Community

Phoenix Rising FC fans can once again use their tickets as Valley Metro Rail fare when travelling to the 38th St/Washington station on matchdays, the defending USL Champions announced today.

The club will partner with Valley Metro for the second consecutive season after it saw the ridership at the 38th St/Washington soar 45% on gamedays. Access from Phoenix Rising Stadium to the light rail station was so seamless, the team rode Valley Metro to its championship celebration party at CityScape in downtown Phoenix along with Mayor Kate Gallego in November.

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Phoenix Rising and provide fans with the exciting opportunity to combine their love for soccer with the convenience of public transit,” Valley Metro CEO Jessica Mefford-Miller said. “The remarkable increase in ridership on matchdays highlights the success and positive impact of this collaboration. We can’t wait to serve thousands more Rising fans this season.”

The partnership includes several branding initiatives, including dedicated signage at the 38th St/Washington station, located a few hundred feet from Rising’s stadium. That station averaged 730 boardings on gamedays while the highest single-game increase in ridership came at the home opener on April 1, when the station served a total of 1,300 passengers.

“Having our stadium on the Valley Metro line is one of the best aspects of this location,” said Phoenix Rising President Bobby Dulle. “It quickly became a very popular way for our fans get to the stadium last season. We are excited to continue this partnership with Valley Metro and encourage fans to take advantage of this convenient, safe and enjoyable experience when traveling to and from our home matches.

Rising fans can catch Valley Metro Rail, with their fare covered at any of the 41 stations across the Valley, leaving any worries about traffic and parking behind. Match tickets will double as valid light rail fare on the day of the event four hours prior to the start of the event, through the end of the transit day.

About Valley Metro
Located in the fastest-growing county in the U.S., Valley Metro connects people to their most important destinations each day. Riders travel across the metro-Phoenix area on eco-friendly public transit including bus, light rail, paratransit and streetcar. Progress continues on additional high-capacity transit extensions that are either in planning or under construction to create a 50-mile rail system by 2030. Valley Metro also offers alternative transportation programs including paratransit services for seniors and people with disabilities, commuter vanpools, online carpool matching, bus trip mapping, bicycle safety and telework assistance. Two Boards of Directors from 19 local cities and towns and the county set the policy direction for the agency with the intent of advancing the regional public transit system in Maricopa County. In addition to federal and local funds, Valley Metro receives critical capital and bus operations funds from Prop. 400, the 20-year, regional half-cent transportation sales tax that is set to expire in 2025. Stay up-to-date by following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X or by visiting valleymetro.org and downloading the Valley Metro app.

Phoenix Rising has partnered with the East Valley Institute of Technology for the 2024 season.

“It is important for Rising to partner with organizations that are focused on building strong communities,” said Rising’s VP of Business Operations, Joey Castor. “East Valley Institute of Technology certainly excels in that area. We look forward to working with them to elevate the experience of their students, promote the valuable education opportunities at EVIT and create a strong fanbase for Phoenix Rising in Mesa.”

The defending USL Champions and the best high school radio station in the country, The Pulse 88.7 FM, will team up to broadcast the club’s eight theme night matches throughout the Valley this season. Select EVIT students will also be able to gain experience by attending Phoenix Rising matches as credentialed media.

“We could not be more excited about our partnership with Phoenix Rising, the defending USL Champions,” said Michael Mallace 88.7 The Pulse General Manager. “This collaboration exemplifies our shared values and creates synergies that benefit the community, our students, fans and listeners. This partnership is a win-win for everyone.”

In addition to on-air promotion of the club and coverage of its charitable initiatives, EVIT will host a school’s out event at its main campus (1601 W Main St, Mesa, AZ 85201) on Saturday, May 18. The event will include a fundraiser ticket link with proceeds benefitting EVIT as well as a March to the Match, where students will board the Valley Metro Light Rail at the Sycamore/Main St station in Mesa and ride to Phoenix Rising Stadium at 38^th St/Washington. Rising’s agreement with Valley Metro allows fans to use their match ticket to cover light rail fare on gamedays.

About 88.7 The Pulse and EVIT 88.7 The Pulse (KVIT-FM)
A full power FM community-supported Hit Music station and one of the most powerful High School radio stations in America, 88.7 targets young adults and families all over the Valley. It is operated by the staff and students of the Radio and Audio Production Department at the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT). You can listen to 88.7 The Pulse, free over the air, on our website 887thepulse.com or on our app 88.7 The Pulse AZ on apple or android.

