By FRANCO PANIZO
Make room for one more team in next season’s USL Pro expansion class.
Professional soccer will be back in St. Louis, Missouri, in 2015 after USL Pro announced Thursday that it has awarded an expansion franchise to SLSG Pro LLC. St. Louis becomes the third expansion team announced for next season, joining Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and Tulsa Roughnecks FC.
Additional announcements are expected in the near future.
“We are thrilled to welcome St. Louis into USL Pro starting with the 2015 season,” USL CEO Alec Papadakis said in a statement. “St. Louis, more than any other U.S. city, has significantly contributed to the development and growth of American soccer on all levels – youth, collegiate and professional. Through the years, St. Louis players, coaches and soccer executives have greatly impacted not only the game of soccer, but the history of American soccer itself.
“The individuals involved with the St. Louis USL Pro franchise have unquestionable integrity and credibility with both the soccer and business communities. Undoubtedly, St. Louis’ USL Pro team, coupled with the storied Scott Gallagher organization, has the formula for making St. Louis one of the most successful clubs in the league.”
The St. Louis franchise has begun working on a club name, logo, colors and uniforms. Announcements for those are expected in the coming months.
The team will play its home games at 5,000-seat Soccer Park in Fenton, Missouri, and will be led by head coach Dale Schilly.
Jim Kavanaugh, who co-founded World Wide Technology back in 1990, will serve as CEO of SLSG Pro and oversee the operations of the club.
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What do you think of USL Pro announcing St. Louis as a 2015 expansion team? What would you like the team name and colors to be? See the St. Louis club getting good turnouts at Soccer Park?
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