By New Mexico United Staff,

(August 19, 2019) In its inaugural season, New Mexico United has been met with unprecedented support from the New Mexico community. As the support has grown, so has the creativity of the fan base. Numerous supporters began creating art inspired by the shield, players and vibrant community around the team.

"Watching our fans' passion for this team manifest into beautiful art has been truly inspiring," said Peter Trevisani, CEO and majority owner of New Mexico United. "We have always been driven to bring art together with sport in a way that has never been done before. The New Mexico United Artist Series will be a new avenue to continue this mission."

Profits from the sales of these special items will benefit United’s High Performance Program, a project benefitting youth soccer players, announced by New Mexico United earlier this year. The program provides high-level coaching to talented youth players from around the state, at no cost to their families.

New Mexico United announced today the first two local artist partners, Lindsey Allen and Shane Silva. Lindsey Allen of Downright Nerdy Design, one of the first signed collaborators, specializes in 3D printing and creates United shield earrings in three different black & yellow designs. Her earrings are wildly popular with the fanbase and New Mexico United is excited to bring her into the Team Store. In keeping with the team’s eco-friendly mission, Allen uses a plant-based polymer that quickly biodegrades.

“I am beyond excited to be one of the first artisans to work with New Mexico United. As a supporter, I am honored my work will help fans show their love and support for our team,” said Lindsey Allen. “It makes my heart so happy that it will be supporting the High-Performance Player program. As a former soccer player myself, I want to see the sport grow in our state and I think the HPP program will give our young players a goal to work toward! Somos Unidos!”

The second artist to collaborate with New Mexico United is Shane Silva, the ceramic artist behind Shane Silva Pottery. Silva was determined to turn his passion for ceramics into a career and has now combined his passion for art with his passion for New Mexico United. His unique wheel-thrown mugs prominently feature the New Mexico United shield and will be available in various base colors at the New Mexico United Team Store.

“I take all my inspirations and create something uniquely my own, just as our community takes so many people from different backgrounds and walks of life to create something uniquely New Mexico,” said Shane Silva. “The United logo is now as quintessential a symbol of New Mexico as a chile or hot air balloon. I wanted to celebrate how New Mexico United has brought our state together with these mugs. I'm excited by the opportunity to offer my work alongside other talented local artists.”

Through the New Mexico United Artist Series, fans and interested artists can submit their product ideas and artwork for review through the following link: https://forms.gle/UE2DWK7ZgQeHnnJ18

If selected, the artwork will be sold in the New Mexico United Team Store - located at 3500 Central Avenue, Suite 2 in Nob Hill. To be considered, entries must be created using a majority of environmentally-friendly materials, in an effort to remain true to New Mexico United’s mission.

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About New Mexico United

New Mexico United, the state’s first professional soccer franchise, brings the most popular sport in the world home to the Land of Enchantment. Fueled by a passion for community, New Mexico United’s promise is to provide a platform that brings New Mexicans together for a unique sporting experience, celebrating the unity and excitement inherent in world-class soccer. The New Mexico United inaugural season kicks off on March 9, 2019, at Isotopes Park.

www.newmexicoutd.com

About USL

The USL is one of the most successful professional soccer leagues in the world, reaching a population of more than 84 million and fueling the growth of the game across North America. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, the USL provides unparalleled club support with a growing team of more than 50 professionals across 17 departments, ranging from operations to marketing, communications, and sponsorship. The USL has a national media partnership with ESPN, wherein all league matches are broadcast on ESPN+, ESPN3 and across linear channels. The league also operates USL Productions, which includes a state-of-the-art facility that produces and distributes more than 500 league matches and more than 1,000 hours of original content to national partners, local affiliates and international markets throughout the 2018 season.

www.uslchampionship.com