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Louisville City coach John Hackworth spoke with the media after training to preview LouCity’s Saturday night clash with Ottawa. Hackworth spoke of Louisville City battling through recent injuries, lineup updates and the addition of 16-year-old Elijah Wynder. 

Louisville City has announced the lineup for its first-ever International Night Saturday at Slugger Field. Four musical acts will help Louisville City fans celebrate the diversity of our global game starting at 5:45. 

Shortly after doors open at 5:30, the four musical acts will begin playing an hour-long set at different stations around the stadium as part of our Party around the Pitch presented by Lunazul Tequila. 

Hora Certa is a quintet that performs in a wide range of styles that can all be characterized as Brazilian jazz. Hora Certa or “the right time” is a perfect name for their effortless groove and smooth precision. 

Andrew Witten is an accomplished bagpiper with the Louisville Pipe Band representing Ireland. Local pipers and drummers recently joined LouCity’s acclaimed Groove Machine drum line during their March to the Match. 

James Gibson is a steel drummer representing Trinidad and Tobago. The distinct sound of the islands will give fans a Caribbean feel at Slugger Field Saturday night. 

KUVEBO! is Sound Community’s resident West African drum and dance company. The name KUVEBO!  means “village style drum and dance party” in Hamidou Koivogui’s home in Guinea, West Africa. Now residing in Louisville, KY, Hamidou brings his music and dance traditions to our communities, with experienced artist-educator collaborators and dedicated students.

In addition to music on the concourse before the match, Louisville City will have a pregame message from the players celebrating the 10 different nations represented on LouCity’s roster, flags of nations from all over the globe on display around the stadium and, of course, in the Scouse’s House supporter section, and a halftime performance by Kuvebo!

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. between Louisville City and Ottawa Fury FC. The American and Canadian National Anthems will be sung before the game. 

LOUISVILLE, KY — April 16, 2019 – Louisville City Football Club President Brad Estes is one of the finalists for the TheStadiumBusiness Awards Executive of the Year.

Estes is among a list of six finalists from all over the world including executives in the English Premier League, the NBA and event venues in New Zealand, America and parts of Europe. 

“I am humbled to be recognized alongside these incredible individuals and organizations,” Estes said. “My name is on the nomination, but I believe this honor is a direct reflection of the hard work put forth by everyone associated with our club. From our ownership, to our staff, to our supporters – our strength is our people, and our future is bright.”

Estes is among six finalists for the Executive of the Year, which recognizes achievement, innovation, and fresh thinking in the world of stadium, arena and sports venue management. The other finalists are Laurie Dalrymple, Managing Director for the Wolverhampton Wanderers, John Sharkey, the Executive Vice President – Europe of SMG, one of the leading venue management companies in the world, Nick Sautner with Eden Park in New Zealand, Thad Sheely, the COO of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena and Kim Bedier, the Director of Tacoma Venues and Events.

Estes was nominated because Louisville City FC was able to continue its forward momentum, break ground on, and secure financing for the new Butchertown stadium project despite incredible changes during the 2018 season. The club’s longtime coach, James O’Connor, was tabbed to lead Orlando City in the MLS, the club had to play several games during the middle of its season with players leading the charge and Estes was able to lure John Hackworth from the USMNT program to town to lead the club to its second USL Cup.

Louisville City FC Chairman John Neace said, “Louisville City it is all about winning, and Brad proved it once again. His ability to juggle all the challenges during difficult times and help the club continue to focus on winning was truly remarkable. We are focused on building championship teams here at Louisville City and Brad is a big part of our success.”

The winner will be announced June 4-5 in Manchester, England, the Emirates Old Trafford. TheStadiumBusiness Awards recognize leadership, innovation & achievement in the delivery, operation and management of sports facilities globally. Inaugurated in 2010, the Awards are the first (and only) awards for the industry, by the industry and are presented each year during TheStadiumBusiness Summit.

The 2018 winner of Executive of the Year was Tery Howard, CTO/SVP of the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium.

2019 StadiumBusiness Awards Nominees:https://www.stadiumbusinesssummit.com/awards/

Louisville City returns to Slugger Field Saturday night vs. a familiar foe, the Ottawa Fury. Our Boys in Purple will be looking for three points against a Fury club that seems to be much-improved over previous years. 

Ottawa finished the 2018 season 13-15-6 and finished the 2017 season 8-10-14 overall. But this year’s squad appears to be tougher. Ottawa is off to a 2-1-1 start to 2019, the first time they have had a winning record since July of last season.

