Unmatched successfully completes Kickstarter campaign
We are thrilled to share that Unmatched: The Team That Changed the Beautiful Game has successfully completed its Kickstarter campaign. With an initial goal of $25,000, the campaign ultimately received $31,760 in pledges from 246 backers.
This film is of course about the 2005 UP women’s soccer team, but it’s also about how the city of Portland supports women’s soccer unlike any other place in the world. And with the successful completion of this campaign, we are incredibly honored to be a small part of the story of how Portland shows up for women’s sports.
Below is a note from our film’s director, Joe Kuffner.
If you have any questions about the Kickstarter, please contact us here.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who made this Kickstarter campaign successful. It’s an honor, it’s a privilege, and I can’t wait to tell this story.
Pilot soccer has a special place in my heart. Of course for the joys and thrills of watching my favorite teams play – and dominate – the beautiful game, but mostly because of the people I got to watch games with. My dad took me to so many games growing up… season tickets, right behind the goal, section EZ2, top row. (He’s had them for about 35 years now.) We huddled under a Twister board to keep dry. We smuggled in a huge thermos of hot chocolate to keep warm. My room was covered with posters of Tiffeny Milbrett, Shannon MacMillan, Justi Baumgardt… so many UP legends. I loved the Pilots, but most of all I loved spending time with my dad.
When I was a student, I got to watch with my best friends… loud, rowdy, (not so) gently ribbing whatever poor winger that had to patrol the pitch in front of the student section.
The first real date I went on with my incredible wife – who has supported me so much while working on this film… I absolutely could not do it without her – was a Pilot soccer game. There were fireworks in the sky and in our hearts after we watched the women dominate Alex Morgan and Cal.
Now that I’m a dad, I’ll know I’m doing an OK job if my kids love going to games and spending time with me as much as I loved doing that with my dad.
I am so, so thrilled to be adding a new chapter to my love of Pilot soccer. I’m ready to tell this story, and this film is going to be great. How could it not be with a story like this?
You can still give to our Kickstarter at any time. We’ve reached our goal, but there’s still so much more work to do – every dollar will go straight to helping this film become a reality.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us!!!
Joe Kuffner
Director, Unmatched: The Team That Changed the Beautiful Game