FC Cincinnati

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This article is about the Major League Soccer franchise. For the United Soccer League team, see FC Cincinnati (2016–18).

FC Cincinnati
Full nameFootball Club Cincinnati[1]
Nickname(s)Orange and Blue
FoundedMay 29, 2018; 5 years ago (2018-05-29)[nb 1]
StadiumNippert Stadium
Cincinnati, Ohio
Capacity33,800[2]
OwnerCarl Lindner III
ManagerAlan Koch[3]
LeagueMajor League Soccer
WebsiteClub website
Current season

FC Cincinnati is a soccer club based in Cincinnati, Ohio that plays in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The team succeeded the lower-division team of the same name and was announced on May 29, 2018, when MLS awarded an expansion franchise to Cincinnati.[4][5] The team began MLS play on March 2, 2019 with its first match against Seattle Sounders FC. The club's ownership group is led by Carl H. Lindner III with Jeff Berding serving as president and general manager.

History

The owners of the USL club began negotiations with Major League Soccer over a potential expansion franchise in early 2016, and Cincinnati was announced as one of ten cities that had expressed interest in the slots for teams 25 to 28.[6][7] MLS Commissioner Don Garber visited Cincinnati in December 2016 to tour Nippert Stadium and meet with city and club officials, complimenting the city and its fans.[8] FC Cincinnati formally submitted its expansion bid in January 2017, including a shortlist of potential stadium locations.[9]

On May 29, 2018, Major League Soccer announced that Cincinnati would join the league in 2019 as an expansion team under the FC Cincinnati brand.[10][4] The West End Stadium, a 26,000-seat soccer-specific venue in the West End, is scheduled to open in 2021.[4][11]

FC Cincinnati signed their first two MLS players, Fanendo Adi and Fatai Alashe, in July 2018. Adi was the team's first designated player.[12] Both players were loaned to the FC Cincinnati USL team for the remainder of the 2018 season.[13]

FC Cincinnati selected five players from certain MLS teams in the expansion draft, which took place on December 11, 2018.[14]

Stadium

FC Cincinnati will play at Nippert Stadium while their new West End Stadium is being built.[4] The new stadium is expected to open in 2021.[15]

Rivalries

The "Hell Is Real" sign on Interstate 71 between Cincinnati and Columbus

Cincinnati has an in-state rival in Columbus Crew.[16] The idea of the Ohio soccer rivalry first gained popularity ahead of a 2017 U.S. Open Cup match between FC Cincinnati (then in the United Soccer League) and the Crew. The rivalry was dubbed the Hell Is Real Derby after a billboard on Interstate 71, the highway between Columbus and Cincinnati.[17][18] The clubs will face off in their first-ever league matches in 2019: on August 10 in Columbus and August 25 in Cincinnati (the latter match will take place during MLS Rivalry Week).[19]

Ownership

General manager Jeff Berding, MLS commissioner Don Garber, club owner Carl Lindner III, and Cincinnati mayor John Cranley at the MLS franchise announcement in 2018

Former Cincinnati Bengals executive Jeff Berding is the president and general manager.[20] The CEO and majority owner of the team is Carl Lindner III, CEO of American Financial Group, with Scott Farmer also a leading owner.[21][22]

Media

On January 30, 2019, FC Cincinnati reached an agreement with Sinclair Broadcast Group to have WSTR-TV televise all home and away games, except for ones already scheduled to be broadcast nationally. Continuing from their roles on the former USL team, Tom Gelehrter calls play-by-play with Kevin McCloskey as color analyst. Lindsay Patterson serves as sideline reporter.[23]

Roster

As of January 9, 2019[24]

