Those lucky to call Northwest Arkansas home know it's a unique and diverse community. Many residents who live here aren't from here. A significant portion of Northwest Arkansas's population is made up of transplants from across the country and beyond. This becomes especially evident on sports weekends when you'll likely see fans proudly wearing their favorite out-of-town team's swag.
Even with all that NWA has to offer, those relocating from larger cities often feel a void when it comes to professional sports. The lack of access to pro sports was evident to Chris Martinovic, who moved his family here from the Northeast, where professional sports teams abound. It's not surprising, then, that he was instrumental in bringing the first professional soccer team to the Natural State.
"Nothing unites a community quite like a sports team," Martinovic says. "Sharing a love for a team has this amazing ability to unify a region. And that's what we're hoping will happen here with Ozark United."
When the United Soccer League (USL) announced in 2023 that it would bring a team to Northwest Arkansas, Martinovic and co-founder Warren Smith went to work engaging with the community.
"We tried to take ourselves out of the process as much as possible," says Martinovic. "It's not our team. We wanted folks from the community to get involved from the very beginning to build this with them."
Over the past year, they've conducted surveys and held focus groups throughout the region, covering all demographics and seeking feedback from those who live here. What did they want from the team? What did they want in a stadium? What made them proud to live in Northwest Arkansas? They assembled a group of community investors—people from here who wanted to be a part of building this team from its foundation. Their highest priority was to create a team that represented the diverse group of people who live here. From the multi-purpose stadium to the team's name and branding, Ozark United FC has the fingerprints of NWA residents all over it.
Having a USL team in the community also impacts youth soccer programs and opens up the possibility of adding a women's professional team.
"When I started this venture, I wasn't sure this was something the community would get behind," Martinovic says. "But it's been made so clear that the community not only wants it, but they need it, and they deserve it. It's a big lift to get this off the ground. It's a community project. It truly takes a village."