Louisville City FC’s 2017 season will kick off with a rivalry game at Louisville Slugger Field, as the United Soccer League on Friday announced a Saturday, March 25 showdown with Saint Louis FC.
The start time will be announced later. LouCity opened its home slates in 2015 and 2016 with afternoon games to best avoid conflicts with the NCAA basketball tournament.
A full regular-season schedule, with 16 home and road games apiece, will be revealed in the coming days by the USL. Friday’s announcement of each club’s home openers also included a March 30 LouCity road game against Orlando City B.
“I think for us, it’s great to be able to announce the first game of the season, and it’s fantastic that it’s against one of our rivals,” said LouCity Coach James O’Connor. “We’re looking forward to getting our players in for the preseason, and now that we have a date, it all seems more real. We can aim for it and make sure we’re ready for a huge game against Saint Louis FC.”
Season tickets are on sale starting at $180 by calling (502) 384-8799 or emailing tickets@louisvillecityfc.com. LouCity is also offering a 5-voucher Flex Pack priced as low as $70.
The home opener with Saint Louis FC coincides with the visiting club’s return to the Eastern Conference after a year in the West. LouCity and Saint Louis FC play annually for the Kings’ Cup trophy, with it going to the boys in purple in both 2015 and 2016.
Louisville also played its inaugural opener against Saint Louis FC, prevailing by a 2-0 score on March 28, 2015, at Slugger Field. Since then, LouCity has gone on to assemble a 3-1-2 record against its Kings’ Cup rival.
O’Connor has 17 players under contract for the 2017 season, with 13 of them returners from a team that posted the USL’s second-best overall record last year and advanced to the Eastern Conference Final. All players will report to Louisville before a two-week preseason trip to train from Feb. 12-25 at the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
Before kicking off against Saint Louis FC, LouCity will play four preseason games: a closed March 4 matchup with Division II Young Harris College before meetings with Division I Lipscomb (7 p.m. March 8 at the Elizabethtown Sports Complex), the University of Kentucky (7 p.m. March 15 at the Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex) and the professional side, Indy Eleven (5 p.m. local time March 18 at the University of Evansville).
Saturday, March 25
Charleston Battery vs. FC Cincinnati
LA Galaxy II vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
Louisville City FC vs. Saint Louis FC
Phoenix Rising FC vs. Toronto FC II
Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs. New York Red Bulls II
Portland Timbers 2 vs. Real Monarchs SLC
Reno 1868 FC vs. Orange County SC
Richmond Kickers vs. Harrisburg City Islanders
Swope Park Rangers vs. OKC Energy FC
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Orlando City B
Tulsa Roughnecks FC vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Sunday, March 26
Rio Grande Valley FC vs. San Antonio FC
Seattle Sounders FC 2 vs. Sacramento Republic FC
Thursday, March 30
Orlando City B vs. Louisville City FC
Saturday, April 1
Bethlehem Steel FC vs. Rochester Rhinos
Charlotte Independence vs. Charleston Battery
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. OKC Energy FC
New York Red Bulls II vs. Richmond Kickers
Real Monarchs SLC vs. Phoenix Rising FC
Sacramento Republic FC vs. Orange County SC
Saint Louis FC vs. Ottawa Fury FC
San Antonio FC vs. LA Galaxy II
Friday, April 7
Toronto FC II vs. Rochester Rhinos
Saturday, April 8
OKC Energy FC vs. Rio Grande Valley FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 vs. Seattle Sounders FC 2
Saturday, April 15
FC Cincinnati vs. Saint Louis FC
Harrisburg City Islanders vs. Bethlehem Steel FC
Sunday, April 16
Orange County SC vs. Tulsa Roughnecks FC
Saturday, April 22
Ottawa Fury FC vs. Toronto FC II
Rochester Rhinos vs. New York Red Bulls II
