Happy Holidays from all of us here at Box State Footy! If you thought the soccer news would slow down this time of year you are mistaken. Plenty of developments and lots to talk about. Lets get to it.
ICYMI - Last Week's Newsletter:
Juan Fernandez
Topics:
- 🗳️City Council OKs Summit Proposed Stadium Plans
- 🎨Haley Durmer Opens Rebrand Conversation.
- 🏟️Empower Rapids
- 💸Burgundy Boys In The Market For U22 Midfielder
- 📜Expiring USL Championship CBA
Summit Receive Approval from City Council for Soccer Specific Stadium at Santa Fe Yards
December 22nd, 2025 will go down as Denver Summit FC's first ever win. Controlling owner of the club Rob Cohen can breath a sigh of relief as the proposal for a soccer specific stadium to be built at Santa Fe Yards was approved by City Council members.
Latest Summit developments
— Box State Footy (@boxstatefooty) November 15, 2025
Or I guess, potential lack of them... #SummitFC https://t.co/Pua6wYKRFG
Much like these last few weeks have been for the proposal, the council meeting was quite a rollercoaster. From gritty financial rhetoric, pleas for housing support, and with justifications from each council members decision, City Council voted to approve the proposal 10 ayes to 3 nays
Additional Reading: Denver will fund land for a women’s soccer stadium on the old Gates Rubber Factory lot
The proposal would see the City of Denver spending $50 million on the land for the site nestled between I-25 and South Broadway- right next to the Home Depot is what I usually say. The club had been seeking potential pivot points if the proposal were to fall through, but the general vibe and sentiment around the club had remained adamant about staying in Denver.
There was a lot from the experience I would like to dive into and give more of my firsthand account, but given the brief nature of the newsletter I think the meeting and the politics of the whole process deserves a bit more of a refined look and a separate article.
To keep this at a soccer level, it can't be overstated enough how much a soccer specific stadium adds to the value of a soccer club. There are both pros and cons to playing in a football stadium, but having a dedicated space for soccer culture, community, and club to thrive in only helps amplify the larger ethos of a pro team and, for better or worse, it's product as a pro soccer team. It's a massive first step and one that, as I said warrants, a much deeper dive. However, this week at the very least, Cohen and the investment group can relax.
Rapids CBO Haley Durmer Starts Potential Rebrand Dialogue
There comes a time in every football club's life where the rebrand question comes up. It's a natural part of a club's process as they try to adapt to the "modern palette" of the current market. The Rapids have rebranded a total of three times already in their 30 years (four if you include the Headwaters kit logo).
Additional Reading: 30 Years of Colorado Rapids Branding
Haley Durmer, Rapids Chief Business Officer, is leading the way on another potential rebrand. Unlike other MLS teams, however, they're asking the supporters how to go about it.
Colorado Rapids
The team sites that they're in research mode to understand what the broader appeal of the brand is and what fans alike want out of it. The reactions I've seen in the various circles I'm in have been quite negative and it's a sentiment I find hard to disagree with. The Rapids badge is quite simply awesome. Sure it has not seen the brightest of days recently and notably has not enjoyed a playoff win since 2016. But amidst the larger MLS sphere: it's unique, has an identity, and is synonymous with the 2010 MLS Cup Win. To erase the last bit of connection to that success that supporters have through that badge would be a massive blunder.
Now, I really appreciate the effort that is going into focus testing this and outside of those efforts the initiatives with the marketing agencies look to be quite intriguing. All of this comes with the big caveat, of course. The team are doing this to ignite the "Rapids" brand and get some motion in a Denver market they've largely faced irrelevancy even through an MLS Cup win. A lot of these initiatives are built to also drive up business for the team. I expect plenty more collabs and projects meant to entice fans into spending on the brand itself.
I don't fault a recently hired CBO for doing their job and due diligence in sparking something towards this team's relevancy. It was an issue that I had chastised the team many times in the past about. Whatever rebranding decision the club goes from here (and if you haven't made your voice heard, be sure to do so above) will say a lot about how well this hire will be received.
Colorado Rapids Move 30th Anniversary Match Against Inter Miami to Empower Field
Speaking of growing the Rapids brand in the Denver market, what better way to ignite some motion into the team's relevancy than by moving the highly anticipated matchup between Colorado and Lionel Messi's Inter Miami to Empower Field which fits 3.85x more people than Dicks Sporting Good Park.
Colorado Rapids
The press release makes no mention of Lionel Messi but the advertising has plenty of Messi references including the match poster and promotional banner already up at Empower Field:
Spotted along I-25 👀 Check out the new banner up at @EmpowerField!#Rapids96 pic.twitter.com/ePPPEkwn6i
— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) December 20, 2025
The Rapids have proven they can get in to their promotional and marketing bag before. The 2021 Thanksgiving Playoff Game, while still very traumatic to this day given the result, was a success in getting people out to the park. They'll have to do a lot less heavy lifting thanks to the Messi Effect (I've had many family members reach out to me about this game) and moving to Empower is a no brainer.
