Penya FC Barcelona New York City
Encyclopedia
Penya FC Barcelona New York City ("Penya") is the official U.S. supporters’ club of FC Barcelona
, and a gathering place for all Culés
(Barça fans) visiting or living in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New England.
The Penya was co-founded in 2001 by two groups of FC Barcelona fans living in New York. One of these groups was Daniel Garriga, Blase Cunningham, Rebecca Miguel, Victor Garriga, Christina Velez, Guillermo Nanni, and Darko Majstorovic. The second group consisted of Marc Carreras, Joaquin Haro, Pol Fages, Jordi Esteve, Ferran Royo. The Penya established its base at Bar Nevada Smith's in Manhattan's East Village
, a relationship which prospered for nearly a decade. Two of Penya's co-founders, Jordi Esteve and Daniel Garriga, currently serve as its president and vice president, respectively. Other members of the Penya, who have actively collaborated in and managed its growth, include Akshat Divatia, Daniel Torras, Mateusz Jankowiak, and Daniel Rehn.
Since its founding, the Penya has multiplied in size and fame. Its current membership includes people of all ages, genders, nationalities, ethnicities, and vocations with one common passion: Barça! Over the years, the Penya has been graced by visits from a number of the club’s directors, including the club’s current president, Sandro Rosell
, his predecessor, Joan Laporta
, and interim president, Xavier Sala-Martin
. The Penya has hosted and collaborated in FC Barcelona’s activities during the team’s visit to New York in the summers of 2006 and 2008. The Penya also competes in New York City’s amateur soccer league and won its Riverbank Mens Championship in 2009.
In November 2010, the Penya moved its base to Mercat Restaurant. Mercat, which means “market” in Catalan, serves cuisine inspired by the markets of Barcelona in the bustle of Manhattan. The restaurant is located at 45 Bond Street (between Bowery and Lafayette Streets) in Manhattan’s East Village. The Penya and Mercat Restaurant welcome FC Barcelona fans to experience the passion of FC Barcelona's Camp Nou
in the heart of Manhattan. Additional information about the Penya can be found on its website, www.FCBarcelonaNYC.org.
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, and a gathering place for all Culés
Supporters of FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona is a Spanish club based in Barcelona, formed in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English and Spanish players led by Joan Gamper. It has been part of the Spanish top-flight, La Liga, since the league's inception in 1928 and has won La Liga 21 times, along with 25 Copa del Reys and 4 UEFA...
(Barça fans) visiting or living in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New England.
The Penya was co-founded in 2001 by two groups of FC Barcelona fans living in New York. One of these groups was Daniel Garriga, Blase Cunningham, Rebecca Miguel, Victor Garriga, Christina Velez, Guillermo Nanni, and Darko Majstorovic. The second group consisted of Marc Carreras, Joaquin Haro, Pol Fages, Jordi Esteve, Ferran Royo. The Penya established its base at Bar Nevada Smith's in Manhattan's East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
, a relationship which prospered for nearly a decade. Two of Penya's co-founders, Jordi Esteve and Daniel Garriga, currently serve as its president and vice president, respectively. Other members of the Penya, who have actively collaborated in and managed its growth, include Akshat Divatia, Daniel Torras, Mateusz Jankowiak, and Daniel Rehn.
Since its founding, the Penya has multiplied in size and fame. Its current membership includes people of all ages, genders, nationalities, ethnicities, and vocations with one common passion: Barça! Over the years, the Penya has been graced by visits from a number of the club’s directors, including the club’s current president, Sandro Rosell
Sandro Rosell
Alexandre Rosell i Feliu , commonly known as Sandro Rosell, is the current president of FC Barcelona. With an MBA degree from ESADE, Rosell is known for being the running mate and senior adviser of Joan Laporta during the presidential elections at FC Barcelona in 2003...
, his predecessor, Joan Laporta
Joan Laporta
Joan Laporta i Estruch is a Spanish politician and former president of Futbol Club Barcelona between 2003 and 2010.Laporta is a lawyer with his own firm, Laporta & Arbós, which has important firms as clients. Laporta was married to Constanza Echevarría and has three sons, Pol, Guillem and Jan...
, and interim president, Xavier Sala-Martin
Xavier Sala-i-Martin
Xavier Sala-i-Martin is a professor of economics at Columbia University.Sala-i-Martin earned his degree from the Autonomous University of Barcelona in 1985 and his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1990, both in economics...
. The Penya has hosted and collaborated in FC Barcelona’s activities during the team’s visit to New York in the summers of 2006 and 2008. The Penya also competes in New York City’s amateur soccer league and won its Riverbank Mens Championship in 2009.
In November 2010, the Penya moved its base to Mercat Restaurant. Mercat, which means “market” in Catalan, serves cuisine inspired by the markets of Barcelona in the bustle of Manhattan. The restaurant is located at 45 Bond Street (between Bowery and Lafayette Streets) in Manhattan’s East Village. The Penya and Mercat Restaurant welcome FC Barcelona fans to experience the passion of FC Barcelona's Camp Nou
Camp Nou
Camp Nou , sometimes called "the Nou Camp" in English, is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium, located in the west of the city, has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957....
in the heart of Manhattan. Additional information about the Penya can be found on its website, www.FCBarcelonaNYC.org.