The East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) is one of the best resources for Arizona students’ success. EVIT provides high school and adult students with the advanced skills and training needed to thrive in today’s competitive job market. On average, 91% of EVIT students are in jobs related to their training, college, or military within a year of completing their program. EVIT adds to a student’s academic instruction with hands-on learning provided by experienced professionals. Allowing high school students to earn elective credits to satisfy graduation requirements in more than 40 occupation-specific programs, EVIT enhances the future of all students.

Phoenix Rising FC has partnered with American autonomous driving technology company Waymo for the 2024 season.

“Waymo is an exciting brand in the Valley that shares a lot of the same values as Phoenix Rising,” said Rising President Bobby Dulle. “We connected immediately on several initiatives that can help lift the local community such as delivering birthday cakes to foster children. We plan to use Waymo to assist our players in traveling to and from one of the hundreds of community appearances we conduct each season, whether it’s a Reading with Rising event, a soccer clinic, or an inclusivity event with our partners at ONE Community.”

Rising and Waymo have plans to announce additional offers for fans interested in using the company’s Jaguar I-PACE vehicles to attend Rising matches this season. Both organizations are also partnered with Valley Metro, which allows fans to take a Waymo to their nearest light rail station and catch a ride on Rising to any match this season.

“Waymo is proud to partner with Phoenix Rising to offer accessible, stress-free transportation for players and fans alike,” said Nicole Hogan, Waymo partner marketing manager. “We all know that traffic, parking and other logistics headaches make attending sporting events difficult. With the Waymo Driver at the wheel, Rising players can avoid those burdens and arrive at matches and team events with fresh legs and their heads already in the game.”

About Waymo
Waymo One currently operates 24/7 across 225 square miles of Metro Phoenix. The Waymo Driver has tens of millions of miles of real-world driving experience through countless situations – the equivalent of driving to the Moon and back more than 40 times.

Online Auto Retailer Renews Partnership with USL Champions, Expands Uniform Sponsorship to Youth Teams

Carvana, an industry pioneer for buying and selling used cars, announces the multi-year extension of its partnership with Phoenix Rising FC. The renewal marks another chapter in the dynamic collaboration between the two Valley-based entities.

“I am thrilled to once again be extending our partnership with Carvana,” said Phoenix Rising FC President, Bobby Dulle. “Carvana’s continued support since 2018 has helped propel this franchise to the top of the USL Championship with three Western Conference titles, a regular-season championship and now a USL Championship in six years.

Off the field, this partnership has allowed our organizations to create valuable community initiatives that we will look to expand upon in the next three years. We are proud to represent the Carvana brand on the jerseys of our first team and we look forward to adding their logo to the jerseys of aspiring players in our youth club.”

Since the partnership was established in 2018, Carvana has served as Phoenix Rising’s front-of-kit sponsor. The collaboration has not only witnessed the team clinch the 2023 League Championship but also celebrated the inauguration of a cutting-edge stadium in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona. In 2024, the Carvana kit sponsorship will expand to include Rising FC’s Youth programs, which provide development opportunities, competitions, and a college advisory program for young athletes in the Phoenix and Prescott areas.

“Carvana takes great pride in extending our partnership with Phoenix Rising FC,” said Ryan Keeton, Chief Brand Officer at Carvana. “Our shared values of excellence, accessibility, and community impact have formed the foundation of this enduring collaboration. By expanding our uniform sponsorship to include Rising FC’s youth teams, we aim to amplify our commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a love for the sport among young athletes in Arizona.”

Soccer fans of all ages and backgrounds can look forward to a season filled with exciting matches, community events, and engaging activities on site provided by Carvana and Phoenix Rising FC.

About Carvana 
Carvana is an industry pioneer for buying and selling used vehicles online. As the fastest growing used automotive retailer in U.S. history, its proven, customer-first ecommerce model has positively impacted millions of people’s lives through more convenient, accessible and transparent experiences. Carvana.com allows someone to purchase a vehicle from the comfort of their home, completing the entire process online, benefiting from a 7-day money back guarantee, home delivery, nationwide inventory selection and more. Customers also have the option to sell or trade-in their vehicle across all Carvana locations, including its patented Car Vending Machines, in more than 300 U.S. markets. Carvana brings a continued focus on people-first values, industry-leading customer care, technology and innovation, and is the No. 2 automotive brand in the U.S., only behind Ford, on the Forbes 2022 Most Customer-Centric Companies List. Carvana is one of the four fastest companies to make the Fortune 500 and for more information, please visit www.carvana.com and follow us @Carvana.