Socceroof blessed Brooklyn with a grand opening extravaganza to celebrate the newest indoor soccer arena and event space. The waterfront complex has 10 indoor fields, private event space and a spacious rooftop patio with amazing views of lower Manhattan.
The Founders of Socceroof, Jerome Meary, soccer agent Jean David Tartour, and former player and General Manager Jonathan Lupinelli packed the house with professional soccer executives, freestylers, coaches, soccer players, and parents. Champagne, passed d’oeuvres and a candy station were provided for the party-goers and celebrity freestylers Lisa Zirouche, a 19-year-old from Paris and Daniel Got Hits from Brooklyn; both were the biggest surprise, as they performed and engaged with wannabe freestylers for the packed crowd on the soccer pitch.
The Knockturnal was on hand to experience the successful event and the opportunity to interview co-founders Jerome Meary and Jonathan Lupinelli. Meary explained how the concept came about. Jerome, who has consulted for Major League Soccer for the past 6 years, recalled the conversation with Lupinelli, who happened to owned a soccer complex in France and was ready for a change. Meary said, “I realized that people wanted to play soccer more and more and it became the first sport for kids under 16 years old and so Jonathan contacted me because he had this business in France of an indoor soccer facilities and he told me he wanted to leave France and trade for the U.S. and I said ‘Listen, Jonathan, this is a great idea, let’s do it.'”
Soccer is America’s fastest growing sport, and Sooceroof knows this and is also promoting the business of soccer. Part of their mission is to bringing together individuals and building team chemistry through the worlds most beloved sport, says the website.
New Jersey Teamsters Football Club’s front office assistant and referee Juan Jaramillo weighs in on the event and the complex, “This event surpassed all my expectations,” and “The amount of field they have. The view that you get from the rooftop. It very much feels like more than just a soccer complex.”
Some of the services that Socceroof provides are 1-on-1 matches, Classic Leagues and Cups, Kids Leagues and tournaments and more. The founders are also looking out for the community and allowing U15 Coach Thomas McNiff to train the Brooklyn Crew soccer club 3 nights a week at the facility. Brooklyn Crew consists of twenty 15-year-old underprivileged kids from the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, who has played youth soccer but, whose families can no longer afford the expensive youth developmental programs. McNiff says, “A lot of kids are underprivileged so currently the system is pay-to-play, so a lot of these kids can’t afford the normal club environment which is thousands of dollars. So I decided to take all these kids together and charge them $250 a year.”
Two of Brooklyn Crew U15 stars, Sam Abaza and Roberth Padilla made their rounds being interviewed by reporters and were excited to have the opportunity to play for the small club. If you’re interested in checking out the private event space or booking a field, visit the complex located at 14-53rd Street, 3rd floor, Brooklyn, NY 12232 or www.socceroof.com for more information!
