CHARLESTON, SC - The North American Soccer League (NASL) has announced the formation of RiverDogs FC as the latest expansion team to join the professional soccer league. The addition of RiverDogs FC marks the 10th United States franchise to join the league and 12th overall.

"We saw the growing partnership between the New York Yankees and Manchester City Football Club spawn the NYCFC and we wanted to bring that multi-sport, same franchise relationship to the Lowcountry," said General Manager Dave Echols. "What's more fun than sports at The Joe? Nothing at all."

RiverDogs FC will begin play in the NASL during the spring 2016 season, which gives the RiverDogs baseball staffers a full calendar year to prepare for the two-sport fun.

The newly formed soccer team will not only share a name with the baseball team, but will also share the field at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park with the RiverDogs and The Citadel's baseball team.

"I've been a professional groundskeeper for more than two decades," said Mike Williams, who has kept the Riley Park playing surface among the best in America. "But I've never been more excited than I am to handle the upkeep of the pitcher's mound and pitch at the same time next season."

The RiverDogs baseball team will still have the full 70-game home schedule in the South Atlantic League, while RiverDogs FC will add a 14-game home schedule between April and November. The Joe will undergo huge transformations from a baseball field to a soccer pitch, but the RiverDogs vow it will remain a top-playing surface in both sports.

RiverDogs FC has set up an international scouting staff that will scour the globe for the best players available as well as domestically. In addition, RiverDogs FC will host open tryouts later this year and all local players of "The World's Game" are encouraged to try out and attempt to make the team. Although not in the same league, RiverDogs FC and the Charleston Battery will play a friendly match to represent a new era at The Joe and in the Lowcountry.

The formation of RiverDogs FC comes during the first campaign of the NYCFC in the MLS - the brainchild of the New York Yankees and Manchester City FC. However unlike NYCFC, which is looking for a new stadium, RiverDogs FC will call The Joe home for good.

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--RIVERDOGS--