Sarasota Magazine to Front Jerseys for Sarasota Paradise’s 2025 Season
Image: Everett Dennison
Tonight at PopStroke, a local mini-golf-meets-sports-bar hangout, Sarasota’s soccer ambitions got a little more serious—and stylish—with the unveiling of Sarasota Paradise’s 2025 jerseys, now emblazoned with the Sarasota Magazine logo.
Image: Courtesy photo
The partnership comes as the club prepares to level up and move to USL League One in 2026.
In the U.S., professional soccer is dominated by Major League Soccer (MLS), which has 27 domestic teams and three Canadian teams, all sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation. Orlando’s Orlando City team is the nearest to our area.
The United Soccer League (USL) is often considered the "second tier" of American soccer, but it’s catching up quickly. There are multiple USL team levels. At the top are championship squads like the Tampa Bay Rowdies, followed by League One and League Two teams. The Paradise, which has played as a USL League Two team in recent years, is slated to join League One roster next year.
Marcus Walfridson, who founded the team in 2022, is a former professional player and coach in Sweden and the U.S., and has led the Paradise since its inception. He's working to build local engagement, develop regional talent and bring pro soccer to Sarasota.
“For more than 40 years, Sarasota Magazine has played a vital role in telling this city’s story,” he said. “Its commitment to amplifying community voices and celebrating what makes Sarasota unique aligns with our vision as a club. We’re honored to wear their name across our jerseys.”
The magazine, established more than four decades ago, was acquired in 2024 by DreamLarge, a local B-corporation founded by entrepreneur Anand Pallegar.
"I think Sarasota is the greatest city on Earth," he says. "At Sarasota Magazine, we tell the stories that shape our city, its culture, its people and its energy. Sarasota Paradise brings that same energy to life on the field. It’s not just a soccer club; it’s a symbol of ambition, unity, and most importantly, local pride. We saw a natural alignment between their mission and ours, and knew this was a partnership that could deepen our impact across the community.
“Few things unite people more universally than soccer,” he continues. "We’re proud to support Sarasota Paradise from day one. To us, this is a marker of Sarasota’s next step onto the world stage."
The jersey sponsorship deal is one of several developments for the club as it seeks to raise its profile in advance of its professional debut. The Sarasota Paradise played its inaugural USL League Two season in 2023 and competes in the Southern Division of the league. The team plays its home matches at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch.
“This partnership reflects where we’re headed,” says Walfridson. “It’s about elevating local talent, strengthening local institutions and making Sarasota proud every time we step on the field.”
Fans can purchase the new jerseys at upcoming Sarasota Paradise games or online at sarasotaparadise.us. Season tickets for the 2025 campaign are also on sale and include first-priority access to seats for the club’s inaugural USL League One season in 2026.
