CHICAGO (February 1, 2023) – Chicago Fire FC will host a preseason Town Hall to provide a forum for supporters to meet new President of Business Operations Dave Baldwin and discuss the restructuring of the Club’s supporter relations with members of the Fire’s leadership team. The new structure, developed in collaboration with Club supporters, will provide a more open and inclusive system to better meet the needs and expectations of Chicago’s supporter community.  
The Town Hall will take place on Thursday, February 16 at 7:00 p.m. CT at A.J. Hudson’s, located at 3801 N Ashland Ave. 
Over the course of the 2022 season, the Fire Supporter Relations team conducted discussions with more than two dozen CF97 supporters, including current and past supporter group leaders, Supporters Council representatives, members of the supporter community and other independent supporters. The discussions focused on establishing shared goals for the future and aligning on how the Club can best support the growth and culture of the supporter groups. 
“It became clear through our many discussions with Fire supporters over the past season that the structure of the Supporters Council was impacting the growth and unity that the community desires,” said Chicago Fire FC Director of Club Engagement Garret Drexler. “We are excited to be able to better serve our supporters in a true spirit of partnership by providing an open door for all and creating space for them to bring the passion, effort, and energy to Fire matches that can only come from independent support.” 
Based on the insights gained from these discussions, the Club is taking the following steps: 
- Ending the Supporters Council structure and designating a Supporter Liaison who will be available to all Club supporters and supporter groups to ensure access to information and involvement in decision-making is available to anyone interested in participating 
- Hosting regular Town Hall meetings with the SLO and Club leadership, open to all supporters, throughout the 2023 season 
- Recognizing committees, led by and open to all supporters who wish to participate, with authority and autonomy to oversee organization and decision-making around key areas of support 
- Providing an enhanced revenue share to supporters for all tickets purchased in the supporters’ section 
- Restructuring the supporters’ page on the Club’s website to provide more transparent and accessible information about supporter activities 
To begin this process, all Chicago Fire supporters are invited join Club leadership for the upcoming Supporter Town Hall meeting to discuss the path forward and prepare for the upcoming 2023 season. 
Supporters Town Hall Meeting
- When: Thursday, February 16 – 7:00 p.m. CT
- Where: A.J. Hudson’s (3801 N Ashland Ave.) 
Led By
- Garret Drexler –  Director of Club Engagement
- Leslie Mojica –  Supporter Liaison
Featuring:
- Dave Baldwin- President, Business Operations 
- Paul Cadwell- Senior Vice President, Community Programs, Engagement & Facilities 
- Evan Whitfield- Vice President of Equity, Alumni Relations, and Engagement 
- Yazmin Torres – Supporter Operations Coordinator
