effort and dedication to what it takes to run this club like I tried until Jessica came along. And though there will be an official vote, I nominate her, and am confident in her to not only carry on, but improve what we have 11 years in the making. I have no doubt, she is the one to run this club for the foreseeable future.
I’ll stay on in a more limited capacity as an Executive Advisor, and will work with the team to help create more events for the future as that is truly where my heart is.
I want to thank everyone that has been a part of all of this. Brett Chase, Quaid Kocur, Sean Swift, John Painting, Morgan Paar, Jessica Young, Andrew Kameka, Adrian Conoboy, Josh Templeton, Mike Hiddi, Jeff Werner, Miles Kohrman, Tom Staunton, Gareth and Cam Fagan, Ross Greenberg, Jimmy Grimason, Brian McLaughlin, Mark Brindle, Jill Smith, Doug and Zack at Upper 90, 8by8 Magazine, Mike Sanatar, Ed Shendell and anyone that helped and volunteered. Thank you to everyone who helped make this the best supporter’s club.
I've been truly blessed and felt so lucky at times at what I've been able to experience.
I've been truly blessed and felt so lucky at times at what I've been able to experience.
I hope you’ll join me on the final day of this season at O’Hanlons as we say goodbye to this season, Arséne, and myself as your President.
In the future, look for me at the end of the bar and say hello, won’t you?
I love this club, and I look forward to the change ahead. I love you all for allowing this to be such a big part of my life the last 11 seasons in New York City.
Victoria Concordia Crescit.
Kurtis Powers
Founder, Arsenal NYC
@kurtispowers
@kurtispowers