Yael Averbuch West witnessed firsthand both as a player and as an executive Gotham FC’s incredible transformation from struggling Sky Blue FC into a modernized club that is currently setting the standard for on and off the pitch success in the NWSL.

There were plenty of lean years following the club’s precipitous slide after winning the inaugural 2009 WPS championship as Sky Blue FC. Plagued by inadequate training facilities, concerning off-field headlines and internal mismanagement, it wasn’t a shock when several 2019 draft picks refused to play for Sky Blue.

Serious changes were needed. Amid the chaos, Averbuch West stepped into the role of interim general manager in 2021 and oversaw a widespread roster rebuild and culture change.

Within months, her role was made permanent, and NWSL championships soon followed in 2023 and 2025.

Averbuch West on Gotham Fans: ‘They’re Incredibly Important to Our History and Future’

Through it all, Averbuch West is thankful for the most loyal of supporters who stuck with the club through all the highs and lows.

“When I played for Sky Blue back in the day, some of the Cloud 9 group was there in the stands watching at that point in time,” Averbuch West recalled while speaking to South Ward Central at Tuesday’s announcement for the Queens Classic.

“They’ve been with us as a club through good years, bad years, everything in between. What we do is for our fans, and we get to celebrate it with them. Being able to lift the trophies we’ve had with that group is so special. They’re out there rain or shine; we rely on them. We’ve really connected with them over the years. They’re incredibly important to our history as a club and what will now become our future.”

Averbuch West Reflects On Concacaf W Champions Cup, FIFA Women’s Champions Cup

Under the leadership of Averbuch West and Gotham FC governor Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, the club bears little resemblance to Sky Blue FC, and Gotham has made a habit of accomplishing firsts.

The Bats won the inaugural 2024–25 Concacaf W Champions Cup last May and participated in the first-ever FIFA Women’s Champions Cup. Gotham finished third in the tournament after earning a 4-0 victory over Moroccan side AS FAR on February 1 at London’s Emirates Stadium. 

“It was a really amazing opportunity for us to be able to go to London and compete on the international stage and to be part of the inaugural event,” Averbuch West stated. “We felt really proud. We certainly learned a lot.

“Most importantly, we brought Gotham’s brand to allow people to watch us and understand who we are, who maybe wouldn’t otherwise. That’s still a huge part of what we need to do at this stage of our growth. We feel really proud of these major moments, but we also see them as opportunities to do something that exposes the phenomenal players we have and the on-field product to new audiences.”

The Queens Classic and What Comes Next

For Yael Averbuch West, the recently announced Queens Classic represents another opportunity for the club to connect with new fans while deepening their bond with diehard Gotham supporters.

“We have found that once people see us, they fall in love and they do come back,” she said. “So for us, it’s about as many opportunities as we can get to expose people to the Gotham brand. The brand that resonates with people is the on-field product. It’s our players, and they’re so phenomenal. They stay around to sign autographs and do all the things after the game.”

Gotham Hoping for Big Turnout at Citi Field

The July 15 match at Citi Field comes days before the July 19 FIFA Men’s World Cup Final is held at nearby East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium.

“We hope everyone comes out [to the Queens Classic], the fans who are there every single game week in and week out, as well as fans who haven’t been able to make it, that’s really important to us,” she said. “That’s a huge objective, expanding opportunities to see us and also the awareness. The moment that we have at our hands here with this opportunity, where everyone is going to be focused on soccer, especially in this region, when it comes to soccer that week to get everyone who is focused on the game to know that we’re here too, and you come watch another amazing soccer game.”

The buzz generated leading up to and around the Queens Classic could be another important brick in the wall of building Gotham’s reach across the tri-state area. For more coverage, check out our exclusive with club governor Carolyn Tisch Blodgett and interviews with defenders Jess Carter and Tierna Davidson.

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