 | |
| Short name | Sporting JAX |
|---|---|
| Founded | August 30, 2022 |
| Stadium | TBD |
| Owners | Ricky Caplin (majority) Tony Allegretti Steve Livingstone Fred Taylor Tim Tebow |
| League | USL Championship (men) USL Super League (women) |
| 2025 | Inaugural season |
| Website | Club website |
Sporting Club Jacksonville is a proposed American professional soccer club located in Jacksonville, Florida. The club is planning to debut in the USL Championship and the USL Super League in 2025.
A USL Championship franchise for Jacksonville was awarded to an investment group led by venture capitalist Ricky Caplin on August 30, 2022. Former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow is also one of the investors. The team has established a partnership with USL League Two and USL W League team Florida Elite Soccer Academy to offer a complete pathway from youth to pro for men and women. A 15,000 seat Soccer-specific stadium is also being planned. [1] [2] [3]
On May 16, 2023, the JAXUSL group was awarded a conditional franchise in the USL Super League, contingent upon the completion of their soccer-specific stadium. [4] [5]
Former Jacksonville Jaguars star Fred Taylor joined the ownership group on November 30, 2023. [6] [7]
On December 12, 2023, the team was officially named "Sporting Club Jacksonville" (shortened to Sporting JAX), and introduced its logo and team colors. [8]
Frederick Antwon Taylor is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. He played college football for the Florida Gators, earning third-team All-American honors. Taylor was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the ninth overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft, and he played for the Jaguars and New England Patriots of the NFL. Taylor is a member of the 10,000 yard rushing club; his 4.6 yards per carry is sixth highest among members of the club in history.
EverBank Stadium is an American football stadium located in Jacksonville, Florida, that primarily serves as the home facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL) and the headquarters of the professional wrestling promotions All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and Ring of Honor (ROH).
The history of the Jacksonville Jaguars, an American football team in the National Football League (NFL), formally dates to November 30, 1993, when the NFL awarded Jacksonville, Florida the expansion franchise that became the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars, along with the Carolina Panthers, started play in the 1995 NFL season as expansion teams.
Timothy Richard Tebow is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons, most notably with the Denver Broncos. Tebow played college football for the Florida Gators, where he became the first underclassman to win the Heisman Trophy and led the team to two BCS National Championship titles in 2007 and 2009. At the conclusion of his collegiate career, he held the Southeastern Conference's records for career passing efficiency and rushing touchdowns.
Jacksonville is home to a number of professional sports teams, and the city has a long history of athletics. The Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL) compete at the major league level. Additionally, the PGA Tour is headquartered in the suburb of Ponte Vedra Beach, where it hosts The Players Championship every year.
The U.S. state of Florida has three National Football League teams, two Major League Baseball teams, two National Basketball Association teams, two National Hockey League teams, two Major League Soccer teams and 13 NCAA Division I college teams.
Orlando City Soccer Club was an American professional soccer team based in Orlando, Florida, United States, that was the precursor to Orlando City SC. The team played in USL Pro, the third tier of the American soccer pyramid from 2010 to 2014, until discontinuing in favor of Orlando's entry to Major League Soccer (MLS), as an expansion franchise in 2015, by the same ownership group.
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began play in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation as a Division II league since 2017, placing it under Major League Soccer in the hierarchy. The USL is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.
FC JAX Destroyers were an American soccer team based in Jacksonville, Florida, United States from 2011 to 2012. The organization had men's and women's franchises in the United Soccer Leagues: a men's team in the USL Premier Development League (PDL) and a women's team in the W-League that launched in 2012. They played their home games at the Jacksonville University soccer field.
The Miami FC is an American professional soccer team based in Miami, Florida that competes in the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid.
Oklahoma City FC was a men's soccer team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They played in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). Founded in 2013, the team played in the USL Premier Development League in their first year before shifting to the NPSL. The organization also runs the Oklahoma City FC women's team in the Women's Premier Soccer League and the proposed Oklahoma City FC of the North American Soccer League (NASL). The team folded in 2014.
Jacksonville Armada FC is an American professional soccer team based in Jacksonville, Florida. They were founded in 2013 as an expansion franchise in the North American Soccer League (NASL), the second tier of American soccer, and played until the league folded in 2018. Armada FC then moved to the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid, during the 2018 season before going on hiatus. They are set to resume play in MLS Next Pro in 2025.
Oklahoma City Energy Football Club, or simply Energy FC, is an American professional soccer club based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The club is a member of the USL Championship, the second division of the American soccer league system. Although having not officially ceased operations, the club is not fielding a roster and has relieved head coach Leigh Veidman, having canceled their 2022 and 2023 seasons. The club cites inability to meet league requirements for field conditions.
Nashville Soccer Club was an American professional soccer team based in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 2016, the team made its debut in the USL Championship in 2018.
Nashville Soccer Club is an American professional soccer club based in Nashville, Tennessee. The team began play in Major League Soccer in 2020 as a continuation of the USL club of the same name and plays its home matches at Geodis Park. It is principally owned by John Ingram, owner of Ingram Industries, along with investors and partial owners the Turner family of Dollar General Stores.
Austin Bold FC was an American professional soccer team located in Austin, Texas. Founded in 2017, the team made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019. In 2021, Austin Bold FC announced it would be moving to Fort Worth, Texas leaving Circuit of the Americas at the end of the season but may have to wait until 2023, depending on the construction of their stadium. As of March 2024, the team remains inactive.
Queensboro FC (QBFC) was an American professional soccer club based in the borough of Queens in New York City. It was founded in November 2019, and unveiled an official crest and color scheme on October 6, 2020.
Monterey Bay Football Club is an American professional soccer team based in Monterey County, California. The club was established on February 21, 2021, and is a member of the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer league system. It began playing during the 2022 USL Championship season as a member of the league's Western Conference.
The USL Super League (USLS) is a future Division I professional women's soccer league in the United States. The league will be owned and operated by the United Soccer League. Originally planning to launch in August 2023, it is now slated to begin play in August 2024.
Lexington Sporting Club is an American professional soccer team based in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 2021 as an expansion side in USL League One, the team currently plays its home matches at Toyota Stadium at Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky, while its permanent stadium is being constructed.
