r/USLPRO • u/Ok_Flamingo_3059 United Soccer League • 1d ago

'Now is the time': Sporting Jax president eyes ambitious targets for soccer club...

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/sports/2025/08/26/sporting-club-jacksonville-steve-livingstone-on-usl-stadium-future/85731015007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z113504p000250c000250e005700v113504b0035xxd003565&gca-ft=134&gca-ds=sophi

Points I found interesting. They're looking for 100 acres for a stadium project because they don't just want a stadium that's going to be near impossible in the city. He also says they will implement division 1 and then 4 years later implement pro/rel with one up one down. I don't know if that's ironed out yet or that's just his opinion p

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u/JagsFCBulls 1d ago

I really want to root for Sporting Jax and I was so excited when they were announced, but I’m losing faith. How can it take 3 years to not find a single suitable site? The Armada will have their stadium up shortly and they are already have brand awareness in the market

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u/GroundbreakingCow775 Detroit City FC 1d ago

Armada, team aside, that name slaps hard

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u/JagsFCBulls 22h ago

Branding was never the issue with the Armada. Sad that Palmer is so difficult to work with because they would have been a great USLC addition

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u/GroundbreakingCow775 Detroit City FC 21h ago

Shame Khan can’t somehow be involved. Has done a good job with Fulham

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u/ChrisGaines_ Fish Fry Connoisseur 1d ago

Jax is looking for 100 acres for a 15,000 seat stadium and development. Armada is building a 2,500 seat stadium and office building on 7 acres. Also have we actually heard that they have started building? Because usually when a team starts building a stadium they start crowing about it. Last I saw was an article from early June that they are going to begin groundwork in 90 days. I understand they are building a small stadium but beginning in September and being ready for 2026 season seems like a short timeline.

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u/JagsFCBulls 22h ago

Location matters and the Armada stadium might as well be in the sport complex. Despite Jacksonville being the largest land city in the continental US, we have developed quickly and there isn’t exactly 100 acres of prime real estate available. I think this is the reason the project hasn’t gotten off the ground

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u/joku690 Sacramento Republic FC 1d ago

Two things to highlight:

  1. The men's team seems likely to debut in 2026 which is great news!
  2. At best case scenario (assuming division 1 starts 2027) promotion and relegation will not happen until 2031. It's mentioned that the new league will need to be at 16 teams by year 4 before it gets implemented.

Now can we please stop posting possible promotion relegation scenarios.

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u/Milestailsprowe Richmond Kickers 1d ago

The Armada are building their 9.5k seater stadium soon near downtown. Jax is gonna be far behind in the market

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u/Ok_Flamingo_3059 United Soccer League 23h ago

Soon? And if not for the rain Jax would of had 10k at the stadium this weekend.

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u/Ok-Ranger3387 1d ago

'Now is the time'.... you had 4 years

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u/Curious-Extension-23 1d ago

One up one down seems not enough, but maybe it's just to start, should be at least two and two in my opinion 

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u/Pristine7531 1d ago

The women's side in the USLS is drawing well so is going to be a tailwind that will help make the men's side a success when the latter launches in 2026. That is an advantage that the Armada MSLNP does not enjoy. Playing a year in a rented stadium can work to build up the fan and supporter support. One should be optimistic for Sporting Jax women's and men's sides!

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u/Mini-Fridge23 Charleston Battery 23h ago

I mean, there has only been 1 game so far so it’s probably a bit early to assume they’re drawing well and that will carry over to the men’s team. Lots of USLS teams last season had amazing opening attendance, and then it fell off of a cliff badly as the season went on.

Hopefully they keep the good momentum going! But you just never know what is genuine support and what is passing curiosity.

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u/spreadred North Carolina FC 22h ago

100 acres does seem like a lot for a stadium, but as mentioned in the article, they want to put a bunch of commercial around it. I'm not sure how much of that is driven by requirements to get local or state funding for the project versus potentially trying to find other investors that make their money from commercial real estate, it wasn't clear. But seems clear to me, from experience locally, is that having at least some mature, diverse commercial space nearby the stadium would likely have positive impact on attendance.

For an example, take NCFC/Courage - our stadium/field complex is basically situated in a relatively under-developed (or neglected), seemingly office/commercially zoned area. While we could make the argument that this made it easy to acquire the land on the cheap in an area experiencing extraordinary growth the past decade plus, those offices and the type of commercial in that area don't add anything to the experience of going to games.

There's no clustering of restaurants of varying service levels, there is no walkable shopping or bars for pre/post gaming, nothing for children/families to do before/after. It's just a bunch of "blah," about as far away as it can be from the heart of Downtown Raleigh and all the amenities that go along with that. It is well positioned off our Interstate highway system though.

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u/srfctheclubforme San Diego Loyal SC 16h ago

Really interesting article.

Given that they’re focused on a long term soccer specific location with 100+ acres and commercial development around it as well as USL D1, their slowness in selecting a site makes more sense. Nice to hear that 2026 for the men is the plan with Hodges Stadium at U of North Florida for likely plan.