HI. AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR OUR NEW MEXICO UNITED SPECIAL THIS WEEK, THE BLACK AND YELLOW PREPARING TO PLAY IN FRONT OF THE HOME CROWD IN THE US EL MATCH FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SEASON. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US. SUMMER ON BR. AND I’M BETHANY MILLER. WE WILL BE JOINED SHORTLY BY UNITED CAPTAIN SAM HAMILTON AND OWNER PETER TRAVIS SANCHEZ TO TALK ABOUT THE SEASON. THE TEAM LOOK AT A REPEAT SIMILAR SUCCESS GOING INTO THE 2023 SEASON, BUT WITH A WAY LONGER RUN IN THIS YEAR’S PLAYOFFS. WELL, THE US ALL CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE RECOGNIZING THE CLUB EARLY ON IN THE SEASON, THE BLACK AND YELLOW RANKED 11 OUT OF THE 24 TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE UNITED WENT UNDEFEATED IN THE SEASON AND MANY BELIEVED IT WAS A POSITIVE START. GOING INTO THEIR FIRST MATCH. SPEAKING OF THE CLUB, WE TRAVELED TO THE SOUTHEAST FOR THE SEASON OPENER AS THEY TOOK ON MIAMI FC AND BOTH TEAMS STRUGGLED TO THREATEN OFFENSIVELY FOR MUCH OF THIS MATCH. BUT IN THE 68TH MINUTE, MIAMI SHOOTS WIDE LEFT OF DIVING. ALEX TIME BACK IS TO KEEP IT SCORELESS WHEN THE DIFFERENCE WILL COME IN THE 85TH MINUTE. JUSTIN PORTILLO LINING UP A PENALTY KICK GETS THE GOALKEEPER LEANING ONE WAY AND POUNDS IT THE OTHER WAY INTO THE NET. UNITED STARTS THE SEASON OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT WITH A ONE NIL ROAD VICTORY. WELL, FROM MIAMI TO OAKLAND, THE BLACK AND YELLOW LOOKING TO STAY UNDEFEATED. BUT IN THE 63RD MINUTE, JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ KNOCKS HOME HIS SECOND GOAL OF THE SEASON, THE ONLY SCORE OF THIS GAME, UNITED NOT ABLE TO GET THE OFFENSE GOING AS THEY LOSE ONE NIL TO OAKLAND, THEN THE TEAM WOULD PIVOT FROM THE USL REGULAR SEASON TO HOST A SECOND ROUND MATCH IN US OPEN CUP PLAY FACING OFF AGAINST NEW MEXICO. STATES YOU’D THE ACADEMY THE STORY OF THIS ONE NEWCOMER JOSH DOWLING, WHO WAS SCORED A HAT TRICK HELPING LEAD THE TEAM TO THE SIX NIL WIN TO ADVANCE ON TO THIRD ROUND PLAY. IT’S A GREAT COMPETITION. I PLAYED IN IT LAST YEAR AGAINST A FEW CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS, SO I KNOW WHAT IT’S ABOUT. IT’S GOOD TO GIVE TEAMS LIKE THIS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP AND CHALLENGE THEMSELVES AND WE WANT TO DO WELL IN THIS TOURNAMENT AND START WITH THIS GAME. SO I’M HAPPY WE GOT THE WIN. AFTER THE LAST TWO RESULTS, THE LEAGUE FEELING A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THE TEAM SINCE PRE-SEASON, DROPPING IN THE POWER RANKINGS TO 16, ACCORDING TO THE LEAGUE, AND UNITED FELT A BIT BLUNT ATTACKING WISE AND THE NEED TO BE MORE CONFIDENT WHEN TRANSITION MOMENTS APPEAR TO PUSH THE PACE WHILE THERE’S PLENTY OF EXCITEMENT FOR NEW MEXICO UNITED’S FIFTH SEASON IN EXISTENCE, WE HAVEN’T GOT OFF TO A DOWN START WITH HOMETOWN PRODUCT CHRISTIAN NAVA GOING DOWN WITH A SEASON ENDING INJURY. YOU NEVER REPLACING CHRISTIAN OF THEM. LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AFTER SIGNING A CONTRACT EXTENSION TO PLAY FOR NEW MEXICO, UNITED