Empire Strykers
American professional indoor soccer team based in Ontario, California
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The Empire Strykers are an American professional indoor soccer team based in Ontario, California, that competes in the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). Founded in 2013 as the Ontario Fury, the team made its debut in the Professional Arena Soccer League at the start of the 2013–14 season. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Arena under the leadership of general manager, head coach, Onua Obasi.[1][2][3] The team re-branded to its current name in 2022.
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| Founded | 2013 | ||
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| Stadium | Toyota Arena Ontario, California | ||
| Capacity | 9,736 | ||
| Managing Partner | Jeff Burum | ||
| General Manager/ Head coach | Onua Obasi | ||
| League | Major Arena Soccer League | ||
| 2024–25 | 7th, Playoffs: QF | ||
| Website | theempirestrykers.com | ||
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History
In late May 2013, the owners of the now-dormant Anaheim Bolts announced that they would instead field a new PASL team at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California.[4][5][6][7] The team held its first open tryouts on June 28–29.[8][9]
On July 25, team president Bernie Lilavois announced that "Ontario Fury" was chosen from over 500 fan-submitted entries in a name-the-team contest.[10][11] The name, logo, and team colors all reflect the passion of local soccer fans and the "powerful elements" of heat and wind that characterize the Inland Empire climate.[11][12][13]
On September 17, 2022 the team was rebranded “Empire Strykers”.[14]
Ontario Fury II
In 2017, the club started a developmental team known as Ontario Fury II that play in the new Major Arena Soccer League 2 (or M2, for short).
Year-by-year
| League champions | Runners-up | Division champions | Playoff berth |
| Year | League | Reg. season | GF | GA | Pct | Finish | Playoffs | Avg. attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | PASL | 5–11 | 116 | 151 | .313 | 6th, Pacific | Did not qualify | 2,147 |
| 2014–15 | MASL | 13–7 | 169 | 145 | .650 | 2nd, Pacific | Lost Division Semi-Final | 2,503 |
| 2015–16 | MASL | 12–8 | 146 | 135 | .600 | 4th, Pacific | Did not qualify | 3,094 |
| 2016–17 | MASL | 12–8 | 148 | 132 | .600 | 2nd, Pacific | Lost Division Finals | 3,023 |
| 2017–18 | MASL | 10–12 | 155 | 142 | .455 | 3rd, Pacific | Did not qualify | 2,378 |
| 2018–19 | MASL | 11–13 | 147 | 117 | .458 | 3rd, Pacific | Did not qualify | 2,359 |
| 2019–20 | MASL | 12–9 | 137 | 115 | .571 | 3rd, Western | No playoffs | 2,106 |
| 2021 | MASL | 7–3 | 72 | 51 | .700 | 2nd, MASL | Lost Championship | 1* |
| 2021-22 | MASL | 9-15 | 132 | 141 | .375 | 3rd, West | Did not qualify | 1,108 |
| 2022-2023 | MASL | 10-9 | 138 | 132 | .526 | 6th, Western | Did not qualify | 2,560 |
| 2023-2024 | MASL | 3-19 | 115 | 186 | .136 | 6th, Western | Did not qualify | 2,501 |
| 2024-2025 | MASL | 11-10 | 165 | 145 | .524 | 7th, MASL | Lost QF | 3,217 |
* No fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Fury began exhibition play on October 26 with a 16–8 win over Toros Mexico. They defeated the Dallas Sidekicks 6–5 in their first regular season game on November 10.[12][15][16] The team then suffered roster changes and struggled on the field.[2]
Playoffs
| Season | Record | GF | GA | Avg. attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 0–1 | 5 | 6 | 4,072 |
| 2016–17 | 1–2 | 12 | 14 | 3,675 |
| 2021 | 5–3 | 45 | 43 | 1,000* |
| 2024-25 | 0-1 | 2 | 4 | N/A |
* Fans only allowed in the Ron Newman Cup due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in which the Fury hosted both games and the mini-game.
Personnel
Active players
As of December 7, 2025.[17]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Staff
Onua Obasi – Head coach
Jesus Molina – Assistant coach
