Year: 2020

Lansing, MI – Lansing has a new men’s soccer club that will begin play in the spring of 2021. Lansing Common FC, the club that was formed by a group of fans and community members organized following the folding of Lansing Ignite, will compete as a member of the Midwest Premier League (MWPL). 

When Lansing Ignite folded in the fall of 2019, a group of Lansing soccer fans came together to keep elite men’s soccer in Lansing alive. The group spent several months earlier this year hosting meetings across the Lansing area to gather input from the community about which characteristics they identify with in order to build a club they can connect with. What they heard in those meetings led them to the name Lansing Common Football Club.

“Lansing Common FC is the perfect name for who we are and what we are trying to build. We are ordinary people coming together to build a community-based club that doesn’t belong to one individual. Our name reflects our dedication to our mission,” said Geoff Sykes, the board’s vice president.

Lansing Common FC operates as a 501(c)3 non-profit and is led by a volunteer board of directors. Anyone can become a member. Each member gets a vote on major club decisions and is eligible to be elected to the board. 

“It was important to us, from day one, to be community-based, to ensure accountability to our supporters. We obviously want to put a good soccer team on the field, but more than that, we want to make a difference in our community,” said board member Jay Biggs.

The Midwest Premier League is a regional league with teams in Illinois, Iowa, and Michigan that is run by its member teams. Its season lasts from mid-May through early August.

“The emphasis on community-based clubs and sustainable operations that we see across the Midwest Premier League made it obvious to us that this would be a good fit for what we’re trying to build, both on and off the field,” said board member Steve Beckman.

“We are proud to focus on the growth of sustainable, local soccer, where we can connect with like-minded clubs to better share the sport which we all love. As a new entry to the MWPL, the crew from Lansing exhibit the same core values the league holds dear, specifically sustainability, focus on community, and building a lasting supporter experience for all ages. In talking with them, it is clear that Lansing embodies these values, and will be a terrific fit in the East Division when league play officially launches in 2021. I look forward to working with Lansing Common in the MWPL,” said Andy Hayes, Commissioner of the MWPL.

The club is working to confirm Lansing Eastern High School’s new stadium as its home field.