This week’s USL winter meetings in Orlando, Florida were full of familiar faces, executives and officials from some of the league’s most established and successful clubs. Over the course of two days, those in attendance painted a path forward for the USL, turning an eye towards 2020 as the league continues to come into its own.



There were also plenty of new faces in Orlando, including representatives from 19 prospective clubs from across the country. Some of those 19 groups were just getting started; dipping their toes in the water to explore the idea of USL expansion. But a few in attendance are much further along in the process, including one group from Baltimore, Maryland. After a half-decade of starts and stops, it appears that professional soccer’s return to the Charm City may be drawing closer.



That group — who multiple sources confirmed is led by Baltimore-area real estate developer Marc Weller — has made significant headway...