FC Tulsa’s run to the United Soccer League championship game this fall had a galvanizing effect on its fans and the city. 

That’s the impact the Craft brothers – J.W., Ryan and Kyle – have been envisioning since they purchased the USL franchise in 2019.  

“To see that dream realized is emotional,” J.W. Ryan said. “We knew on paper it could happen. We’ve been toiling for a while to try to do that. What sports in general can do is it brings community. 

“It gives everybody one thing to cheer about. We all have different alma maters. We support different things. We live in different communities. But when you get to cheer for your city, it’s incredible.” 

J.W. and Ryan Craft spoke about the FC Tulsa Scissortails’ historic season Monday during the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s Joint 2025/2026 Board of Directors meeting. 

[Related: Meet the new 2026 Tulsa Regional Chamber Board of Directors members below.]

2025 was FC Tulsa’s most successful season in its 11-year history. FC Tulsa never had won a playoff game before this season and been to the postseason only three times previously. 

Tulsa soccer fans showed their appreciation by turning out in droves. 

Attendance for the USL championship game against Pittsburgh was 9,507, a ONEOK Field record. For FC Tulsa’s four home playoff games generated an estimated economic impact of more than $4.5 million and attracted a total of more than 34,000 fans. 

That’s equivalent, Ryan said, to selling out the BOK Center twice and Cain’s Ballroom 20 times. 

“If you were part of it, you could feel the energy when people came before and after the matches,” Ryan said. “It was awesome.” 

FC Tulsa hopes to maintain its momentum in 2026. The Scissortails’ home opener is March 14. 

“If you guys can support us with season tickets, that really is the foundation and lifeblood of everything,” Ryan said. “For anybody who is running a business, revenue predictability is everything. If you have a line of sight in your revenues, you can borrow money. It’s easier to make capital. It’s easier to figure out what we’re going to do with player payroll.  

“Having a consistent, strong season-ticket base is really critical and really helps us on the planning side on making a lot of these decisions to maintain competitiveness.” 

2026 Tulsa Regional Chamber new Board of Directors members 

• Derrick Alexander, Greater Works Wealth (Tulsa Small Business Connection Chair)
• Darren Burns, Wallace Design Collective
• Matt Clifton, Zeeco
• Hayden Hanoch, Gateway First Bank (TYPROS Chair) 
• Alexis Higgins, Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust
• Steve Jaggers, GH2 Architects
• Jeff Johnston, Hillcrest HealthCare System
• Bill Major, The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation
• John McFarlin, Argonaut Private Equity
• Dermidio (Derby) Juez-Perez, AAON
• Jason Sabharwall, Greenheck Group
• Michael Scheferhoff, Lufthansa Technik North America
• Gina Wilson, Oklahoma Central Credit Union
• Laura Woodward, JPMorgan Chase

 
>>> See the full 2026 Tulsa Regional Chambers Board of Directors list here.