The Fury tied Charleston Battery 1-1 and beat Birmingham Legion 1-0 at the start of the season. Then, after two weeks off, Ottawa fell 3-0 to Nashville SC then beat Loudoun United 2-0.

Louisville City is coming off a frustrating few weeks due to injury and tough luck. City lost to Birmingham Legion 3-2 on March 31 and then fell 1-0 to Pittsburgh on a controversial penalty kick on April 6. Despite missing four starters due to injury, LouCity brought a point home from league-leading Tampa Bay last weekend.

“To get a point at Tampa Bay was really important, and now we need to build on it,” Louisville City coach John Hackworth said. “We have dealt with so much adversity – so many injuries – so for us to get a result, I can’t say enough about the guys in that locker room.”

Starting forwards Luke Spencer and George Davis IV may rejoin the lineup this weekend after taking time off with hamstring strains, and LouCity may also get playmaking midfielder Sunny Jane back healthy after an ankle injury. 

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. The game is televised locally on WBKI-CW and nationally on ESPN+. LouCity radio broadcasts are all available on the iHeart Radio app and locally on 840 WHAS.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL. – Louisville City FC got a late goal from Abdou Thiam to catch a late draw with the Tampa Bay Rowdies Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Tampa Bay is off to its hottest start in years, and hadn’t given up a goal this season at Al Lang. Until late in the game Saturday night when a gritty move by Magnus Rasmussen created a chance for Abdou Thiam to find the back of the net with the equalizer.

“I’m really pleased – particularly with that second half performance,” Coach John Hackworth said. “The fact that we grinded it out to somehow get a goal in that second half, and we got a result was big. Tampa is an extremely good team and they deserve a ton of credit.”

Louisville City came into the match having lost its last two games and suffering from injuries to four starters. Tampa Bay came in riding high, undefeated on the season and at the top of the Eastern Conference table. 

“They have been good all year so far and they were excellent tonight in stretches,” Hackworth said. “But we battled back and we finally started to play the type of soccer that we train for on a daily basis. That was good to see. We put so much into it that were dying a little there at the end, but to get that goal at the end of the game was really important.”

Thiam’s late goal means a point for LouCity on the road. The Boys in Purple are currently tied with Ottawa with 7 points. The Fury come to Louisville this Saturday for Louisville City’s International Night game at 7 p.m. 

SCORING SUMMARY:

14′ – TBR Goal: Andrew Tinari

88′ – LOU Goal: Abdou Thiam

Louisville City at Tampa Bay Rowdies

Local TV: WBKI-CW

Video Streaming Link: ESPN+ TBRvLOU

Local Radio: 790 KRD

Radio Streaming Link: iHeartRadio/790 KRD

Louisville City visits Tampa Bay Saturday night in a return home for coach John Hackworth. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be televised by ESPN+. 

Hackworth, who was born and raised in Dunedin, Fla., grew up a Tampa Bay Rowdies fan. The team was formed when he was five years old. 

Hackworth’s welcome home may not be too friendly, however. Tampa Bay is off to its best start in years and currently sits in second-place in the Eastern Conference. 

Meanwhile Louisville City has been plagued with injuries to start the 2019 season. The winners of the USL Cup in both 2017 ands 2018, Louisville City brought back 18 players from the USL Cup team, but several of the players who led those teams didn’t make the trip to St. Petersburg, Fla.

Team captain Paolo DelPiccolo is out with a nagging injury, veteran leaders Luke Spencer and George Davis IV both went out of the last match with hamstring injuries and Brian Ownby, a crucial offensive threat in the playoffs last season, is out 4-6 weeks with a knee injury. 

Louisville City’s lineup Saturday night could look very different than it did to start the season. 

“We have to have a mentality of opportunity,” Hackworth said. “When players are out with injuries, other players have the opportunity to step in and show what they can do. We started the season with a deep roster and that depth is being tested.”

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised in Louisville on WBKI-CW and ESPN+ nationally. You can catch the radio broadcast on the iHeart Radio app or on 790 KRD.

Tonight’s Watch Party in Louisville is at Saints Pizza Pub in St. Matthews. Click here for more information. 

LOUISVILLE – (April 10, 2019) – The Louisville City Football Club is pleased to announce the signing of its first Academy player, Elijah Wynder, of Louisville’s Ohio Elite-KY Academy and Louisville Collegiate School. 