ANOTHER TWO SEASONS. I THINK I’VE GROWN A LOT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW OF THE PLAYERS AROUND ME, THE CLUB ANNOUNCED THAT ALBUQUERQUE NATIVE CHRISTIAN NAVA WOULD MISS THE 2023 SEASON WITH A TORN ACL SUFFERED DURING A TRAINING SESSION. IT’S PART OF OUR JOBS. YOU KNOW, INEVITABLY YOU’RE GOING TO FACE SOMETHING BIG AND FOR CHRISTIAN, IT’S JUST ABOUT TAKING IT DAY BY DAY. ALL THIS LOVE OF CHRISTIAN SO MUCH AND BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THIS IS YOU KNOW, A MOMENT FOR HIM WHERE THERE’S A LOT OF ADVERSITY. AND EVERY TIME THERE’S ADVERSITY IN FRONT OF HIM, HE’S CHANGED INTO A POSITIVE. NAVA IS A HOUSEHOLD NAME IN THE BLACK AND YELLOW IS THE FIRST PLAYER TO COMPLETE THE PATH TO PRO, WORKING HIS WAY THROUGH THE RANKS, HE WAS POISED TO ENTER HIS SECOND PROFESSIONAL SEASON. DOESN’T CARE WHO HE’S PLAYING AGAINST FOR HIS 100 MILES AN HOUR. VERY DIRECT DOESN’T SHY AWAY FROM THE TACKLE, EVEN THOUGH HE’S ONE OF THE SMALLER KIDS ON THE FIELD, BRINGS THAT TYPE OF ENERGY. THE SAME PLAYERS WHO’VE HELPED HIM GROW INTO THE PERSON HE IS TODAY NOW RALLYING AROUND HIM, INCLUDING ARMANDO MORENO, WHO TORE HIS ACL AT THE END OF THE 2021 SEASON. MENTALLY, IT CAN BE TOUGH FOR A YOUNG PLAYER THAT’S WHERE WE HAVE TO TAKE IT UPON OURSELVES AS A GROUP IN HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE CHECKING IN ON HIM, MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE’RE NOT MAKING HIM FEEL LIKE HE’S ON HIS OWN ISLAND AND HE’S JUST BY HIMSELF ALL THE TIME. AND YOU KNOW, MONDO’S GOING TO HELP HIM OUT TREMENDOUSLY WITH THAT. THEY’VE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, HAD PLENTY OF CONVERSATION IN BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT HAPPENED TO NOW THE CLUB’S GOAL TO HAVE NAVA BACK IN THE LINEUP STRONGER THAN EVER FOR THE START OF THE 2024 PRESEASON. THE KID IS RESILIENT. HE’LL COME BACK STRONG, NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT. IT’S JUST WE CAN’T JUST ASSUME THAT WE’RE GOING TO WE HAVE TO HELP HIM IN THESE TYPES OF MOMENTS, EVEN THOUGH HE’S NOT GOING TO BE WITH US ON THE FIELD. HE’S GOING TO BE WITH US HERE EVERY DAY. WELL, WE’RE NOW JOINED BY DEFENDER AND CAPTAIN OF NEW MEXICO UNITED, SAM HAMILTON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US. YEAH, THANKS FOR HAVING ME. OF COURSE, WE SAW YOU A LITTLE BIT IN THAT PACKAGE. OBVIOUSLY, IT’S NOT A GREAT NEWS WHEN A GREAT PLAYER LIKE CHRISTIAN ALBERT GOES DOWN WITH A SEASON ENDING INJURY. BUT HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO RELATE? OBVIOUSLY, FANS SAW YOU LEAVE A MATCH A YEAR OR TWO AGO WITH THAT BROKEN LEG. HOW HAVE YOU SORT OF HELPED HIM AND MENTORED HIM THROUGH THIS? YEAH, I MEAN, IT’S IT’S PART OF OUR JOB, UNFORTUNATELY. I THINK YOU’D BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND A PLAYER WITH A LONG CAREER WHO HASN’T HAD, YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF SERIOUS INJURY AND THERE’S PLENTY OF GUYS IN THE LOCKER ROOM THAT CAN HELP HIM. KEEPING CONFIDENT, KEEPING POSITIVE, AND MAYBE GIVE HIM SOME BITS OF ADVICE ALONG THE WAY FOR SURE. AND I JUST WANT TO PIVOT, OBVIOUSLY, COMING INTO YOUR FIFTH SEASON EXISTENCE, YOUR FIFTH SEASON WITH THE CLUB, AND YOU ARE THE HEAD CAPTAIN. