I didn’t know what to expect when I walked into Gillette Stadium yesterday [March 14, 2026].
I was excited, but didn’t really notice it until a few hours before. Then it hit me—the excitement had been sitting in my chest, and it finally decided to show up. Boston hasn’t had a women’s soccer team in years, and now here we were: opening day for the Boston Legacy. Over 30,000 people filled the stands, the air buzzing with something that felt a lot like possibility, and I was on edge.
I was there for the soccer, yes, but I was also there for something harder to name. The feeling of being in a crowd of people who showed up because they believed in something. Even before they knew how the story would end.
Spoiler Alert: The Legacy lost, and the final score was 0-1. But I left the stadium proud anyway. Keep reading to find out why.
The Pass That Never Became a Shot
As a former player, I study the game. I’ve never played in college or professionally, but I love the sport of soccer with my heart and soul. I noticed something during the game: the Legacy passed beautifully. Their movement was sharp, their communication was good, and they controlled the ball for long stretches of the game.
But they didn’t shoot enough.
Time and again, a player would get into a good position, and instead of pulling the trigger, they’d pass to a teammate. Back to a midfielder. Out wide. Reset. Start again. The pattern was repeated over and over again.
It was their first game, so I’m sure there were nerves. From the size of a crowd that size, I can only imagine how the players felt. They must have had an awareness that this moment was big for Boston, and they didn’t want to be the one who wastes it. So they played it a bit safe. And waited for a better moment that never came.
Sound familiar?
I’ve watched business owners do this exact thing. Spend months building something—the website, the offer, the email sequence, the service package. Then, when it’s time to actually put it out into the world, they pass. They say they need to do “more research.” Defer to “when the timing is better.” Or put more work into the thing that should just be launched.
Analysis paralysis is just the professional version of not taking the shot.
The Legacy had the skill and positioning. What they didn’t do often enough was trust themselves to actually go for it.
The Player on the Bench
There’s another thing that stuck with me: one of their strongest players didn’t come off the bench until well into the second half. By that point, the deficit felt harder to close and the energy had shifted.
I don’t know the coaching decisions behind it, and there may have been a very good reason. But from where I was sitting, it looked like having the right resources available and waiting too long to use them.
This one also lands close to home for a lot of the business owners I work with. They know they need help. And they know there’s someone or something that could change how they’re operating. But they wait. They tell themselves it’s not the right time, the budget isn’t perfect, or they’re not “ready” yet.
Meanwhile the second half is ticking away.
The best time to bring in the right support is before you’re already behind. Not when the pressure is at its peak and you’re scrambling to close a gap that didn’t have to be that big.
What 0-1 Actually Means
Here’s the part I want you to sit with: the Boston Legacy lost their opening game 0-1.
To the defending champions. On opening day. In front of 30,000 people.
If you looked only at the scoreboard, you might call that a failure. But if you were paying attention, what you actually saw was a brand-new team. One that’s still building chemistry, still finding their rhythm. And going toe to toe with the best team in the league and only losing by a single goal.
That’s not a failure. That’s a beginning that doesn’t look like one yet.
How many times have you looked at your own scoreboard and decided the number meant more than the trajectory? Maybe you thought your revenue or follower count wasn’t high enough. How many times have you called something a loss without accounting for what it took to even be on that field?
First seasons are hard. First launches are hard. The first time you raise your prices, the first time you fire a client, the first time you try something you’ve never tried before—those are all 0-1 games. They’re close. But they’re also uncomfortable. And certainly not the win you wanted. But you were on the field, and that matters more than people give it credit for.
30,000 People Who Showed Up Anyway
The last thing I noticed was the volume of the supporters.
Over 30,000 people came out for opening day. That’s more than the average attendance at many men’s professional games. Nobody in those stands knew if the Legacy would win, but they showed up anyway. Because showing up is the point. Showing up to support women’s sports is why. Every single attendee wanted to be part of something before the results had a chance to prove themselves.
That’s the thing about the early stages of anything: you don’t get proof first. You get belief, and then you build the evidence.
The Legacy didn’t earn that crowd by winning. They earned it by existing—by being the thing Boston has been waiting for. They stepped onto the field and said, “We’re here”,
When I think about the businesses I admire, that’s usually how they started, too. Not with a perfect launch or with a flawless first game. But sometimes with just one person who decided to show up and see what happened.
What I’m Taking Away from Saturday
The Legacy will get its footing. They’ll shoot more and get their timing right, start to trust their instincts, and they’ll figure out when to bring in their best players. I genuinely believe that. Building a great team takes time, energy, and support. And they’ve got it from the people in and around Boston.
Soccer is more than a game. It always has been for me. It’s about being a part of a team, contributing to the greater good, and showing up when it matters. So take the shot because I promise you, it matters. And a 0-1 loss to the defending champions, on opening day, in front of a crowd that chose to be there, that’s not a bad start. That’s a story just getting started. Go Legacy!
