Nothing but net: Pro soccer destined for Birmingham

Golden goals are destined for the Magic City.

On Tuesday night at Good People Brewing Company, Mayor William Bell formally announced that Birmingham will soon boast its own professional soccer franchise. In 2019, the club is slated to make its debut as a member of the United Soccer League, which is one tier below Major League Soccer in the United States’ footballing pyramid.

“Soccer has grown and grown in excitement, and we often times watch on the TV as other cities and other countries have the experience of live soccer right here in their cities,” said Bell, standing behind a podium outfitted with a USL Birmingham sign. “Well today, the time has come. The time has come.”

If the city embraces the sport with a level of fervency tantamount to that displayed by those in attendance, the sport will be here to stay. That’s the hope, at least, for team investors Jeff Logan, Lee Styslinger III and James Outland. All sat on stage, grinning, as applause and whistles filled the air following the revelation.

“We love soccer, but we love Birmingham more,” said Outland. “That’s what brings us here today.”

Outland is a founding partner at the New Capital Partners private equity firm; Logan is part owner of the Birmingham Barons; and Styslinger is CEO of Altec Industries. Along with Morgan Copes, the team’s vice president, they form the core visionaries for the new organization, which has many decisions to make.

Atop the current to-do list: select a team name and home playing venue.

"We're definitely excited about getting that brand out here," Copes said, "but today was about the franchise and about the launch."

Copes has filed through this process before. He helped build the Birmingham Hammers, the area’s flagship semi-pro soccer team, from the ground up with the help of his friend, John Killian. Their desire originally triggered the city's push to gain professional soccer. Now, that dedication has materialized. 

“Their passion and their vision, hopefully coupled with some of our resources and business experience, will bring the best team to the league for Birmingham,” Outland said.

The immediate fate of the Hammers, Copes said, remains to be seen. For the past three years, the team has played a roughly two-month season during the summers, with home matches hosted at Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex in Vestavia Hills. The two entities will most likely integrate. 

“The Hammers are part of this family now,” Copes said. “We’re going to be working with them to make sure this is the best thing we can possibly bring to Birmingham in 2019.”

Copes added that the new club will likely take the pitch for the first time next year as a member of the Premier Development League. The experience will serve as a stepping stone in preparation for its 2019 USL debut. 

The USL has expanded rapidly since its inception in 2011, growing to 30 teams in 2017. Member clubs in the general region include the Charleston (S.C.) Battery, Charlotte (N.C.) Independence, Orlando (Fla.) City B and Tampa Bay (Fla.) Rowdies. Nashville (Tenn.) SC is set to join the league as an expansion franchise in 2018.  

“Birmingham is a market that we’ve had our eye on for a long time,” said League President Jake Edwards. “We’re very excited.”

Edwards, who attended the unveiling, cited the Birmingham metro area’s growing population, healthy economy and passionate sports culture as factors that drew the USL’s attention. Plus, he noted, the Magic City is consistently one of the country’s top soccer markets in regard to TV viewership. 

Copes said the addition of a pro team to Birmingham's landscape will be "special." To many in attendance Tuesday night, it already is.

Holland Rula, a high school soccer standout from the area, had always envisioned the day a pro soccer team took residence in his hometown. His brother, Larson, and father, David, did too. 

They don’t have to wait much longer. David Rula, with a blue and white USL Birmingham scarf draped around his neck, said he already plans to purchase season tickets.

“It’s a proud moment,” Holland Rula said. “We grew up always dreaming for this to happen, and it’s finally happening.”

For more information on the new soccer organization, visit uslbirmingham.com.