Greenville, SC is still a potential market for the upcoming USL D3, as it was recently confirmed that discussions over a prospective club are ongoing.
There have been previous indications that Greenville is a potential USL D3 market, as representatives from the league visited the city last summer. If a team were to be placed there, it would add to a mix of professional sports franchises that includes baseball’s Greenville Drive (Low A; Sally League) and hockey’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL).
It appears that there is still interest in a Greenville USL D3 club, as Greenville Chamber President and CEO Carlos Phillips confirmed on Thursday that discussions about a prospective USL D3 team are ongoing. This comes as the league works toward a 2019 launch. More from The Greenville News:
Between eight and 12 teams are slated to kick off an inaugural season for the USL’s D3 league in the spring of 2019. Each team would play approximately 14 home matches between March and mid-September.
The league is in discussions with potential local ownership.
“Having a USL D3 franchise in Greater Greenville would be a win for the entire Upstate,” Phillips said. “Communities around the country are seeing first-hand how the presence of a USL franchise helps them recruit companies and attract and retain young professionals – the key demographic for pro soccer – as well as a critically important group in growing a vibrant economy.”
USL D3 did take a major step recently, as it announced that the Statesboro, GA-based Tormenta FC would join the league upon its launch. Plans for USL D3 were announced last March, with the circuit pitched as a way to bring Division III soccer to markets that range from between 150,000 and a million in population.
Image courtesy USL.