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU, TO REPRESENT THE BLACK AND YELLOW HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE FOR A FIFTH SEASON? I MEAN, SUCH AN HONOR. WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE LOCKER ROOM OF PLAYERS AND STAFF AND THEN JUST TO REPRESENT THE CITY, NEW MEXICO IS SUCH A BIG DEAL AND SOMETHING I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN. AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST FANS IN THE LEAGUE, MAYBE ACROSS LEAGUES IN THE WORLD. AND SO TO TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO GUIDE OUR GROUP AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GOOD RUN THIS YEAR AND SEASON AND POSTSEASON IS SOMETHING I TAKE REALLY SERIOUSLY. AND I’M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. I KNOW FANS ARE EXCITED ABOUT IT TOO. WELL, THERE’S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PIECES THAT HAVE JOINED THE ROSTER. OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF RETURNERS AS WELL. BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE NEW GUYS AND HOW THEY FIT IN WITH THIS OFFENSE? YOU KNOW, GREG, HERE’S THE OTHER STRIKERS THAT HAVE ADDED WHAT ARE THEY BROUGHT TO THIS TEAM? THIS YEAR? YEAH, YEAH. I MEAN, THE PIECES WE ADDED, I THINK EVERY SINGLE ONE I THINK MADE OUR GROUP OR MAKES OUR GROUP BETTER. MAYBE SOME MORE ATTACKING POWERS AND FLAIR, EXCITING TO WATCH. GREAT GUYS IN THE LOCKER ROOM, KIND OF ALL ACROSS THE BOARD. PRETTY, PRETTY EXCITING PIECES. WE ADDED THIS YEAR AND IT’S EARLY IN THE USL SEASON, BUT WHAT DO YOU TAKE FROM YOUR START HERE ALREADY IN LEAGUE PLAY? WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO WORK ON AS THIS LONG SEASON CONTINUES? YEAH, YEAH. I MEAN, IT IS A LONG SEASON, SO IT IS KIND OF GAME BY GAME. I THINK OUR GROUP HAS LOTS OF INTANGIBLE QUALITIES THAT ARE GOING TO HELP US AND I THINK WE’RE JUST FOCUSED ON GETTING THE NEXT RESULT BECAUSE THAT’S REALLY ALL WE CAN CONTROL RIGHT NOW. SURE. AND WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE HOME OPENER A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT I DO WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS BECAUSE THE LAB IS JUST ELECTRIC. THERE’S A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS THIS YEAR. HOW EXCITED ARE YOU TO PLAY IN FRONT OF YOUR HOME? OH, MAN. I MEAN, I’M REALLY BUZZING. I’M IT’S ALWAYS SUCH A CRAZY FEELING WHEN YOU WALK OUT OF THE TUNNEL AND, YOU KNOW, DURING THE GAME, IT’S SO LOUD. THEY’RE SO CONSISTENT, SO RESILIENT. