One Knox Supporters Group Ready for New Home
The Scruffs prepare for home opener at One Knox's new stadium with some changes.
One Knoxville SC is set to open its new home at Covenant Health Park on Saturday, April 29th. With this also comes a new home for the club’s primary supporter group, The Scruffs.
The club carved out a general admission section behind the north goal for the group. Having been the primary supporter group since the club’s founding as an amateur USL League Two side, they’re excited to move into the new space, or as they call it “The Fort”.
The name is an homage to the collection of buildings surrounding the stadium, which, according to Scruffs President Tim Vacek “makes the stadium itself feel like a fort.” It’s also a tribute to Knoxville’s ties to Fort Sanders, a stronghold for the Union during the Civil War in an area of the Confederate state that remained strongly pro-Union.
Covenant Health Park is a 7,000 capacity stadium, shared with the Knoxville Smokies, a AA baseball team. It’s located adjacent to the Old City section of Knoxville’s downtown, a trendy but historic looking area with various bars and restaurants. It’s quite a change after two seasons at the relatively isolated Regal Soccer Stadium, part of an adjunct property of the University of Tennessee.
Out With the Tailgate, In With the Pub March
Having the stadium in this location will allow The Scruffs to change pre-match traditions from tailgating next to a wastewater treatment plant to enjoying local establishments in the Old City prior to a loud and rowdy march to the stadium.
“It’ll have a European feel to it because of the age of the buildings and all of being crowded onto a narrow sidewalk,” said Vacek.
The group will march up the main gate stairs towards a pedestrian bridge, where they plan to put on a show to the lines of people coming in below.
“I'll give a quick speech to hype everybody up, and we'll sing a song from the bridge,” said Vacek, “it should create a pretty unique pre-match tradition that no other club has.”
The Fort
They’re also adding new songs to the collection this season, including a longer one called “One Knoxville's Greatest Hits,” celebrating a win from each season. The group’s tifo artists are also working hard with some new designs for the new stadium, including some that will reference "The Fort."
Vacek says fans are pumped for the new stadium after bouncing around between multiple temporary venues over the last three years.
“Because of the community we've built, we've made every place that we've been feel like home, but we've also always known it was temporary,” he explains, “to have a place to call home right in the heart of Scruffy City is just special.”
There were signs this season was going to be special when the club held a block party event to announce the women’s side, joining the pre-professional USLW league this season. Vacek said he got “a little emotional” amidst a street that was “absolutely packed with hundreds of passionate fans decked out in One Knox gear.”
“The buzz around our hometown soccer club was palpable,” he said, “and we weren't even playing a match that day.”
“The fact that the experience we had that day is about to become our new normal is some kind of special. I dreamed this for Knoxville, but to see it come to life is absolutely surreal.”
One thing that shouldn’t change is the commitment to the community. Over the last few years, The Scruffs have been involved in various fundraisers and events for organizations such as the Second Harvest Food Bank, Ijams Nature Center, One Knox Collective, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Emerald Youth Foundation, Knox Pride Center, among others. The increased visibility in the larger stadium should offer plenty of exposure for the efforts, and help grow the group.
One Knoxville will travel to FC Naples for a matchup on Saturday, April 19th before returning for the home opener on Saturday, April 26th. For more information about The Scruffs, see their website, Instagram, or Twitter.
This is part two of a two part series on One Knox’s new stadium. Part one was published on Tuesday.
One Knox Aims for League Attendance Record in Home Opener
After two seasons at the University of Tennessee’s Regal Soccer Stadium, One Knoxville SC will be moving into its new home at Covenant Health Park on April 26th.