“We are excited about signing Elijah and look forward to continue working with him to accelerate his development,” Louisville City coach John Hackworth said. “Part of our vision for Louisville City is to grow and develop the next generations of stars in our community, and signing Elijah is our next step in that process.”

Wynder, a 16-year-old from Oldham County, has been training with Louisville City alongside several other young local stars for several weeks, including more intensive training during the recent Spring Break.

“I have seen Elijah develop over the past few years. I’m thrilled to make Elijah the first of our affiliate signees,” Louisville City Director of Youth Development and Community Relations Mario Sanchez said. “Elijah has an incredibly bright future. This signing is both an acknowledgement of the player he is now, but also a vote of confidence in the player he is going to become as he continues to mature and grow.”

Wynder said the club’s offer to join them as an Academy player was a surprise.

“It was unexpected, but it is exciting,” Elijah Wynder said. “I’m excited about the opportunity to join the club.”

Wynder was joined by his family at his signing in the Louisville City FC offices. Pending League & Federation approval, he will be eligible to be added to Louisville’s roster for upcoming USL Championship matches for the remainder of the season.

“I’m very excited for our son,” Elijah’s father, Mike, said. “This is an incredible opportunity for him. We give God the glory for this opportunity for our son. Our family is so proud of Elijah and I’m looking forward to seeing him grow.”

“We believe this is a win for everyone involved – for Elijah and his family, for Louisville City and for his club and high school,” Hackworth said. “There’s really no downside for local players as they view this opportunity to challenge themselves and continue to grow.”

Under the terms of the USL Academy agreement, Wynder retains all amateur status and NCAA eligibility. Wynder will continue with his schoolwork at Louisville Collegiate and continue playing for his club team, Ohio Elite-KY. 

Wynder’s club coach, Charlie Traughber of Ohio Elite-KY Soccer Academy, said, “It is great for our Louisville soccer community to have one of our youth players who was â€‹developed in our local community to get signed and get the opportunity. This is a fantastic opportunity​ â€‹for one of our Ohio Elite players, and for future players in the community, to have this pathway to a higher level of play thanks to Louisville City FC. I’m so happy for Elijah and his family.”

Wynder will join Louisville City for its upcoming roadtrip to Tampa for the Tampa Bay Rowdies game. He has been working with the team this week in preparation to make the trip.

“It is fun, but it is hard,” Wynder said. “It’s exciting to be able to practice alongside the professionals, but it is very challenging.”

Sanchez, who will guide Louisville City’s efforts to build an team to compete in the USL Academy Cup in 2020, said finding talent like Wynders’ is a key part of Louisville City’s vision, “Several of the top young players in the region have come out to train with us over the last several weeks, and Elijah’s talent was obvious to everyone. We have some tremendous young players in our area, and I am looking forward to working to grow the game in the Louisville community.”

ABOUT LOUISVILLE CITY FC

Since its launch in 2014, Louisville City FC has been committed to serving the community of Louisville and state of Kentucky as the lone professional soccer team. Finishing in the top five in average attendance in the USL at Slugger Field since 2015, LouCity’s remarkable 2017 campaign included winning the USL Cup in the club’s first appearance in the final. Despite a midseason coaching change, Louisville City won its second USL Cup, becoming the first back-to-back USL Cup winner in the USL modern era. Get the latest news on Louisville City FC at LouisvilleCityFC.com and via the club’s  channels on social media, including Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.­­

ABOUT USL ACADEMY CUP

The United Soccer League officially unveiled its vision for the future of the league’s Academy system on March 14, 2019, with the announcement of USL Academy Cup, a new competition set to begin this year that will set the stage for the organization’s first ever Academy League. The newly announced USL Academy Cup will feature top young talent from the U-13 and U-17 age groups, with all clubs tasked with identifying exceptional young players that can play up and be challenged at a higher level throughout the competition. Competitively, the U-17s will compete in two regional qualifiers split geographically between the Eastern and Western Conference. Regional results will determine seeding and placement ahead of the national event, which is set to take place on May 22-25, 2020 at Tournament Sportsplex of Tampa Bay. Regional qualification is set for October 11-14, 2019 and February 14-17, 2020, respectively. The U-13 age group will compete only at the national event, where a champion will be crowned. More information on the USL Academy structure is available at USLSoccer.com.