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN JUST FEEL THE ENERGY AND IT’S DEFINITELY A SPECTACLE AND SOMETHING I LOOK FORWARD TO EVERY YEAR. AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SAYING WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER. BUT FIRST, WE’LL GO NOW TO RUN BY BETHANY. THANK YOU. THE CLUB HAS ALSO ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS OF FINDING A HOME OF ITS OWN. TWO WEEKS AGO, CITY LEADERS UNVEILED PLANS FOR A NEW SOCCER STADIUM AT BALLOON FIESTA PARK. NOW, OFFICIALS SAY THEY’RE LOOKING TO USE THE LAND JUST EAST OF THE LAUNCH FIELD. THE CITY SAYS THE SIZE OF THE STADIUM WILL BE AROUND THE SIZE OF ISOTOPES PARK. WE TALKED TO A CITY LEADER WHO LIKES THE IDEA OF A STADIUM. THEY ARE APPEALING FOR US TO PARK BLUE JUST THE PARK IS IS A POTENTIAL LOCATION. IT HAS ENOUGH ROOM AND COULD COULD ACTUALLY SUPPORT POTENTIALLY A PRIVATELY FINANCED, PRIVATELY FUNDED STADIUM. MAYOR TIM KELLER SAYS THE PLAN IS IN THE EARLY STAGES AND OTHER LOCATIONS ARE BEING CONSIDERED. AND WITH THAT, WE’RE NOW JOINED BY THE OWNER OF NEW MEXICO, UNITED, PETER HARBISON. HE THANKS SO MUCH, PETER, FOR JOINING US. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANKS FOR HAVING ME TODAY. SO WITH THE STADIUM ISSUE, WE KNOW THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING LONG PROCESS FOR YOU GUYS TO TRY TO GET A STADIUM OF YOUR OWN. HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU IN THIS PROCESS OF AT LEAST LOCATING A PLACE WHERE YOU LIKE TO HAVE IT? YEAH, WELL, WE’RE MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS. FIRST OF ALL, REALLY THANKFUL THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, THE ISOTOPES MADE, THE BASEBALL STADIUM AVAILABLE. WITHOUT THAT, WE NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING THIS TEAM HERE. BUT THERE’S A BASEBALL TEAM THAT PLAYS THERE MOST OF THE TIME, AND THERE’S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO THAT. SO OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A PLACE THAT COULD BE OUR OWN, BUT ALSO BE USED FOR OTHER OTHER EVENTS, OTHER OTHER USES AND, YOU KNOW, AS AS THE MAYOR POINTED OUT, BALLOON FIESTA PARK IS A VIABLE OPTION. A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RIGHT THERE. AND WE’RE REALLY EXCITED TO EXPLORE THAT. A LOT OF WORK TO DO. BUT WE THINK THAT COULD BE A GREAT PLACE FOR A HOME. I IMAGINE HAVING IT BE MULTIPURPOSE HELPS TO SELL THE WHOLE POINT OF THE PROJECT. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU MUST DO WITH A NEW STADIUM? HAVE IT BE MORE THAN JUST A SOCCER VENUE? ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, THE STADIUM’S GOING TO BE FINANCED PRIVATELY, AND IN ORDER TO MAKE IT WORK PRIVATELY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS, EVENTS THAT COMPLEMENT WHAT’S HAPPENING AT BALLOON FIESTA PARK, COMPLEMENT WHAT’S GOING ON. THE OTHER 350 DAYS A YEAR THAT THAT BALLOONS ARE FLYING. AND SO ONE THING WE ASPIRE TO DO IS TO BRING A PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S TEAM HERE, TO CREATE OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE IN SYNERGY WITH WITH FESTIVALS THAT HAPPEN AT THE PARK AROUND PRIDE, AROUND YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT’S FOOD TRUCKS. THERE’S SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE STARTING TO HAPPEN AT THAT PARK. SO WE’RE GOING TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT IS IN SYNERGY AND IS REALLY A CATALYST, CAN HELP, YOU KNOW, MAKE SOMETHING BIGGER AND BETTER. AT