LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville City FC formally applied to compete in the United Soccer League's planned Division One men's league, club owner Soccer Holdings confirmed to Louisville Business First, a WDRB Media partner.
"We're pleased to see the league take a positive step like this, adding both investment and credibility to the organization ... We look forward to taking our club and community to the next level," Soccer Holdings President James O'Connor told Business First.
The application news comes alongside a league announcement that BellTower Partners — the private investment firm founded by former Carlyle Group CEO Kewsong Lee — has made a strategic minority investment in the USL. As part of the deal, Lee joins the USL Board of Directors as vice chair. Financial terms were not disclosed.
USL officials say the investment supports the rollout of a new Division One league in 2028 that would rival Major League Soccer, but incorporate promotion and relegation — a first for American major pro sports.
"The investment underscores their confidence in, and alignment with, our vision … advancing top-tier Division One [and] introducing promotion and relegation," USL CEO Alec Papadakis said in the release.
Louisville City, a perennial contender and two-time champion in the USL Championship, has been widely viewed as a natural candidate for the top tier given its on-field track record and Lynn Family Stadium's capacity (up to roughly 15,000). The USL's move would create a second Division I option, a move U.S. Soccer has seemed open to in the past.
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