NORTHAMPTON — For Jeff Mackler, the Allsport Arena has been a presence for much of his life — so much so that some 15 months ago, he put his money where his heart was and bought the popular indoor sports facility.
Mackler, who owns a web design company, helped the original owners Owen Lococo, Don Kozera and Kevin Coffey establish the business in 1998. As the ownership trio neared their 70s, they decided to retire and approached Mackler in July 2021 about taking over. He spoke with his wife Melany Mendoza — who works for a nonprofit in Boston and as a realtor — and friends Tala Elia and her husband Jeff Dan. Mackler said there was a limited negotiation with the original owners, which showed a strong level of trust.
The facility — located at the Three County Fairgrounds at 54 Old Ferry Road — has nearly 40,000 square feet of indoor space and turf fields suitable for a variety of sports and activities. The core of the business has always been its soccer leagues for youth and adults, but the arena also offers volleyball, box lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, and dodgeball.
Once the space is transformed from its use as a horse arena during the summer into a four-field indoor sports arena, Allsport operates during the winter season from November through April. The four fields, all with synthetic turf, are labeled large, small, micro and center, with the latter two are used primarily for clinics and practices.
“It’s a strong presence and a huge part of what people do in the winter,” Mackler said. “It’s really a community space.”
Elia and Dan, who are doctors at Baystate Medical Center, were familiar with Allsport, as two of their children went there for soccer classes. Though becoming the owners wasn’t exactly on their agenda, Elia said it was a great opportunity, and they quickly agreed to join Mackler and Mendoza. All told, the business has 34 employees, including referees and class teachers.
“It’s a juggling act, to be sure,” Elia said with a laugh.
Last summer saw a surge in COVID-19 cases with the onset of the delta variant, and again in the fall and winter with omicron. That made running a sports facility a challenge, as the new owners had to evaluate and re-evaluate what precautions to take. Mask mandates and new air purifiers were all utilized that year as case numbers fluctuated. Air testing was done immediately and showed that the flow was close to an outdoor setup.
“We did what we could to get through last year and still be safe,” Elia said. “We got through and we’re really excited.”
Mackler added that class sizes for children were reduced from 25 to 12 and spectators were similarly cut down. Food was limited a means of keeping people masked while at the arena. Class sizes remain at 14, and this has helped make them more effective.
“We spent a lot of time thinking about it (COVID restrictions),” he said. “Having doctors as owners was helpful.”
Mackler saw the first year as a transition. The previous owners helped the new ones, something he said made the process less overwhelming. It was still difficult as they navigated the changing mandates, but said it was heartwarming to see children returning to play again.
Allsport has an exciting history in Northampton, said Mackler, and they want to continue to evolve the business in the future. Some changes include hiring bilingual coaches, which helped them connect with a segment of the population that they couldn’t before. In addition, all marketing is done in English and Spanish.
“We’re looking at exploring other sports, adding a hard-court surface,” said Mackler. “A lot of people have asked about pickleball. We want to figure out how to bring folks in during the day and we’ll see how they’ll use the space.”
This year the owners added volleyball classes and hope to grow the leagues for women and girls. They’ve also added sports clinics for older and younger players and have tried hosting day camps around the holidays and in the winter. They’re hoping to expand their offerings with lacrosse.
“It was great to meet new people and have a gathering,” said Elia. “When people came into the building, it was really rewarding.”
