Dear USL Fans,

As we stand at the dawn of the most highly-anticipated season yet in the USL’s history, I want to thank each of you for the outstanding loyalty and tremendous passion you have brought to the league and your club. The USL has never been stronger – on and off the field – and it has been a privilege to oversee the tremendous growth we have seen over the past decade. Your dedication to your clubs has seen attendance soar, and the league’s prominence reach unprecedented heights as we head into the new season.

It certainly doesn’t feel like only four months have passed since November when we were at Slugger Field with almost 15,000 fans on hand to see Louisville City FC lift the USL Cup. Our offseason has been remarkably busy as we’ve welcomed new additions for this upcoming season: Fresno FC, Indy Eleven, Las Vegas Lights FC, Nashville SC, North Carolina FC and ATL UTD 2. Their inclusion will only make the competition on the field stronger this season and bring even more memorable moments to fans across the continent.

The level of ownership and new venues that these additional clubs bring to the USL, and the quality of players and coaches they attract, will have a long-lasting effect on the communities they are part of, creating deep-rooted clubs that connect closely with fans.

We anticipate the same from our growing expansion class for 2019, which already includes Birmingham, Alabama, El Paso, Texas, Memphis, Tennessee and Austin, Texas. Beyond 2019, we have tremendous projects underway in Chicago and Oakland East Bay to further expand the league’s footprint into these major markets.

Our clubs continue to invest in making their gameday experience the most memorable and thrilling for their fans. The opening of Zions Bank Stadium this spring by Real Monarchs SLC, our 2017 Regular Season champion, will be another milestone for the club, as will the continued progress by USL Cup champion Louisville City FC toward its new venue, anticipated to open in 2020.

The excitement a new season brings, with all the possibility that lies ahead of every club, is like no other in sports, and we can’t wait to join you in watching all the drama unfold. Get ready, because this weekend’s action is going to send us hurtling into the biggest season in the USL’s modern history, one that will bring everything this wonderful sport has to offer.

On behalf of everyone at the USL, thank you for your continued support, and good luck for the 2018 season!

Best Regards,