United Soccer League franchise coming to San Antonio

Scorpions future presently unknown

SAN ANTONIO – When minor league soccer begins in San Antonio in 2016, it will be a different team in a different league taking the pitch.

Spurs Sports & Entertainment, alongside Bexar County leaders, announced Tuesday that they will be bringing a United Soccer League franchise to San Antonio. The announcement was made at a press conference held at Toyota Field, the former home of the Scorpions and the new home of the still-unnamed USL team.

The deal is part of a collaborative effort by the city, county and SS&E to pursue bringing Major League Soccer to the Alamo City. Supporters say the USL is a better route to the MLS than the North American Soccer League, in which the Scorpions played.

Under the agreement approved by the City Council and Bexar County Commissioners, the city and county will buy Toyota Field from its current owner, Gordon Hartman, who is also owner of the Scorpions.

SS&E is chipping in for the purchase and will lease the field for 20 years. They will be the owners of the new USL team, which will have its home opener in the last weekend of March.

According to an article on USLSoccer.com, SS&E has received tentative approval for a franchise, and "final approval will be granted upon the completion of final due diligence, which is expected to be completed by the first of the year."

"We know they are going to do it," said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff about the Spurs organization's chances of getting to the MLS. "They are winners, and we are going to stick with them. They've won five NBA championships, and they are going to win this battle for Major League Soccer."

Besides the team's USL affiliation and its aspirations for the major leagues, little else was revealed about the new franchise. The team name, club crest and jersey design will be announced in the near future.

"We just closed this transaction yesterday, and so our next steps (are) to field a team, hire a coach (and) name the team," said Spurs Sports & Entertainment Vice President General Counsel and Corporate Relations. "We'll have preseason fairly quickly around the corner, and with the first game in March, you know, we'll have to get to work."

If SS&E fails to get its new team to the MLS in the first six years of the lease, it will pay the city and county $2.5 million each.

The end of an era

Fans hoping for details on what is happening with the Scorpions were out of luck Tuesday morning.

One thing is clear; the Scorpions are done in the Alamo City. The team spent the afternoon tweeting out thank yous, including a wrap-up video of the past four years.

"We hope that there's potential having them continue to play in the NASL. At this point, I don't have more details on that. But that is something that we're looking at right now," Hartman said.

The North American Soccer League released a statement Tuesday regarding the future of the San Antonio Scorpions. The full statement reads:

"San Antonio Scorpions owner Gordon Hartman informed the NASL that his business transaction with the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, and Spurs Sports and Entertainment has resulted in the sale of Toyota Field and S.T.A.R. Soccer Complex.

"The NASL is working with Hartman to determine the future of the San Antonio Scorpions.

"We are proud that the NASL has been able to make a significant contribution to the special needs community and the league is grateful to the fans of San Antonio for their support.

"Every sports league in North America has experienced turnover in its early stages and the NASL is fortunate to have a group of owners and league officials that has a tremendous understanding of how to work through change.

"Ownership and investment interest is at an all-time high, and we expect to be a 20-team league in the near future."


About the Author:

Garrett Brnger is a reporter with KSAT 12.