Outline:
Community Engagement and Business Opportunities Drive Lorain County Leviathan FC
Lorain County Leviathan FC is leveraging strong early community support and unique business opportunities as it prepares for the 2026 season. The club has already seen significant interest, with hundreds of season tickets sold. This momentum is being further supported by the club’s efforts to secure a primary jersey sponsor while also inviting fans to participate in shaping the team’s identity through a public vote on the official kit design.
Club chairman Andrew McDonnell emphasized that the jersey sponsorship is one of the most visible and trusted assets the organization offers. Unlike traditional advertising, this partnership goes beyond just promoting a brand. It involves creating a sense of community and shared purpose.
The club has launched a public vote to determine its official jersey design, another deliberate effort to keep fans directly involved in shaping the club’s identity. McDonnell noted that the jersey is more than just a piece of clothing—it’s a symbol of the community and the club’s values.
“It’s our most visible asset, and it’s also the most trusted one,” McDonnell said. “When people are wearing their jersey around, and we’ve sold literally hundreds of these jerseys already, they’re going to be all over the community. Schools, workplaces, restaurants, all over Lorain County.”
According to McDonnell, nearly 85 percent of season ticket holders receive a replica jersey as part of their package. More than 1,000 jerseys are expected to enter circulation throughout the community during the season, creating repeated exposure for the sponsor, he said.
“This is different than a billboard,” McDonnell said. “A billboard doesn’t give anything back to the individual citizen. A jersey sponsorship does. That sponsor is keeping tickets affordable, partnering with the club, and partnering with the community all at the same time.”
The Leviathan’s sponsorship model is designed with flexibility, offering one-year or multi-year options depending on the goals and scale of the business, McDonnell said.
“Some partners may want to do a one-year deal, others might want to pay a little less and commit to two or three years,” he said. “We’re pretty flexible based on who they are and what they’re trying to do.”
Keeping tickets affordable has remained a priority as the club builds momentum, McDonnell said. Sponsorship revenue helps the organization maintain ticket prices in the $10 to $20 range without sacrificing quality, he said.
“Sponsorships allow us to finance the team without doing anything to ticket prices,” McDonnell said. “That’s huge for accessibility. Everyone should be able to come out and be part of this.”
The timing also aligns with rising interest in soccer nationwide as the World Cup draws closer, something McDonnell believes will further boost local engagement.
“The World Cup brings soccer to the forefront in the United States,” he said. “But, those tickets are limited and extremely expensive. For a lot of families, driving to places like Toronto or Chicago just isn’t realistic. We’re able to provide that same entertainment value here, in the community.”
That growing engagement has translated into early ticket sales. McDonnell noted the club already has sold nearly as many season tickets as Vermont Green FC, a well-known USL League Two club that sold out its first season with 349 season tickets.
“And we still have about five months to go,” he said. “The community is starting to realize, ‘I probably should get these now,’ because we’re on the path to selling out.”
Alongside the sponsorship push, the club has launched a public vote to determine its official jersey design, another deliberate effort to keep fans directly involved in shaping the club’s identity.
“From day one, we’ve always said the club belongs to the community,” McDonnell said. “Letting fans vote on the jersey design is just another way of keeping that promise. These colors and designs are going to reflect the community, not just the people running the club.”
Currently, three jersey designs are in contention, each drawing inspiration from Lorain County’s Lake Erie identity and maritime history. The vote is running through the end of the month, and McDonnell said the response has been overwhelming.
“It’s neck and neck right now,” he said. “Honestly, it’s becoming even more popular than the vote for the team name.”
The winning design will be worn by players during the season and included in season ticket packages. “When people choose it themselves, it instantly means more,” McDonnell said.
Fans can vote on the jerseys and learn more about the club and sponsorship opportunities at https://loraincountyleviathanfc.com/.