THE BALLOON FIESTA PARK, YOU DON’T HAVE ISSUES WITH NEIGHBORHOODS BEING INFRINGED UPON. DOES THAT MAKE IT EASIER TO PUT A STADIUM THERE? ABSOLUTELY. WE NEVER WANT TO BE SOMEWHERE WHERE WE’RE NOT BEING HELPFUL, WHERE WE’RE NOT BEING A CATALYST OF POSITIVE CHANGE. WE DON’T WANT ONE GOOD THING TO COME AT THE EXPENSE OF ANOTHER. AND SO WHEN YOU’RE OVER A HALF A MILE FROM ANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD, WHEN YOU’RE IN A NATURAL AMPHITHEATER, WE’VE DONE SOME LIGHT STUDIES AND NOISE STUDIES THAT WOULD SHOW THAT IT WOULD BE HAVE MINIMAL IMPACT TO THOSE TENANTS. AND THEN I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY, MAKING SURE THAT WE’RE NOT PLOWING A WHOLE NEW SET OF LAND FOR A STADIUM. THERE ARE 13,000 PARKING SPOTS RIGHT NOW, BALLOON FIESTA, BECAUSE THEY’RE USED TO GETTING. 80 TO 100000 PEOPLE PER DAY, WHICH IS A 10TH OF WHAT WE GET PER GAME. SO THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE AND WE THINK IT’S NOT OBTRUSIVE AND IT’S SOMETHING THAT CAN REALLY BE A CATALYST FOR THE STATE. AND I KNOW IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THAT THE FREE FOR YOU THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS. AS YOU SAID, REPEATED AGAIN THIS IS A PRIVATELY FINANCED VENTURE THAT YOU’RE LOOKING TO DO. YEAH. WE’RE GOING TO THE STADIUM ITSELF IS GOING TO BE LED PRIVATELY. IT’S GOING TO BE A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN THE SENSE OF WILL BE ON CITY LAND. SO WE’LL BE LEASING THAT LAND AND PAYING FOR THAT LAND. THERE’S THERE’S A LOT OF PLANS TO MAKE IMPROVE IT TO THAT AREA BALLOON FIESTA PARK TO BEAUTIFY THAT NOT JUST FOR THE STADIUM, BUT ALSO FOR BALLOON FIESTA ITSELF. AND AGAIN, ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN OUT AT THAT PARK. SO THIS IS A TRIPLE WIN. WE’RE THE PRIVATE SECTOR STEPS UP GOVERNMENT COMES TOGETHER, EVERYBODY’S HAPPY, AND WE JUST MAKE A BETTER NEW MEXICO. AND WHAT SHOULD THE FAN EXPECT FROM A SOCCER ONLY VENUE IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING TO DO WITH THE VENUE ITSELF AND MAYBE SOME AREAS AROUND THERE TO CREATE THE TO ENHANCE THE FAN EXPERIENCE? WELL, YOU KNOW, A BIG PART OF OUR GAME HAPPENS OUTSIDE THE 90 MINUTES. WE’RE KICKING THE BALL. WE BLEND A LOT OF ART AND SPORT AND FESTIVALS, SO IT’S NOT UNCOMMON FOR PEOPLE TO SHOW UP SIX, 7 HOURS BEFORE A GAME TAILGATE, KICK A BALL ON A FIELD, CELEBRATE. THERE’S A LOT OF FAMILY BARBECUES THAT HAPPEN BEFORE THE GAME. SO WE WANT TO CREATE THAT ATMOSPHERE AND HAVE IT CONTINUE AND AND WE’LL HAVE OTHER EVENTS BESIDES SOCCER, BUT THINGS THAT ARE THAT MAKE SENSE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN OUR AREA. SYNERGISTIC WITH BALLOON FIESTA. ALL RIGHT. LOVE TO SEE THAT. WE’LL HAVE MORE WITH PETER COMING UP LATER. AND COMING UP ON THE SHOW, ZERO FIVE, IS IT THE YEAR OF A CHAMPIONSHIP BRAND OF UNITED? WE HAVE A REALLY CORE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HIGH CHARACTER GUYS. THEY ALL PULL FOR EACH OTHER AND THEY’RE ALL PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION. AND WHY IS THAT? PRINCE BELIEVES THE ROSTER IS