For The USL In Baltimore, The Time Is Now. Here’s 5 Reasons Why:

A year ago, momentum was building for the long overdue launch of a Baltimore-based team in the USL Championship, the second tier of pro soccer in the United States.

First, The Athletic reported in December of 2019 that Port Covington developer Marc Weller had expressed interest in launching a USL club as part of the multi-faceted project in South Baltimore. Then in April of 2020, USL president Jake Edwards mentioned Baltimore by name in public remarks about the league’s future expansion plans.

And then … nothing.

While there has been tangible progress in other expansion markets — from stadium announcements in Iowa and Rhode Island to the awarding of a new team in California — Baltimore remains merely a “potential” expansion destination. And if potential doesn’t become reality soon, there’s a danger Charm City could miss out on an enormous opportunity.

Major League Soccer is already on track to have 30 teams playing by 2023, and the USL Championship could be at 33 clubs by then. At some point, there’s just no realistic room to keep expanding. Whether it’s Weller and his group or another prospective owner, someone in Baltimore needs to make this happen, and now. Because it would be almost a guaranteed success in this city. 

Don’t believe that? Here’s five reasons why the USL and Baltimore are a perfect fit.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

A Young City

Although Baltimore has faced continuing post-industrial population decline, its younger population has held steady in overall numbers, and increased as a portion of its total population. Census estimates show the age 25-34 demographic made up 18.9% of the city’s population in 2019, up slightly from 18.2% in 2015. The age age 35-44 made up 12.4% of the city population, up slightly from 12.1% in 2015.

Yet the city is served by two sports franchises that naturally skew toward the oldest fans. A 2017 Sports Business Journal analysis found the average age of Major League Baseball TV viewers was 57, and the average National Football League viewer was 50. By contrast, the average Major League Soccer viewer was 40 years old. Yes, there’s a difference between TV viewers and ticket buyers, and between the USL and MLS, but you get the idea.

Baltimore’s reputation as an old-fashioned, working-class city glosses over the fact there is a large and diverse young population whose sports interests are underserved. A well-run USL club could take advantage of that. 

The World Cup is Coming

The coming 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, almost guarantees interest across all levels of soccer are going to increase in the next half-decade. Baltimore is even among the 17 American cities in the running to play host to games, with a final decision expected by FIFA this fall. 

The benefits of launching a USL club in that climate should be clear, but in case they need restating, there are two main ones:

1. The promised launch of a club could be viewed favorably by FIFA, which considers the potential legacy of hosting matches when it decides what cities will earn that right. And if that results in the city winning that right this fall, it is almost certain to result in increased investment in the city as a whole and the sport in months and years to come.
2. There will never be a better time to grow and retain fanbase than in the leadup to a World Cup on home soil.

A Port Covington Catalyst

The Athletic has already linked Port Covington lead developer Marc Weller to potential USL ownership. Originally, the plan appeared to be for construction of a right-sized stadium (roughly 5,000 to 10,000 seats) for the club as part of the project, with an aim toward opening play as soon as 2022.

The covid-19 pandemic and questions about financing had delayed progress on the project, but the latter problem was resolved in January, clearing the way for the second phase of construction. It’s still an open question what the finished project will look like, and what amenities could draw additional business to any restaurants and bars that open in that part of town during non-work hours.

A USL-sized stadium would provide an excellent anchor for the project. In addition to hosting at least 17 home games a year for the soccer club, the facility would be the perfect size for high school city and state championship games, big-time college and professional lacrosse, potentially college soccer and other events that would draw mid-size crowds, but not come close to filling Camden Yards or M&T Bank stadium.

An Under Armour Canvass

Under Armour uses its relationship as the outfitter of University of Maryland sports teams as a shop window for its products, and it could do the same with a USL team in the city that played on the Port Covington campus. 

Whether Baltimore earns the right to host 2026 World Cup games, it is a no-brainer for the apparel company to expand its soccer operations in the next five years. And a partnership with a USL club in its own backyard could be the perfect proving ground for everything from uniforms to training equipment.

Support for the Game

Despite the inconsistent presence of pro outdoor soccer in Charm City, Baltimore has consistently shown strong support for the World’s game in marketing terms. The city was a top 10 TV viewership market overall during the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. More recently, it ranked fifth in viewership among U.S. markets for the recently concluded 2019-2020 English Premier League season.

In terms of local events, the Baltimore Blast remains one of the most loyally-supported and stable indoor pro soccer teams in the country. And M&T Bank Stadium drew more than 100,000 combined fans the last two times it hosted Concacaf Gold Cup matches in 2013 and 2015. The 2013 quarterfinal doubleheader sold out the stadium. But the crowd of 37,000 for 2015 may have been even more impressive since the U.S. was playing a very low-profile opponent in Cuba, and the other game featuring Jamaica and Haiti also had little public cachet.

There is more than enough local interest for a USL team to put 10,000 people in the stands on Saturday nights with the right signings and marketing. And in USL terms, that would be a major success.