San Antonio took another step toward their goal of becoming an MLS city after being awarded a USL franchise, it was announced Thursday.
The team becomes the league’s 31st club and is owned by the Spurs Sports Entertainment group, the same ownership that runs one of the NBA’s most successful franchises in the San Antonio Spurs, who have won five titles.
The club will start playing in March 2016 with Toyota Field being its home pitch. Darren Powell, formerly of Orlando City SC, where he managed the Pro Academy and U.S. Soccer Development Academy, was also named San Antonio's head coach.
“We are thrilled to be part of a terrific league that features an exciting brand of soccer that will elevate the sport in San Antonio,” Rick Pych, Spurs Sports & Entertainment president of business operations, said in a statement. “The USL is a perfect fit for a region whose passion for soccer continues to grow and we’re excited to have Darren Powell on board as our head coach to lead that development. Darren shares our organization’s values and vision to advance soccer in San Antonio and his extensive background in coaching and cultivating talent will be an invaluable asset for a first-year franchise.”
- READ MORE: MLS Expansion Coverage
SS&E have made no secret of their desire to bring an MLS club to San Antonio, as shown by their $21 million purchase of Toyota Field, a soccer specific field that is currently being used by NASL’s San Antonio Scorpions until the end of their campaign. With MLS recently announcing that it plans to expand up to 28 teams, the club's ambitions are also stated in the USL's press release to announce its 31st club, noting that five of the last seven new MLS franchises played in USL
