SEATTLE — The OL Reign is ready for the fan support they’ve earned on the pitch over the last decade.
The OL Reign is now first place in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and preparing to host Kansas City in the playoff semifinals Sunday at Lumen Field.
The team was formed in 2012 as Seattle Reign FC and was one of eight inaugural members of the NWSL. The name was changed in 2019 to reflect new French ownership and a salute to one of Europe’s most iconic football brands, Olympique Lyonnais.
OL Reign features a star-studded lineup with eight players who played for national teams in October. Megan Rapinoe jerseys continue to sell well at the official team shop, and fans say it’s about time the team feels the full force of Seattle sports fans.
Royal Guard Support group is one of several official fan booster groups and has supported the team for a decade. Dei Caudle and Nicole Lynn Perry said they’re relatively new to the Royal Guard and love how inclusive and family-friendly the sport has become.
“It’s a legit family feel but very exciting, and everyone is welcome, so it really is the best-kept secret in Seattle sports,” Perry said.
Caudle finds herself rooting on crutches these days as she’s recovering from a soccer injury but said she will be in the stands cheering on the women because it’s always a fun experience and because she says they deserve to feel the love.
“These are world-class athletes, and they’re right here in our backyard,” Caudle said.
Reign Head Coach Laura Harvey was nominated for coach of the year. Harvey set the record as the all-time winningest head coach in the NWSL.
The team secured the best record in the regular season for the third time as a club and will be looking to win their first playoff game since 2015.
Fans say this is the perfect time to jump on the bandwagon and support the OL Reign with record attendance. According to information from the team, they've broken their own attendance record three times this season.
Team CEO Vincent Berthillot said it’s powerful to see the team on the rise.
“We started with just 7,000 fans at Lumen [Field] and only opened one bottom section, but this weekend we could fill it up!”
As of Thursday afternoon, the team said they’ve sold over 17,000 tickets and have a goal of welcoming more than 20,000.