World’s leading sports, venue management and

live entertainment company will operate new stadium

LOUISVILLE, KY – (April 9, 2019) – It was announced today that Louisville City Football Club has selected AEG Facilities, the world’s leading sports, venue and live entertainment company, as venue manager for its new stadium set to open in spring 2020 in the Butchertown neighborhood of Louisville.

“AEG Facilities is the best in the world at what they do,” Louisville City FC President Brad Estes said. “We want the absolute best for our fans and for our city, and partnering with a global leader like AEG will be a tremendous advantage for Louisville City FC in our new stadium.”

In addition to venue management services, AEG Facilities will provide services such as event content development, purchasing, vendor services, marketing and event-day operations for the arena.  Additionally, AEG Facilities will implement its industry-leading proprietary initiatives at the venue including AEG S.A.F.E., AEG 1Source, AEG 1EARTH, AEG 1Force, AEG Encore and AEG Energy Services. 

“AEG Facilities is thrilled to be partnering with Louisville FC on their exciting new stadium project.  We are very ingrained in the city of Louisville already and it is a passionate community with dedicated leadership,” said Bob Newman, President, AEG Facilities. “Looking ahead, we want to be a great partner for Louisville FC and strengthen our dedication to the greater Louisville area.”

AEG annually produces more than 22,000 live events in 150-plus venues either owned, operated or affiliated by AEG.  Over 20 of the World’s Top 100 Arenas are affiliated with AEG Facilities. Locally, AEG manages the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville and US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, and around the globe, AEG manages Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, and The O2 in London.

“We believe our new stadium will be among the best soccer-specific stadiums in the country,” Estes said. “Having AEG Facilities manage the stadium will help us maximize our stadium’s potential as a venue for local, regional and national events.”

Louisville City’s stadium will have permanent seating for 11,700 fans with a capacity at nearly 14,000. The stadium will include a mixture of luxury boxes, loge seating, safe-standing areas and traditional seating. The stadium is currently under construction with an expected completion date of Spring 2020.

About Louisville City FC:

Since its launch in 2014, Louisville City FC has been committed to serving the community of Louisville and state of Kentucky as the lone professional soccer team. Finishing in the top five in average attendance in the USL at Slugger Field since 2015, LouCity’s remarkable 2017 campaign included winning the USL Cup in the club’s first appearance in the final. Despite a midseason coaching change, Louisville City won its second USL Cup, becoming the first back-to-back USL Cup winner in the USL modern era. Get the latest news on Louisville City FC at LouisvilleCityFC.com and via the club’s  channels on social media, including Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.­­­

About AEG Facilities

AEG Facilities is a stand-alone division of AEG, the leading sports and live entertainment company in the world. AEG and its affiliates owns, operates or consults with more than 150 of the industry’s preeminent venues worldwide, across five continents, providing complete venue management, as well as specialized programs in operations, guest services, ticketing, booking, sales and marketing. AEG Facilities also provides resources and access to other AEG-affiliated entities, including AEG Presents, one of the largest live music companies in the world, AEG Global Partnerships and AEG Real Estate, as well as such industry leading programs as AEG 1EARTH and AEG Encore to support the success of its venues across the globe. The Los Angeles-based organization owns, operates or provides services to the world’s most elite venues, including STAPLES Center and Microsoft Theater (Los Angeles, CA), Dignity Health Sports Park (Carson, CA), Sprint Center (Kansas City, MO.), Pechanga Arena San Diego (San Diego, CA), KFC Yum! Center (Louisville, KY.), AmericanAirlines Arena (Miami, Fla.), Barclays Center (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Target Center (Minneapolis, MN),  Oracle Arena and Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (Oakland, CA), PPG Paints Arena (Pittsburgh, PA), Mercedes-Benz Arena (Shanghai, China), Cadillac Arena (Beijing, China), The O2 (London, England), Mercedes-Benz Arena (Berlin, Germany), Barclaycard Arena (Hamburg, Germany), SSE Hydro (Glasgow, UK), RAC Arena (Perth, Australia), Qudos Bank Arena and ICC (Sydney, Australia), Ericsson Globe Arena (Stockholm, Sweden), Los Angeles Convention Center (Los Angeles, Calif.), Hawaii Convention Center (Honolulu, HI), Puerto Rico Convention Center (San Juan, Puerto Rico) and the Oman Convention & Exhibition Center (Muscat, Oman). For more information, please visit aegworldwide.com.