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Inspired by playing soccer in the streets of Spain, Brazil, Bolivia, and Mexico, a group of college friends started Calle in a Provo, Utah, basement in 2006. They bootstrapped the company from the ground up—selling balls and T-shirts from the trunks of their cars to camp kids and independent soccer shops.

By 2010, Calle was carried in more than 120 stores across the country, sold through Soccer.com, and reaching international buyers. Small local gatherings grew into major collaborations with Red Bull, EA Sports, Pepsi, the Steve Nash Foundation, Ziggy Marley, and others.

Then came a hard turn.

The Great Recession hit independent soccer shops especially hard, leaving many unable to pay their bills. At the same time, Calle’s primary investor redirected the company’s resources toward a high-end label called Jugar. It was a different vision—one Calle’s community, and its founders, never fully connected with.

In 2012, after six relentless years, Calle went quiet. But the original idea never disappeared.

A decade later, in August 2022, founder Travis Winn brought Calle back to life from a small office in downtown Salt Lake City. The mission remained unchanged: create goods for the people who play anytime, anywhere—and help build a culture where the game is open to everyone.

Today, Calle is working to change American soccer from the bottom up. Since relaunching in August 2022, Calle has helped build seven free street soccer courts across the country—three in St. Louis, three in Salt Lake City, and one in Austin alongside Barrio FC. More are on the way.

Nearly twenty years after a few friends began selling soccer balls from their cars, Calle is still driven by the same conviction: the best version of the game is free, creative, local, and alive in the streets.

Follow @callepigeon on IG as we try at #freethegame across America.

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