Lukas Cash
Uniting New Mexico’s Soccer Fans By Desiree Cooper and Todd Fuqua
Lukas Cash, left, shares a laugh with a fan during a New Mexico United home game at Albuquerque’s Isotopes Park in December 2019.
As director of innovation for the professional soccer
“I love that I am a part of something that is truly uniting
team New Mexico United, in Albuquerque, Lukas Cash
our state,” Cash said. “These are contentious times we live
(MA 09 BA 06) has made it his mission to find new ways
in, and it seems that too often, people look for reasons
to “elevate and inspire the state of New Mexico.”
to disagree, not come together. You can come to one of
His job is now more challenging with the rise of COVID-19, but he continues to do what he can to keep New Mexico United at the forefront of New Mexicans’ minds. New Mexico United is Albuquerque’s professional soccer team, playing in the United Soccer League Championship (USL). Founded in 2018, the team has called Isotopes Park home, but hasn’t played a game there for some time due to COVID-19 restrictions. “Ninety percent of my work usually revolves around preparing game day activities,” Cash said. “Without that, a big part of my day went away very quickly. Now my focus has shifted to broadcasting. I’m much more involved with the production elements.”
our games and see folks who speak different languages, pray to different gods, earn vastly different salaries and believe wildly different things about the world, but for 90 minutes, they are all on the same ‘team.’ The fans are in perfect harmony as they cheer on the team.” Cheering for New Mexico United has been done virtually, with the nominal home team playing exclusively on the road. There hasn't been a home match in Albuquerque since the 2019 season. However, they have had at least one home broadcast, with local sponsors and broadcast talent getting air time via the internet. Additionally, 880 United fans made the trip to Colorado Springs on Sept. 19, cheering on their hometown United just as loudly as if they were still in Isotopes Park
Producing live broadcasts of games, which was the
in Albuquerque. The team’s hard work and the fans’
only way New Mexico United fans could watch their
enthusiasm was rewarded with a trip to the Western
team in action in 2020, aligns with Cash’s ENMU degree
Conference semifinals against the El Paso Locomotive
in communication.
FC, but United lost on penalty kicks to bring its season
“The ENMU broadcast facility, KENW-TV, is the best in
to a close.
the state and one of the best in the country,” Cash said.
Still, Lukas remains busy with his job.
“When I discovered the broadcast production emphasis and realized that I could study in a dynamic, hands-on way, I was sold.”
“I manage the team social media accounts, serve as a producer for our broadcasts on TV and radio, and I am tasked with figuring out solutions to complex problems. I
Being dynamic is exactly what’s needed as the
am a bit of a Swiss Army knife,” Cash said. “I’m still very
innovation director for New Mexico United, a member of
busy, and I haven’t had a lot of time to scour the internet
the United Soccer League Championship since 2019.
looking for cat memes.”
Green & Silver | December 2020
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