New Dunedin Highlanders minor‑league team seeks community support ahead of home opener

During citizen input at the March 6 Dunedin City Commission meeting, organizers of the new Dunedin Highlanders minor‑league football team introduced themselves and invited the public to attend the team’s home opener.

Steve Grossi, president of the Dunedin Highlanders, said the team will play men’s 11‑v‑11 tackle football and that the organization plans to highlight Dunedin’s Scottish heritage through collaboration with local performers. Grossi said the team’s home opener is Saturday, March 8 with gates opening at 4 p.m. and kickoff at 5 p.m.; he gave ticket prices as $10 for adults, $5 for students ages 10–17, and free admission for children age 9 and under.

Other speakers from the team included Musa “Moose” Abdarik, who described the team as a family‑friendly local enterprise, and Nathan Heagle, a player representative who said many players live locally and that the team will participate in community events. The organizers said the roster includes players aged roughly 18–25 with a few older players and noted that former NFL defensive back Dominique Rodgers‑Cromartie is listed on the roster.

Why this matters: the presentation was delivered during the public‑comment portion of the meeting and was informational; no city action was requested or taken. Organizers sought to raise awareness so local businesses and residents would attend home games and vendor opportunities were available.

Ending: commissioners received the remarks and thanked the presenters. No formal endorsement or city funding was proposed or decided during the meeting.