Sacramento Republic FC Announces Affiliate Agreements with Portland Timbers and San Jose Earthquakes

Posted On January 23, 2014 by PUSC

Republic FC only USL PRO club to align with two MLS Clubs.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (January 23, 2014) – Sacramento Republic FC has entered into separate affiliate agreements between the Portland Timbers and the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer (MLS), making Republic FC the official USL PRO affiliate to both MLS clubs. The agreements come following a development partnership between MLS and USL PRO in 2013 to help further the development of professional soccer in North America.

Each respective affiliate agreement between the Timbers, Earthquakes and Republic FC, set to play its inaugural season in USL PRO in 2014, encompasses multiple strategic elements including but not limited to player development.
“We are excited to partner with the Timbers and Earthquakes in an effort to develop talent on the field, emulate each club’s business success and to entertain our fans with the high quality talent from each club,” said Warren Smith, president of Sacramento Republic FC. “Our organization is twice blessed with the ability to learn from not one, but two MLS clubs, their experienced operating teams and engaged, passionate supporters. Each affiliate agreement is an important part of our efforts to provide Sacramento Republic FC, as well as the entire Sacramento region, one of the most talented USL PRO clubs in the league and a MLS vision for our community.”

In addition to providing loan opportunities for select players, Rod Underwood, an assistant coach for the Timbers Academy and Timbers U-23s and a longtime professional coach, will join the coaching staff of Republic FC as an assistant coach to Head Coach Preki.

“We are pleased to form an affiliation with Sacramento Republic FC for 2014,” said Gavin Wilkinson, Timbers general manager. “This partnership allows us the ability to aid in the development of players by getting them more consistent playing time in a competitive environment, while helping Republic FC strive for success on the field.”

The Timbers and Earthquakes annually will loan a minimum of two players to Republic FC for the entire USL PRO season to further aid in player development, but will retain the ability to recall those players as needed. Each MLS Club’s agreement with Sacramento Republic FC are one-year in duration.

“We are excited to team up with Republic FC as our USL PRO affiliate,” said Earthquakes President Dave Kaval. “Establishing a USL PRO affiliation is a critical step in our continued investment in player development that includes our Academy, our PDL team, and our homegrown player efforts.  Beyond the player development benefits, we feel that it is important to help develop professional soccer in Sacramento with an eye to eventually making it a home of its very own MLS team.”
On January 23, 2013 MLS and USL PRO announced a groundbreaking, multi-year partnership aimed to enhance the development of professional soccer players in North America, strengthen the competition in both leagues and establish a solid foundation for future collaboration.

ABOUT SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC
Sacramento Republic FC is an expansion franchise of USL PRO. The club will launch its inaugural season in 2014 and is planning to host its matches at an 8,000-seat multi-use facility at Cal Expo, pending approval by the Cal Expo board of directors. The club’s commitment to position Sacramento as an “indomitable city” is evident through its community investments and obtaining an MLS franchise by 2016. The club has taken steps to build the franchise with the highest caliber of talent, both on and off the field, for its inaugural USL PRO season including the hiring of head coach Predrag “Preki” Radosavljevic. The club’s motto is urbs indomita – Indomitable City. Indomitable Club. For more information, visit SacRepublicFC.com or follow the club at www.facebook.com/sacprosoccer and @SacRepublicFC.
ABOUT USL PRO
USL PRO is the strongest U.S. men’s professional soccer league on and off the field below and in support of Major League Soccer (MLS). Focused on league stability and franchise performance longevity, USL PRO features 13 teams, including announced 2014 expansion teams in Oklahoma City and Sacramento. Through aggressive and deliberate growth in adding teams fully capable of meeting USL and US Soccer standards, USL PRO is building a robust, national professional soccer league in a format that promotes the benefits of regional league play. In 2013 USL PRO began a groundbreaking, multi-year partnership with MLS that features individual team affiliations, inter-league play, and the opportunity for MLS clubs to field a second team in USL PRO. In addition to league play, USL PRO teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various domestic and international exhibitions. USL PRO is the longest-standing pro league affiliate member of US Soccer.