Template:FC Cincinnati current roster

Out on loan

No. Position Player Nation
10 FW Emery Welshman (on loan to Forge FC)  Guyana
21 DF Logan Gdula (on loan to Phoenix Rising FC)  United States
24 MF Frankie Amaya (GA; on loan to Orange County SC)  United States
26 MF Tommy McCabe (on loan to North Carolina FC)  United States
39 GK Ben Lundt (on loan to Louisville City)  Germany
47 DF Hassan Ndam (on loan to Charlotte Independence)  Cameroon
81 MF Rashawn Dally (on loan to Memphis 901 FC)  Jamaica

Supporters

The club recognizes the following supporters' groups: Die Innenstadt, the Pride, Queen City Firm, the Bridge (formerly the Legion), the Briogáid (formerly the Bailey Bastards), Auxilia One (based in New York City), and Hangar 937 (based in Dayton, Ohio).Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). | rowspan=1| Mercy Health Partners | [4] |}

Footnotes

  1. ^ MLS franchise formed in 2018 but did not begin play until 2019. FC Cincinnati played in the USL and was founded in 2016.

References

  1. ^ Weingartner, Tana. "Football Club Cincinnati: Check Out FC Cincinnati's New Branding". Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  2. ^ "Record Crowd Watches FCC Take on Crystal Palace". FCCincinnati.com. MLS Digital. July 16, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  3. ^ Brennan, Patrick (October 26, 2018). "FC Cincinnati's Alan Koch: The man to lead the club into Major League Soccer". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Cincinnati awarded MLS expansion club, will start play in 2019". MLSSoccer.com. MLS Digital. May 29, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  5. ^ "FC Cincinnati to join MLS as expansion team". ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures, LLC. May 29, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  6. ^ Couch, Ben (December 15, 2016). "MLS announces expansion process and timeline". MLSsoccer.com. MLS Digital. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  7. ^ "FC Cincinnati 'in talks' with Major League Soccer, but no solid plan in the works". WCPO. April 23, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  8. ^ Hatch, Charlie (December 4, 2016). "MLS Commissioner Don Garber impressed by Cincinnati after midweek tour". MLSsoccer.com. MLS Digital. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  9. ^ Brennan, Patrick (January 31, 2017). "FC Cincinnati submits expansion bid to MLS". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  10. ^ Brennan, Patrick (May 29, 2018). "It's official: FC Cincinnati has joined MLS, will begin play in 2019". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  11. ^ Watkins, Steve (March 22, 2018). "Here's when FC Cincinnati plans to begin play in new stadium". Cincinnati Business Journal. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  12. ^ "FC Cincinnati signs Fanendo Adi, Fatai Alashe ahead of MLS move". ESPN. July 30, 2018.
  13. ^ "Cincinnati Bolsters Squad with Adi, Alashe". uslsoccer.com. July 31, 2018.
  14. ^ "FC Cincinnati can select 5 major league players for inaugural roster". November 9, 2018.
  15. ^ Knight, Cameron (October 19, 2018). "FC Cincinnati stadium will break ground Dec. 19, open March 2021". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
  16. ^ Reed, Tom (June 14, 2017). "It's feeling real in Cincinnati". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  17. ^ Murphy, Pat (June 14, 2017). "Massive Predictions: Hell is Real – Will Hell freeze over or take over Columbus following this U.S. Open Cup Derby?". Massive Report. SB Nation. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  18. ^ Hatch, Charlie (June 14, 2017). "'HELL IS REAL,' and so is FC Cincinnati's threat to Columbus". FourFourTwo. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  19. ^ "FCC's Inaugural MLS Schedule Released". FCCincinnati.com. MLS Digital. January 9, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  20. ^ Kay, Joe (May 29, 2018). "FC Cincinnati to join MLS in 2019 as league's latest expansion team". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  21. ^ Strauss, Brian (February 1, 2017). "MLS expansion city profile: Cincinnati". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  22. ^ Template:Cit web
  23. ^ "WSTR Star64 Announced As Local Broadcast Partner". FCCincinnati.com (Press release). MLS Digital. January 30, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  24. ^ "Roster". FCCincinnati.com. MLS Digital. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
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