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Words by Carson Rich
Women’s professional soccer is finally coming to Duval County. Jacksonville was recently announced as part of a list of cities to receive a new team in the United Soccer League (USL), and locals should feel pretty excited about it. The details of what is to come are still in the works, but this is still exciting news, as residents now have a new attraction to look forward to in the future.
The JaxUSL ownership group, led by Tony Allegretti, Ricky Caplin, Steve Livingstone and Tim Tebow, are all set to manage the new team. The new question now appears to be when and where these matches will all take place. While the owners are trying to narrow down possibilities that could become a host for all of Jacksonville’s soccer events, but no names have been mentioned publicly yet. Rumors speculate the building of a brand new stadium could be in the works, but with the news of the TIAA Bank Field renovations gearing up to take place, there are also possibilities of hosting games there when it is finished. As for when the players will take the field, the league is slated to start in 2025-2026, so there is plenty of time to plan the specifics of the team.
“Every day, we’re getting close to the stadium site. You know, every day I wake up, I think, ‘You know, we’re a day closer.’ So, I can’t tell you what day that is, but we’re working on it, Livingstone said. “We’re working diligently. We’re talking to various municipalities. We’re narrowing down our options.”
The amount of support for this new team is rapidly growing, as locals are loving the idea of a new women’s team coming to the forefront with some even feeling inspired by the news.
“It’s great to see some of these young women … thinking, ‘I can be that one. I could be the next one that’s going to be a professional women’s athlete,’ and I think that’s fantastic.” said Mayor Donna Deegan.
The USL is doing a big part in embracing women’s soccer by expanding the number of teams across the country. Young female athletes have often been discouraged due to the lack of opportunities they are given from their areas. At long last, women’s sports is getting the recognition it needs in Jacksonville. The addition of the team will also generate lots of revenue for the city, as various local businesses and community leaders have already expressed interest in backing the team.
