Arnold Schwarzenegger Soccer Stadium Gets Terminated

The Hollywood actor had a stadium named after him in Austria for almost a decade. Then one death-penalty decision as Governor of California changed everything. This week, we look back at the demise of a stadium with one of the coolest names ever. Plus, we examine the controversy behind the “last” Soccer Bowl in 1983, check out Mike Tomlin’s small tribute to MLS in his Minecraft city, and much more.

This week’s stories:

• 🏆 The Last Soccer Bowl & Ronald Reagan

• 🖥️ MLS Ground in Mike Tomlin’s Minecraft City

• 🏟️ Arnold Schwarzenegger Soccer Stadium Gets Terminated

• 🌁 Help the Oldest Community-Owned Soccer Club in America

• 🗳️ Poll + Last Week’s Responses

• ➡️ And More

OUR HISTORY
The Last Soccer Bowl & Ronald Reagan

On October 1, 1983, the “Soccer Bowl” was played as a one-off championship game for the very last time, and boy, was it controversial.

This final edition took place in Vancouver between the Tulsa Roughnecks and the Toronto Blizzard, and the pre-game reminded me a bit of something that happened this summer.

During game three of their semifinal series with Montreal, Tulsa’s star forward Ron Futcher picked up his third yellow card of the playoffs, which earned him a one-game suspension. Futcher was set to miss the final, but league president Howard Samuels stepped in and let him play.

It was a bit of a Balogun situation, except it had a happier ending for the benefiting team (😢).

The Tulsa Roughnecks ended up winning 2-0 and lifting the trophy in front of 53,326 fans in Canada.

A couple of days later, President Ronald Reagan notably sent congratulatory remarks to the Roughnecks as they carried the trophy in a celebration parade through downtown Tulsa.

Fun Fact: Before the OKC Thunder won the NBA Finals in 2025, the Roughnecks were the only major professional team from Oklahoma to win a championship.

ART
MLS Ground in Mike Tomlin’s Minecraft City

Man, it’s been an awesome week for strange news. And one that really had everyone smiling last week was NFL legend/former longtime Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin unveiling his Minecraft city.

Apparently it took him about 12 years to build, and my favorite part about it is that he even included an MLS stadium in it! Just take a look.

COVER STORY
Arnold Schwarzenegger Soccer Stadium Gets Terminated

On October 7, 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected Governor of California.

And that victory at the polls somehow ended up changing the fate of a soccer stadium thousands of miles away in his hometown of Graz, Austria.

In 1997, the local soccer stadium had been renamed Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadion in honor of the iconic Hollywood actor.

Unfortunately, by the end of 2005, “Arnie’s” name was no longer on the face of the building, and it was all due to political differences over the death penalty.

Following Schwarzenegger’s decision to deny clemency to condemned inmate Stanley Tookie Williams (co-founder of the Crips gang), in early October of 2005, politicians in Graz began a petition drive to rename the stadium. Opposition to the death penalty was quite strong in Austria at the time.

Schwarzenegger didn’t blink, and he fired back with a strong, measured letter to the mayor of Graz.

“In all likelihood, during my term as governor, I will have to make similar and equally difficult decisions,” he wrote. “To spare the responsible politicians of the city of Graz further concern, I withdraw from them as of this day the right to use my name in association with the Liebenauer Stadium.”

So, that’s how a soccer stadium with one of the coolest names in the entire world ended up being renamed.

COMMUNITY
Help the Oldest Community-Owned Soccer Club in America

When the oldest community-owned soccer club in the US loses its home stadium to a new billionaire-backed copycat team, its diehard fans refuse to fold.

“Roll Fog: A San Francisco fútbol documentary” chronicles how San Francisco City FC’s working-class supporters unite to reclaim their home and defend their community against the political forces threatening to erase them.

The team and local creators have been self-funding this documentary project for over a year and are now at a point where they’re unable to cover costs themselves.

That’s why they’re turning to the soccer community at large to get the project to the next stage and keep it on track. See how you can support right HERE!

CLUBELEVEN
The Supporters Section

Let us know why you think so or don’t think so—we’ll feature your best answers next week!

CLUBELEVEN
Aggregates

Royalty: One team achieved an insane feat over the weekend. The first to ever win all three major trophies in the USL.

Anne Hathaway’s Ice Breaker: There’s no better way to make friends than this…

Goalie Goal: As rare and as beautiful as seeing a solar eclipse. Check this one out! Shades of Alisson Becker.

For the Sickos: Find all Open Cup Qualifiers R2 results from last week right here. Kinda fun going through all of them and seeing the funky names.

Beat Canada: We play our northern neighbors tonight at 8pm ET, and we really have to win this one after Jesse Marsch was taking digs at us (AGAIN).

INTERNATIONAL
Tres a Cero

We really needed this one. Beating Peru and Chile was fun, but all eyes were on how we could do against this “history-making” Mexican side post-World Cup.

And yeah, the 3-0 victory over our biggest rivals was delicious, but seeing Cavan Sullivan get his first USMNT goal with a fantastic chip was the icing on the cake.

Inject this goal into my veins.

LAW
Red Card Range

NWSL and USWNT star Sophia Wilson only has two red cards in her professional career.

One was for getting a second booking after hiding a ball while sitting on the bench, and the other was for pulling an opponent’s hair a couple nights ago.

Gotta respect the range.

CLUBELEVEN
Your Takes 🗯️ 

Last week, we asked you: Do you like Atlanta City FC's name and crest? Here are some of your answers:

• “[I like both.] The name is certainly traditional but feels in tune with Atlanta United in the AMB family. The crest design is unique although it is another circular crest in the league! Really fascinated with how the club will use their ‘A’ and the supporting pattern systems when we see the brand IRL.” - Mark L.

• “[I don’t like either.] The crest looks like a youth league and the name is redundant.” - Leo C.

• “[I like the crest but not the name.] ‘Atlanta Phoenix FC.’“- Robert D.

• “[I don’t like either.] Boring!” - T. Boggess

The poll results came in at 42% for “I like the crest but not the name,” followed by 32% for “I don’t like either,” and 26% for “I like both the name and the crest.”

I might need to sit with the crest a little longer and see how I really feel, but I do think it would’ve been cool to try a more unconventional name, personally.

TRAVEL
Catch a Game in Europe ✈️

This 2026/27 European season, we’re teaming up with Champions Travel once again, this time as our official European Ticketing Partner to help us with our storytelling efforts across the pond!

And if you’re looking to go on a European adventure of your own this season, make sure to use our code CTCLUB11 with Champions Travel to receive 10% off all football packages! (cap of €50 per person, can be used once per person.)

UP NEXT
Connecticut to Denver

Tyler and I logged a few more miles driving from Boston to Connecticut for the USL Cup Final in Hartford. It was a cagey affair on the pitch, but a super fun time overall getting to hang out with the Hartford fans—some of whom we’d actually met before on the bus last year in New York! Small world.

Up next, we’ll be headed to Denver for Premier League Mornings Live this weekend. It’ll be my first time at one of these, so I’m super excited. But I’m even more excited for Tyler and Justin’s birthdays later this week. So don’t forget to wish them happy birthdays (and if you have any bday present recs, please let me know)!

Enjoying This?

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Have a great Tuesday!

Pablo