As the 2016 season USL season started to come into view – with new faces like FC Cincinnati and San Antonio FC preparing to make their debut and more recent newcomers like Sacramento Republic FC, Louisville City FC, OKC Energy FC and Saint Louis FC also taking the spotlight – a thought came to the Steel Army’s Dan Yost.

Was there something the Steel Army and its fellow supporters groups from the league’s more historic clubs could do to celebrate that?

“There are a lot of new clubs in the league and they are doing some amazing things that should be celebrated,” Yost said by email. “At the same time, there are these more historic clubs that happily keep doing their own thing and have survived the test of time when others have come and gone. We are proud of that legacy and are proud to be lower-league soccer.

“With all that said, I didn't really know if it was something that would have real interest and I was working on some other projects so it didn't go beyond a thought last season.”

The idea returned to Yost this past November, though, and when the concept of a regular-season tournament that would see the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Rochester Rhinos, Harrisburg City Islanders, Richmond Kickers and Charleston Battery square off got the blessing of the Steel Army’s board, the idea began to take hold.

Yost sent out messages to other supporters groups around Thanksgiving. By the end of the holiday weekend, the Flower City Stampede in Rochester, River City Red Army in Richmond and the Regiment in Charleston were on board. When the City Islanders’ newly-formed Capital City Crew jumped on soon after their formation, it was full-steam ahead.