TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced on Tuesday that in an abundance of caution due to the potential path of Tropical Storm Elsa, kickoff for Wednesday’s contest between the Charleston Battery and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC had been moved to 4 p.m. ET at Patriots Point.

The club also announced the game will be played without fans at the venue, with the game still set to air on ESPN+.

“We prioritized the safety of the fans, our partners, and the players in the decision to play tomorrow’s match earlier and without fans in attendance,” said Battery executive chairman Rob Salvatore. “Working with the league, delaying the game to later this week or rescheduling to later in the season were unfortunately not options due to an already extremely condensed schedule the remainder of this season.”

Battery Season Members and ticket-holders to Wednesday’s match will receive direct communications from the team with the opportunity to use their purchased tickets for a future match later this season.

“While safety was our top concern, we also understood the possibility that fans would not be able to make an afternoon kickoff midweek on short notice or would not want to travel to the stadium during inclement weather,” said Salvatore. “For all fans that had planned to attend, we hope that you remain safe and look forward to having you back to Patriots Point again this season.”