Columbus is getting a minor league soccer team. Here’s how you can help name it
A minor league men’s soccer team is scheduled to start playing next year in Columbus.
The team will be an expansion franchise in the semiprofessional National Premier Soccer League.
“This addition will further strengthen the South Region, which has seen explosive growth over the last few seasons,” NPSL membership development director Dina Case said in a news release. “The Columbus ownership brings a wealth of experience both on the business and soccer sides of the table. With the experience and vision of this group and their focus on community and supporter engagement, we expect them to have huge success in this market.”
The ownership is Columbus Soccer Ventures, cofounded by John Dale “JD” Hester and Michael Hitchcock.
Fans can help decide among the five options for the team’s name and logo by voting online through Sept. 15 at columbusnpsl.com. The five options are:
- Columbus United
- Columbus Rangers
- Columbus Classics
- Columbus Cavalry
- Chattahoochee FC
Where the Columbus team will play its home games hasn’t been decided.
“We will finalize our home stadium later this year but have several good options,” Hester told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email.
Hester, son of former Columbus Civic Center director Dale Hester, is a lifelong resident of the city. He played club soccer on a travel team, Columbus United, and played with Hitchcock in the Olympic Development Program.
Hitchcock played soccer for Virginia Commonwealth University, and Hester played for Oglethorpe University.
Hester retired from TSYS as a senior vice president in 2020. He is chairman of the Piedmont Columbus Regional hospital board and a member of the Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation board.
“The NPSL has a proven track record and a tremendous reputation with its club owners,” Hester said in the news release. “The leadership team is focused on advancing the sport of soccer in the United States one community at a time. The NPSL has a fantastic business model and provides a culture that enables its teams to compete fiercely on the field but partner with each other off the field to ensure success may be had by all.”
Hitchcock has 27 years of experience in soccer management, including 12 years with Major League Soccer. His MLS career started in tickets sales for D.C. United, then sales director for the Colorado Rapids, vice president of sales for L.A. Galaxy and general manager of FC Dallas.
Based in Dallas, Hitchcock owns a sports management company, Playbook Management International, working with more than 100 professional soccer teams, leagues, venues and events around the world, and investing in multiple sports properties, including 14 soccer teams.
“Our initial focus for our first season is centered on our supporters,” Hitchcock said in the news release. “We are a community-oriented organization and want to deliver a memorable gameday experience for our fans. We will put a highly trained, competitive team on the field run by an energetic, professional organization.”
The NPSL, founded 20 years ago, comprises 93 teams competing in four regions and 15 conferences across the country. It is at the top level, Tier 1, in the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF).
Current NPSL teams in Georgia are Apotheos in Kennesaw, George Revolution in McDonough and Georgia Storm in Carrollton.
In the pyramid of U.S. men’s professional soccer, the NPSL is three levels below the MLS. So compared to minor league baseball, NPSL is Class A.
“In the last couple of seasons,” Hester said, “41 NPSL players have been drafted or signed by MLS teams.”
Coaches haven’t been hired for the Columbus team
“Once coaches are hired and announced, we’ll schedule and announce tryouts,” Hester said. “We’ll will host tryouts in the fall and again in the spring. We want to provide opportunities for players from this region to pursue their dreams of playing soccer at the highest level.”
NPSL has no age restrictions for players.
“An elite 16-18 year old can play in NPSL,” Hester said. “Majority of players are 18-28. We’ll provide opportunities to the best players from the area to train and play with the team. Reality is that very few players under 18 will get much playing time. It’s a very high level of play.”
Teams have 30 players on their roster in the NPSL.
“We plan to use aspiring pro players, professional players, former pros, former college players and current college players, so we won’t pay our players to play the games, but they can earn money working soccer camps, clinics, community appearances, etc.,” Hester said. “This model protects the college players’ eligibility. Professional players can play with the college players through U.S. Soccer Reinstatement program, where they are reinstated as amateurs for the season.”
The schedule hasn’t been finalized, Hester said, but he expects the Columbus team to play six home games and six away games in the regular season, plus some exhibitions, friendlies and — hopefully — playoffs.
The season starts in late April or early May and finishes with the championship in early August.
Season tickets are on sale now at ColumbusNPSL.com: $120 for adults and $100 for youths. Individual game ticket prices haven’t been announced.
“We’ll pride ourselves on providing quality, affordable sports entertainment for the entire community,” Hester said.
This story was originally published August 16, 2023 at 1:52 PM.