The biggest question, of course: does Messi play or is this a PR nightmare waiting to happen? Two potential forces could see Messi disappoint the larger Colorado Casuals who are there to see the the 2025 MLS Most Valuable Player. A 2026 World Cup Campaign and Inter Miami's title hopes in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. If Miami find themselves with a CCC title up for grabs, they may sit or limit Messi's minutes given this matchup is sandwiched right between that competitions Quarter and Semi Finals. If Messi decides to play in the 26 WC, the national team may likely limit his minutes. Messi or no Messi, the Rapids need to ensure they win this one. They've been a club that has crumbled under the spotlight and if you're bold enough to move your 30th Anniversary Match to Empower (not the "Messi Match", wink wink) you better be bold enough to win!
Colorado Eyeing Nigerian Defensive Midfielder Hamzat Ojederian
More Rapids news! They sure have been keeping busy in the offseason.
Can confirm the reporting around Rapids finalizing the signing of defensive midfielder Hamzat Ojediran for $3m.
— Braidon Nourse (@BraidonNourse) December 20, 2025
To me this signals a couple things:
-Larraz not coming back (this was likely the case anyway
-Someone will be played out of position out of Ojediran, Bassett, Atencio
After sending a reported $2 million in GAM to Montreal for Dante Sealy-still yet to be confirmed- the Rapids swiped Kroenke's credit card for a reported $3 million transfer of young Nigerian holding midfielder Hamzat Ojdeiran.
Ojediran, 22, has not featured for current French Ligue 1 Table Leaders RC Lens this season. His last minutes in Ligue 1 came May 4th, 2025 and since then has been absent or on the bench. Ojediran was purchased from RC Lens in August of 2024 making the move from Debrecen in Hungary for a reported fee of €1.5 million. Lens are set to double their initial investment if the deal goes through.
After watching some of his Debrecen highlights, my initial eye assessment is that of a hungry ball winning midfielder who reads the game exceptionally well. His defensive movement is very acute and with some fox in the box tendencies he can be a surprise option in midfield. He has plenty to offer to this Rapids midfield and defensive spine which has for too long left wide open gaps that teams exploit. The one downside I noticed is his transition into the attacking third is lacking. Ideally, one can hope that he develops these skills but his role could simply be that of a strong ball winner who does the dirty work for the two dynamic midfielders ahead of him in Paxton Aaronson and Cole Bassett.
I think Ojediran possesses some talent, and I don't doubt the valuation; it may be good business in the end. However, with all project signings you only really know until they play. The more we see of Ojediran in midfield, the more that fee will start to show it's true colors.
Judgmental Jim has been diving into various parts of the internet for a more robust background of the player. Check out this insane Ojediran picture and lore drop he found via @outofcontext_lens:
Hey @Rapids96 we got a #JJExclusive.
— Judgmental Jim (@Judgmental_Jim) December 21, 2025
I spoke to some RC Lens Supporters on Hamzat Ojediran to get a sense of what’s to come.
They all basically said the same thing, he’s an aggressive midfielder with a high engine. Can make positive contributions on both sides of the ball, but… pic.twitter.com/OMYr6xgnV4
USL Collective Bargaining Agreement Etches Closer To It's Expiration Date
The USL Championship made a lot headlines when they announced they were looking to adopt promotion and relegation ushering in a new era and promising advancement for the league and it's subsidiaries. The goal as stated in their presser was to:
"build a league that not only provides top-tier competition but also champions community engagement."
USLSoccer.com Staff
Now, with just eight days until the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement is set to expire, there's a lot up in the air as to what the product will even look like come 2026. When it comes to growing the game, the superficial nature of the USL's ambitions for an open league fail to address the real challenges USL players face on a year to year basis. USL Championship players don't get paid through December and January, there is no mandated health care in a profession that requires consistent physical performance, and when clubs fold they can avoid having to pay out multi-year contracts and instead pay two months worth of salary to players upon folding. For a league that wants to promote the game, doing it off the backs of players with no support for those players shows the disconnect that these owners have in what it takes to elevate the game forward. For as much as Pro/Rel is high marked as this means to an end for development of the sport, there's not as much support given to the players who are the ones that are making these clubs their money.
Additional Reading: The USL Championship season is ending – it’s CBA standoff doesn’t seem to be.
As Backheeled mentions, there a lot that's muddied about the USL's business model. Despite the growth of the league, the players are awaiting some investment to trickle down in to their paychecks. With very little motion on a new CBA agreement, and what a better deal for the players would look like, a players strike is not entirely off the cards and that could seriously dampen USL's position amidst a World Cup year which many in the soccer world are banking on as a catalyst for economic growth. This is not how you want to enter the upcoming year.
Thank you for reading Box State Footy. Consider supporting the publication via a free subscription. Share our newsletter with your soccer savvy friends and have a great rest of your week!
