Over two different Fridays and a Wednesday in June and July, the Borough hosted Fútbol Fridays along Kings Highway and in the Mechanic Street parking lot where it aired the various soccer matches.
James Gaughan, the president of the Haddonfield Soccer Club, said originally, the Borough was planning on closing off Mechanic Street for the event, but they pushed, and paid, for the closing of Kings Highway for some of the U.S. games, because many people expressed interest in attending.
It cost the club about $3,000 for a larger police presence and sanitation on Kings Highway for the event they held on June 19.
Gaughan said that event on June 19 exceeded expectations.
“There was a lot of engagement, there were a lot of people there,” Gaughan said. “There was a lot of energy. And it’s just really good to see soccer playing a bigger stage in the community…We really weren’t sure what turnout was going to be like, and it turned out to be really well received and really well attended. A dream come true, for sure.”
In between games at the event on June 26.
At the June 26 event, Alex Kuc, who was visiting some friends in Haddonfield, said despite some technical difficulties with the projector, he and his kids enjoyed it.
“It’s a lot fun,” Kuc said. “The kids are having a great time.”
Part of the reason for the size of the events, Gaughan said, is due to an interest in the World Cup and also because it’s an event happening in town.
“I think any opportunity for people in Haddonfield to get together and do something downtown is going to bring people out,” Gaughan said. “So I think what you saw was [soccer fans], but there were also just people who live in Haddonfield and want to experience things as a community.”
While Gaughan attended the event on June 26, he was unable to attend the one on the 19th, as he attended the US/Australia match in Seattle.
“It was bittersweet,” Gaughan said. “Going to the game, obviously, was a dream come true. Since ’94 when the World Cup was last here, I’ve always dreamed of going to a US game, and so that was lovely, spending time with my wife in Seattle was great. But at the same time, part of me wishes I could be here with my community.”
The crowd at the June 19 event.
