Salt Lake Monarchs plan to build 8,000 seat stadium. http://www.sbisoccer.com/2015/02/ticker-monarchs-stadium.html
Wow. Given recent success, this is a real surprise. USL President Tim Holt resigns more discussion on Big Soccer over here... USL Shakeup: Holt Resigns
FC Cincinnati coming to USL in 2016. John Harkes will be head coach. FC Cincinnati announced Owned by the very, very deep-pocketed Lindner family. I wouldn't be surprised if they have MLS aspirations.
Not unless MLS expands to something much larger like 32-40 teams, IMO. Other than the fact that Columbus kind of has the flag planted for Ohio in the near future.
Aspirations are good. But they're at the back of the line. (Funny, too, that Harkes could have been Rochester's coach years ago, but thought it was beneath him.)
The 2016 season ticket package refers to 15 USL regular season home matches. Rio Grande Valley, Lehigh Valley and Cincinnati join the league in 2016. With Reno coming in 2017, I assume that RGV is the only new, announed club in the west. Philadelphia, Orlando and Houston are reported to be planning "2's" in 2016. http://www.empireofsoccer.com/focus-usl-partnership-39890/ Lehigh Valley is owned by Philadelphia Union, so let's assume they are Philadelphia's "2" side. This article, published before the Reno announcement, also says that USL plans to expand to "up to 30 teams" in 2016. http://www.mcall.com/sports/mc-pro-soccer-union-bethlehem-08192015-20150819-story.html RGV's web page refers to Houston as a "hybid" affiliate but no ownership is mentioned. Let's assume RGV is Houston's "2" side. So, for now, I'm counting LValley, Cin and Orlando in the east, bringing the total to 15. With Reno not coming until 2017, all of this may indicate that one or two of SJ, Colo., and Dallas plan to field a "2" side next year. SJ launched a PDL team in 2015 so I predict they won't launch a 2 side next year (or ever), practically guaranteeing that they will. If there is another addition of a "2" side in the west, that makes 14 teams with likely 26 home-and-home matches and the continuation of four games vs. regional rivals, as we had with Real and LA in 2015. If two come in, that's 28 home-and-home matches with two extra games to be played against one or two opponents. Have any of you heard of anything more?
Dallas is the most likely to field a "2" team. They've been discussing it for a while, and almost had one for 2015
Orlando City B(?) is official. http://www.sacrepublicfc.com/news/2015/10/15/usl-welcomes-back-orlando-city-sc-2016/#.ViAa9X6rRaQ They are officially the 29th franchise. That makes sense if the league is counting Reno (2017) as the 28th. For now, it looks like there are officially 15 in the east and 13 in the west for 2016.
I forgot about Austin going on a one year hiatus for 2016. So, we seem to be at 15 in the east and 12 in the west for 2016 (14 for 2017). There is a rumor from a reliable poster regarding something happening to OC Blues next season, but we'll see.
Nice article on USL expansion from (of all places) MarketWatch. With the obligatory mention of Sacramento's attendance numbers and MLS aspirations at the end. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/so...on-2015-10-15?siteid=bigcharts&dist=bigcharts
Sporting KC is launching a "2." http://www.sportingkc.com/post/2015/10/21/sporting-club-announce-usl-team-thursday-starlight-theatre That makes about 53* clubs in the east and 48* in the west for 2016. *Numbers are approximate.
Will be known as Swope Park Rangers. Swope Park being a large soccer complex in KC. Of the nine fields, they will play at Championship Field, natural grass, seating of 1,500. http://www.uslsoccer.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32800&ATCLID=210440746
Rodrigo and Nemanja named 2nd team all-USL: http://www.uslsoccer.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32800&ATCLID=210452188
The Lehigh Valley club (Phil Union 2) will be known as Bethlehem Steel: Cool crest. Of course, I seem to be the only one who likes Union's crest/logo.
I really hate when they try too hard to define the club crest components "The rivets signify the joining of two clubs". Why not just say rivets go along with steel, and it just looks cool on a crest. "Elongated BSFC crest echoing the growth of a brand......" Kind of cheesy. Not as bad as Cincinati though. Theirs was horrible and cliche-ish. Granted it was literally done by a high schooler, but the club adopted it.