The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page C18

18C THE ENQUIRER FC introductory news onference was just the start of a un-filled Wednesday for head coach ohn Harkes. In addition to being a part of the 40-minute event held at the University of Lindner Center, Harkes and assistant coach Ryan Martin are scheduled to meet with occer fans at local pubs over the next few days starting Wednesday ight. But there is also plenty of work to do for the United Soccer 26th club, which will compete in the astern Conference starting in March 2016. Cincinnati, which will play home games at Nippert Stadium, was formally announced at a news conference Wednesday morning. The new professional soccer franchise is led by principal owner Carl Lindner III.

The Enquirer reported Tuesday the entrance into the USL. arkes who was on the U.S. national team roster 13 times and was team captain in 1995 expects to be on the road quite a bit in the coming weeks, scouting players a nd identifying needs for the inaugu- al season. got to put a good product the field something (the community) can be proud said Harkes, who led D.C. United to back-to-back MLS Cup titles in 1996 and 1997.

think there is huge potential here. I think this has been almost a sleeping giant in some FC Cincinnati issued a news re- ease Wednesday morning saying there are more than 55,000 registered youth soccer players in Cincinnati, a nd the directors of the four largest clubs (Cincinnati United, Kings Hammer, Ohio Elite and Total Futbol Academy) sit on the FC Cincinnati Advisory Board. Jeff Berding, president and general manager of FC Cincinnati, said the team will work with all youth soccer lubs to develop relationships and trengthen the presence in the region. Berding had been with the incinnati Bengals for nearly two decades as director of sales and public affairs prior to joining the FC Cincinnati staff. Cincinnati will have the resources to develop the soccer fan experience and will deliver a high level of professional soccer to engage soccer fan base as well as the growing global employee base in the Berding said.

he USL is considered the strongest U.S. pro soccer league below Major League Soccer (MLS). The USL features 24 teams in 2015 across the United States and Canada. Rio Grande Valley was the 25th team to join the USL when it was announced July 15. SL officials welcomed FC Cincin- ati with open arms on Wednesday.

Rivals in the USL for the team will ikely include the Harrisburg City Islanders (of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania), Louisville City FC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, New York Red Bulls II and Saint Louis FC among others. are United Soccer League President Jake Edwards told The Enquirer prior to the news con- erence Wednesday morning. have been working with the guys with Jeff (Berding) and his team now or a better part of a year. We are bringing on a real sports town here. A great Berding said the team is allowed to start signing players immediately.

FC incinnati held its first player per- onnel meeting on Monday. erding said the team will be visiting businesses to discuss potential sponsorship and partnerships. Berding said conversations will be ongoing ith UC regarding Nippert Stadium i preparation for next season. I the long term, Berding said FC Cincinnati will have a new soccer field with only soccer lines at Nippert Stadium. In the 2016 season, Berding said it is likely FC Cincinnati will play on an xisting field painted for the sport.

will not be playing on a field hat shows football lines, football end zones or any other football Berding said. The 2016 Easter weekend is the i naugural weekend of the USL season, which goes through the end of Sept ember. There will be 15 home and 15 away games as part of the regular season. Berding said FC Cincinnati is allowed to sign up to seven international players, and it will do so. The rest of the roster will consist of some graduated college players and some ajor League Soccer players who are not under contract, Berding said.

And the FC Cincinnati roster will also include some MLS players seeking greater playing time for their evelopment. Cincinnati will not have a formal relationship with an MLS team, ut Berding said the club will have a good rapport with several MLS teams. aspirations are to grow this thing and take it to the highest level we can here in he said. are FC Former Columbus Crew president ark McCullers is acting as a deputy to Berding and is assisting with player personnel. ore information on tickets and the team may be found at www.fccincinnati.com.

FC Cincinnati ready to recruit GM Berding: We want to row to the highest level Mike Dyer THE GREENE FC Cincinnati head coach John Harkes told media at Nippert Stadium on Wednesday, got to put a good product on the field something (the community) can be proud kiddos playing soccer. I mean, everywhere. The job of Futbol Club Cincin- ati is to get the parents of those trivers to open their wallets and let those credit cards breathe. never happened before, so xcuse the skepticism. Iwanted to ask Gary De Jesus, FC senior vice president of marketing and communications, how he planned to convince the soccer isciples that the one true church had arrived.

De Jesus politely said he was oo busy to speak. Well, OK. he president of the USL was at the gathering. Jake Edwards played collegiate soccer at James Madison niversity in Virginia and professionally in England for a decade, before arning an MBA and moving to the usiness side. He said the USL would work here because the money backing the team is old and stable.

Someone else important referred to the investment along ith smaller contributions from other locals, including Reds shareholder Jack Wyant as dwards said the league only cons idered towns whose owners it judged to be long-haul types offering sensible economic model. got a ommitted ownership he said. Edwards also argued this is the best time for pro soccer in Cincinnati. The owners are betting $2 million the league franchise fee that Edw ards is right. Home games will be at arenovated Nippert, right next to 3 0,000 students.

The city center is ucceeding, soccer itself is popular among Millennials. And so on. really perfect Carl indner III CL3 to some of us suggested. see soccer as a sport of remendous undeniable. So is the reality that the soccer boom never has spread to the pro ranks, at least not here.

Soccer moms, dads, Connors and Ashleys might stuff the minivan ith coolers and gym bags on weekends. They point it toward Sil- verbacks games. Now is the time for ocal soccer passion-istas to let rip. he USL has 26 teams, which sounds excessive. Some are located in mid-sized cities (Louisville, Austin, incinnati), some in the big-city (Fenton, Missouri and Harrison, New Jersey) while others are in towns only mapmakers know about (Tukwila, Washington, Sandy, Utah).

he USL is a pro league in the U.S., considered a devel- pmental outpost for its big brothers, LS and NASL. As such, it is yet another minor-league foray into our town, which we like to see as major eague. Its season runs from March to September, which could be problem- a tic if the Reds are in town. Louisville raws well, apparently, partly because it has no Reds. There is no draft in the USL.

FC Cincinnati can pluck players from anywhere: Tryouts, former MLS and ASL players, current USL chaps whose contracts have expired. Teams can even buy a player currently und er contract. Will the Lindners be- ome the Steinbrenners of the USL? We can only hope. John Harkes will be the coach. arkes is an American soccer icon, who was also the first Yank to play in the English Premier League.

In 1994, Harkes was named one of Most Beautiful by People maga- ine. So there is that. Meantime, team general manager eff Berding urged the masses to put own deposits on season tickets. only be successful True enough. Maybe pro kicks will ork this time.

never wrong to be optimistic, when the subject is pro occer here. Or harsh to be cynical. Doc Continued from Page 1C SOCCER.