Inferno Put Colorado Naming Rights On The Line

Colorado Springs, CO (January 10, 2020) – Residents of Colorado are not yet well informed that there are two professional arena soccer teams that play in Colorado, but a rivalry might just do the trick. Colorado Springs is home to the Inferno FC and Denver to the Rumble. Dubbed the "I-25 derby," the history behind this bitter matchup is fueled everyday. The newest edition squares off this Sunday, January 12, 2020 at SoccerHaus, located in Colorado Springs. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 PM MT and doors open to the public at 2:00 PM. 

Colorado Springs is known as the stomping ground for the Colorado Inferno FC, but they are putting more than a city name on the line says Inferno Director of Operations Brett Riding. "We are putting the right to use the name “Colorado” claim on the line versus the Rumble." Meaning, the team that is the most deserving to represent this great state in the Major Arena Soccer 2 circuit gets the honor of putting Colorado before the club’s name.

This rivalry goes back to the conception of the league when the Rumble were formally known as the Colorado Blizzard.  The Blizzard played at the SoccerHaus facility when they competed in a lower division league, the PASL (Premier Arena Soccer League). The popularity and growth gained recognition by the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL), the top tier of Professional Arena Soccer.  This is when players from the Rocky Mountain Big Horns and Colorado Blizzard combined to create Colorado Inferno FC.

John Wells, then the majority owner of the Colorado Blizzard kept his brand and moved it up to highway to the Denver market where he met Rumble owner Gary Faircloth. The two operated it together in the M2’s inaugural season before deciding to split ways the following year. Faircloth continued on as the Colorado Rumble and Coach John Wells departed and took the following year off and focused on operations for the Colorado Switchbacks, a partner to the SoccerHaus. Switchbacks is the USL team that plays in Colorado Springs during the outdoor season. 

Coach John Wells has now accepted the “Co-Coach” position for Colorado Inferno FC after the recent resignation of head coach Jeremy Tafoya. Alongside Co-Owner/Coach of the Colorado Inferno FC, Jorge Troncoso, they look to advance the Colorado Inferno FC to 4-3 this Sunday against the Rumble. Their objective this season is to earn a spot in the playoffs and bring Colorado Springs its very first professional Major Arena Soccer 2 title!

Regardless of the outcome the action is sure to heat up in Colorado as Wells faces off against his former business partner with a score to settle! Colorado soccer fans should head out this Sunday to watch this battle ensue, and the brackish relationship unfold on the red turf at the SoccerHaus.