The New Mexico United launched as an expansion franchise of the USL Championship in 2019 to overwhelming support, leading the league in attendance in its inaugural season and developing an electric atmosphere that generated buzz across the state.

While many other Albuquerque-area pro sports franchises have come and gone over the decades, the United has shown to have staying power. Now in its eighth season, the club has hosted over 100 matches and drawn more than 1,000,000 fans.

In the latest episode of “The Sports Den” podcast, United Owner/CEO Peter Trevisani joins Santa Fe New Mexican sports writer Will Webber to discuss the franchise’s journey from an idea to a community-building sensation.

Trevisani shares what was going through his mind during the lead-up to the club’s launch and the dream first season that blew away his expectations.

Webber also asks Trevisani about the struggles of trying to get a soccer stadium built for the club and the challenges that come with sharing a stadium with the Albuquerque Isotopes baseball team. Trevisani talks about the current proposal of having the stadium built at the New Mexico State Fairgrounds, and the revitalization he thinks it could bring to that part of the city.

In the latter portion of the interview, Webber asks Trevisani about his college football playing days as a walk-on at Boston College, including his debut that came against a future NFL linebacker legend and photo-bombing a team picture next to Doug Flutie.