In a significant move that promises to redefine their playing experience, the Philadelphia Phoenix, a professional men’s ultimate frisbee team, has found a new home at Neumann University.
This partnership will allow the Phoenix to use Neumann University’s turf field as their official home ground. The collaboration marks a pivotal moment for both organizations, showcasing a commitment to athletic excellence and a shared vision of community engagement and growth.
Professor Rina Keller has led the university’s side of the partnership, explaining there is a personal connection to bringing the Phoenix to Neumann.
“My son plays for the Philadelphia Phoenix, and I noticed that they were looking for a new home. They were looking for new facilities, and I was like wait, we have an awesome facility,” she said.
When it was revealed that the team was searching for facilities close to the Philly area, Keller reached out to the leadership team, owner, and general manager to form a connection between the ultimate organization and university.
“We built a team that we thought we could kind of entertain this kind of a project,” said Keller. And after an initial Microsoft Teams meeting, the two parties agreed that Neumann University would be the perfect home turf for the Phoenix.
Julie Lanzillo, professor of sport management, also played a key role in bringing the Phoenix to Aston. A key upside for her is money.
“Any institution wants to generate revenue and Neumann has always been a home for a lot of external events, especially when the university is not being used by our primary residents,” she said.
But the benefits may extend beyond money.
“They have athletes that could potentially benefit from some of our programs here, or we will offer some opportunities to take courses and grad programs,” said Lanzillo.
There can also be numerous opportunities for Neumann students in marketing, communication, broadcasting, social media, sales, game day operations, youth programs, and camp internships in the spring and summer months.
“There’s a lot of little things that this partnership on campus brings to the students to be able to get experience and exposure,” Lanzillo explained. “The woman that owns the Phoenix is also very involved in the league office, so the students that get to intern with the Phoenix will have access to opportunities that are well beyond the doors of just the Phoenix.”
Students who participate in this opportunity will be able to work in multiple departments and gain insights into operations from different sections of the organization. Keller also mentioned the owner of the Phoenix is very active in the promotion of women in sports.
“She’s on many committees that highlight women in sports. And [the Phoenix] are partnered in some ways with the women’s team which is called the Philadelphia Surge. And so, we’re thinking how do we get involved with them and women in sports?” she said.
With that, the partnership looks to promote women in sports as well as the game of ultimate frisbee at Neumann in the future.
“There’s been talk on campus for many years about bringing frisbee to campus like as a club or an activity, or potentially getting it to be a D3 sport on campus. And so, this was another way of doing that, by generating an interest among students,” said Keller.
Ultimate Frisbee is also an inclusive game.
“Almost anyone can play, and you can play mixed teams. It doesn’t cost a whole lot of money, [and] the equipment is not very expensive, so there’s an opportunity to generate interest in a new sport on campus and if we had a professional team to help us that could also be another side product,” said Keller.
There are incentives that will be included for Neumann students who are interested in watching the Phoenix play.
“Like any good minor league team, they have some good promotions going on,” said Lanzillo.
The Phoenix’s first game is on Sunday, May 5th at 5:00 p.m. There will be free admission with a code for all Neumann students and personnel. Included will also be a complimentary adult clinic before the game.
Additionally, students will receive 20% off food, beverage, and merchandise with their Neumann ID.
This promotion is eligible for the first game as well as all home games. Other home games will be $5 per ticket for Neumann students with an ID.
Danica Pedone
