(Part one of a two part article)
As obesity rates continue to rise in the United States, a new program in Tarrant County is allowing overweight and obese men the opportunity to lose weight, learn accountability and have fun all at the same time. Initially started in the United Kingdom, the new MAN v FAT Soccer League in Keller will have its inaugural season this summer to help men shed unwanted pounds and regain their health through sport.
Associate Director of Marketing & Partnerships Matthew Hudson said the program initially started because founder, Andrew Shanahan, felt that traditional weight loss programs were targeted heavily towards women. “There wasn’t anything that really spoke to guys,” Hudson said. “It initially started as a web forum and magazine but branched out into delivering soccer leagues in the UK. The first of these was in Solihull, Birmingham but we now deliver 157 soccer leagues in the UK and 18 Rugby leagues too.” And the results are undeniable.
MAN v FAT has supported over 30,000 men since 2016 with more than 800,000 lbs of weight loss, and changed countless lives along the way. “Whilst men join predominantly for weight loss, we’re increasingly finding there is a story behind them joining i.e. wanting to have a family, wanting to help with donating a kidney and much more,” Hudson said.
The Milken Institute, an independent economic think tank, conducted a study in 2023 that reported that the annual cost and economic impact of obesity in the United States exceeds $1.4 trillion. This number includes costs associated with obesity treatment and obesity-related conditions and costs associated with attendance and productivity at work as they relate to obesity.
Joseph Alvarado, 25, of Dallas said he joined the Keller-based organization after following the MAN v FAT program in the UK and learning of its two ventures into the United States in Florida and New York. “I’ve been a fan of the program and have waited for a DFW expansion for just over a year,” Alvarado said. “I played soccer, football, and basketball as a child and teen but fell out of it once I graduated high school.” Alvarado said his main objective is to be able to walk up a flight of stairs without gasping for air and said it was a recent incident from the world of sports that made him realize that now was the time to get in shape. “I’ve been considering joining a soccer league for a while but was sent over the edge by the Luka (Doncic) trade and all the articles made about him,” Alvarado said. “Reading that Luka was considered out of shape made me look at myself terribly due to him being in much better physical condition than I. I realized that at 25 I was entering my physical peak while being in the worst shape of my life. All of this catapulted me into striving to play the sport I once loved to play.”
Richard Crick, Director of MAN v FAT said he decided on the Keller area in Tarrant County for a couple of reasons. “The density of prospective soccer fans who could benefit from joining a men’s health community was a bit of a no-brainer for us,” Crick said. “Finding the right facilities for our program has also been quite challenging in the US, but one of TOCA’s new renovated flagship sites sits in Keller and we can’t wait for our guys to be playing there.” Crick said the leagues run in 14-week seasons but operate 50 weeks of the year.
“As the average BMI sign up in the US for MAN v FAT Soccer is 36, we know that for most men to get to a healthy weight they’re going to need to be with us for months, possibly years to do it in a sustainable way,” Crick said. ” Therefore, that means us and their teammates holding them to account on the scales week in and week out.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, a healthy weight BMI ranges from 18.5 to less than 25, an overweight BMI ranges from 25 to less than 30 and an obese BMI is 40 or greater. The MAN v FAT program is unique as players weigh in before they play, and for every two members of the team who lose weight that week, they get an additional goal on the field. “That means that the biggest contributions you make aren’t on the field – it’s what you’ve done in the 7 days since your last game,” Crick said.
Robert Pecchio, 36, of Fort Lauderdale participates in the Florida league and said he has noticed the health benefits. “Having a weekly check-in, focused just on you and your individual needs has been incredibly beneficial—not only to have accountability but also to access necessary resources,” Pecchio said. “Before MAN v FAT, I was really impulsive and impatient and almost roller-coaster-like with my health—feast or famine. MAN v FAT cultivates sustainability, which is better for long-term health and longevity.”
An article from Fort Worth Magazine in April 2025 said that according to Data Commons, Tarrant County, at 37.7%, has the highest percentage of people with obesity among the five most populous Texas counties — Travis (Austin) 29.4%, Harris (Houston) 35.2%, Dallas 34.8%, and Bexar (San Antonio) 37.3%.
Crick emphasized that MAN v FAT is here to help those who want to help reverse the trend. “MAN v FAT soccer is a community,” Crick said. “In the UK we have players who have been with us for eight years, lost a significant amount of weight, are a lot more active, but still want the weekly accountability to their coach or team. “Our goal is to be there for men when they need us, so if they take a few months out but want to come back they are always welcome.” The pre-season for the Keller league starts June 11. Visit https://manvfatsoccer.com/league/keller for more information. (Part two coming)
