NASL team in Chicago wants to start at Soldier Field, says Peter Wilt
Midwest native Peter Wilt has targeted Soldier Field as the temporary home field for a new NASL team that plans to play in downtown Chicago, according to an interview on Soccer Morning. Wilt has taken on the role as senior advisor for CLUB 9 SPORTS, a sports consulting group that […]

Midwest native Peter Wilt has targeted Soldier Field as the temporary home field for a new NASL team that plans to play in downtown Chicago, according to an interview on Soccer Morning.

Wilt has taken on the role as senior advisor for CLUB 9 SPORTS, a sports consulting group that is aiming to launch a NASL team in the same city where MLS team Chicago Fire calls home. There have been widespread rumors that the new NASL team could be named the Chicago Sting after the successful team that won two national championships.

“I want soccer to be relevant in Chicago,” said Wilt. “There’s a void, for an urban team in Chicago. The Fire have been great, but they’re not accessible via public transportation.

“We’ve already met with the city’s planning commissioner and have identified multiple sites that could work for a stadium.

“For a short term solution, Soldier Field is our target but we plan to build a soccer specific stadium in the city of Chicago.”

Wilt has targeted an average attendance of 10,000+ as the goal for his team. It’s understood that the team may launch in NASL as early as 2017.

When asked whether his return to Chicago was something personal for him, Wilt responded, “There’s certainly an inch I need scratched. I want Chicago to have great soccer, to get things right.”

Wilt was the president of Chicago Fire from 1997 to 2005.

Wilt will continue to fulfill his general manager duties at Indy Eleven as a consultant into the Spring season.