The San Antonio Scorpions’ time in the NASL is over as soccer in San Antonio is set to move in a new direction.
Following the sale of Toyota Field and S.T.A.R. Soccer Complex to the City of San Antonio and Bexar County, the San Antonio NASL franchise will be no more. According to sources close to the situation, owner Gordon Hartman, who has been operating the team at a loss due to charitable work with Morgan’s Wonderland, is expected to offload the team imminently with Las Vegas as a rumored destination.
As for soccer in San Antonio, Spurs Sports and Entertainment will now operate the local facilities and is expected to field a team that plays in USL starting in March 2016. Following the sale of the stadium to the city and county, sources tell SBI that the Spurs have entered a “sweetheart deal” that will see the ownership group pay just $100,000 a year in rent to operate the facilities.
“We are extremely honored to have an organization of the caliber of Spurs Sports & Entertainment request entry into the USL,” USL CEO Alec Papadakis said. “They are an incredible fit to our ownership model, which is based on vibrant local ownership, great venues and a marketplace with a hunger for the game. We anticipate a quick final approval process for the Spurs’ application.”
Although the league has yet to announce anything regarding the future of the franchise, the NASL announced on Tuesday that the league is working with Hartman to determine the future of the franchise. According to a source close to the situation, general manager Howard Cornfield has been contacted to continue to be the general manager of the club as it exists in NASL.
Still, many involved with the club were left “disgusted” with how the situation unfolded. Despite the recent sale of the club’s stadium to the city, many within the front office were kept in the dark over the potential future of the club. Those involved with the Scorpions were not informed of the direction of the club until last Friday.
That direction,at least on a local level, is the USL, with one eye focused on the SSE’s efforts to secure a team in MLS as the league continues to push towards expansion to 28 teams.