TU advances its role as a premier athletics destination by inking Blast to SECU Arena agreement
“The University’s leadership team has opened their arms and welcomed us into their state-of-the-art venue, which is a premiere facility in the Greater Baltimore region.”
By Ray Feldmann on August 31, 2017
Towson University took another bold step in advancing itself as an anchor institution in the Greater Baltimore Region by reaching an agreement with the Baltimore Blast indoor professional soccer franchise. At a well-attended news conference held Thursday afternoon, Blast owner Ed Hale announced that the team is moving its home games to TU’s SECU Arena, starting with the upcoming 2017-18 season.
The decision to move was made after long and careful consideration, Hale said in a news release. The Blast look forward to playing in a new arena with a more intimate fan experience that will include more convenient parking, better value at the concession stands, and upgraded seating and sight lines that will bring fans closer to the action, he noted.
“It has been a pleasure to work with Towson University’s leadership group to bring our team closer to our core audience,” Hale said during the news conference. “The University’s leadership team has opened their arms and welcomed us into their state-of-the-art venue, which is a premiere facility in the Greater Baltimore region.”
Towson University Athletic Director Tim Leonard was equally enthusiastic about the professional soccer team’s move to SECU Arena.
“We are thrilled to further connect Towson Athletics and the Greater Baltimore region through sports, both collegiate and professional,” Leonard said. “It provides us with a tremendous opportunity to showcase our university and invite Blast fans to come back to watch our Towson Tiger teams in this state-of-the-art facility.”
SECU Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President Steve Arbaugh said his organization is excited to see the Blast moving into the venue that bears the SECU name.
“We are very excited to have the SECU name associated with the Blast, an organization that is synonymous with class, tradition and a devotion to the community,” Arbaugh said Thursday. “SECU originally partnered with Towson University because our two institutions share the same values and commitment to excellence. The Blast embodies that same strong commitment, consistently fielding the best team in all indoor soccer, as well as a true dedication to the community that we at SECU share.”
During Thursday’s press conference, Blast officials also announced they have signed 10 returning players for the upcoming 2017-18 season.
"As an organization, we're very excited to be able to keep our core group of players together,” said Blast coach Danny Kelly. “The continuity that we've been able to keep in the team has been a major component in our success over the past two seasons. We look forward to the challenge of competing for a third consecutive championship this coming season at SECU Arena.”
Banners from the team’s past championship seasons will be prominently displayed in SECU Arena during all of the Blast’s home games.
Among the attendees at Thursday’s press conference was Lance Johnson ‘93, past president of the university’s Alumni Association Board and a former Blast player. Johnson was inducted into the Blast Hall of Fame in 2015. He is ranked 13th on the all-time Blast scoring list with 285 points. He recorded 105 goals and 68 assists in 372 games while serving as a team captain from 1996 until his retirement at the end of the 2002-03 championship season. Johnson is still the team’s all-time leader in games played and is the all-time leader in blocked shots.
Johnson was also inducted into the university’s Tiger Hall of Fame in 2003.
Current TU Alumni Association Board president Anthony Hamlett ’76 was among the special guests at Thursday’s press conference, along with representatives of several of the Blast’s major corporate sponsors.
Leonard took the opportunity Thursday to put in a plug for TU’s “Battle for Greater Baltimore” season-opening football game with Morgan State scheduled Saturday night at 6 p.m. at Unitas Stadium.
“Right now the weather forecast is calling for just a little drizzle in our area,” Leonard said optimistically. “Certainly nothing that would prevent anyone from having a fantastic experience at the game. We still have some tickets left and we hope to see you there!”