March 6, 2019
Defiance debut MultiCare kit at first home game
Tacoma Defiance debuted their new name and MultiCare-sponsored kit in competition for the first time March 8, claiming a 1-0 victory against the Rio Grande Valley Toros in Cheney Stadium.
MultiCare is the first-ever jersey front partner for the club. The presenting partner relationship with Tacoma Defiance was announced in a press conference Jan. 31 along with part of the club’s rebranding and the Reign FC’s move to Tacoma.
MultiCare is also preparing to play an important role in Tacoma soccer in the years to come. The cornerstone of the partnership will be a MultiCare-operated 60,000 square-foot, best-in-class medical facility that will be attached to the brand-new Cheney Stadium, providing urgent care and sports medicine facilities for the teams and the public.
“This joint development project is both a great opportunity to expand local professional sports in the region and to expand health care services in this neighborhood and help keep our community well,” says Bill Robertson, President and CEO of MultiCare. “We are very pleased to be part of what we consider to be a transformational moment for professional sports and youth soccer in Tacoma.”
Tacoma Defiance is the City of Destiny’s professional soccer team, playing its home matches in the United Soccer League Championship at Cheney Stadium. 2019 marks the debut of this new brand following S2’s inaugural USL season in Central Tacoma in 2018, which saw increased attendance numbers from previous seasons and a significant advantage in home games to road contests, as S2 finished 2018 with a 5-7-5 record in Tacoma. The new Defiance identity is directly rooted in Tacoma’s civic history, natural beauty and the proud people that call the city home.