A month ago, we asked fans across the USL Championship for their thoughts on how the offseason had played out, which club was the favorite to win the USL Championship title, and much more.
Now, it’s time to reveal the results – which gave us a familiar name as the preseason favorite, and a running theme throughout the answers overall.
1. Louisville City FC – 14.4 percent
2. Hartford Athletic – 11.4 percent
3. North Carolina FC – 9 percent
4. Rhode Island FC – 8.6 percent
5. Detroit City FC – 8.3 percent
Louisville City FC sat at the top of the rankings – which as we’ll see became a running theme through the apparent enthusiasm of their fans to participate. The two notables for us here are the New England rivals Hartford Athletic and Rhode Island FC each gaining high marks.
There’s plenty to like for both. We’ve already laid out how Hartford has the potential for a Charleston Battery-esque turnaround this season under new Head Coach Brendan Burke, and Rhode Island has pulled in a big group of starting talent for its inaugural season under Khano Smith. Their first encounter on June 1 should be circled on everyone’s calendar.
1. Louisville City FC – 17.5 percent
2. Detroit City FC – 11.4 percent
3. North Carolina FC – 7.4 percent
4. Tampa Bay Rowdies – 5.5 percent
5. New Mexico United – 5.3 percent
Louisville City FC takes top marks again, and given how Lynn Family Stadium raised the bar for everyone in the league upon its opening that shouldn’t come as a surprise. If you’ve not been yet – and somehow, yours truly hasn’t – it should be on the list of venues to attend a game at sooner rather than later.
Detroit City FC’s Keyworth Stadium is another in that vein for the ambience alone, and the welcome visiting fans get from the hosts at North Carolina FC, the Tampa Bay Rowdies – say nothing of the views around Al Lang Stadium – and New Mexico United make them all great away days.
1. Louisville City FC – 14.8 percent
2. Detroit City FC – 9.6 percent
3. North Carolina FC – 7.7 percent
4. New Mexico United – 5.9 percent
5. Hartford Athletic – 5.6 percent
You’re seeing the trend here, aren’t you? That said, the hospitality from home fans at Louisville City FC is something I’ve been able to experience – make sure to check in with Scouse’s House if you get the chance when you visit – and that counts for a lot beyond the stadium.
No surprise to see some similar responses to Q2 in here otherwise, and shout-out to the Hartford Bonanza, who have been great hosts over the first five seasons – even though they’ll be hoping the team isn’t quite as hospitable on the field this year.
1. Louisville City FC – 12 percent
2. Detroit City FC – 10.1 percent
3. North Carolina FC – 8.2 percent
4. New Mexico United – 6.5 percent
5. Indy Eleven – 5.2 percent
First of all, we’re disappointed it feels like most people went with their allegiances here – Oakland Roots SC has been bringing the heat every year, and did so again, and only landed seventh at 4.8 percent – but that said the level of kits this season has once again been superb.
You can see most of them here – Detroit City FC fans, get ready for Saturday night’s big reveal. Remember, it’s always good to buy other team’s kits if the design is dope enough.
1. Jake McGuire, North Carolina FC – 12.3 percent
2. Wilson Harris, Louisville City FC – 6.5 percent
3. Nate Steinwascher, Detroit City FC – 3.8 percent
Well, we figured Jake McGuire returning to North Carolina FC would be popular, but this is even beyond that. We admire the confidence of the almost 100 voters who dropped the experienced goalkeeper’s name in the slot for Player of the Year, which if it happened would be a first in league history.
Wilson Harris’ name landing second shouldn’t a surprise given the direction of the other polls and his place as the potential leading scorer for LouCity – voters just can’t resist goals when it comes to Player of the Year most of the time – and that held true for some of the others who earned a good level of support – see Cal Jennings at the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Albert Diwka at Rhode Island FC, Russell Cicerone at Sacramento Republic FC and Michee Ngalina at Hartford Athletic.
1. Louisville City FC – 13.9 percent
2. North Carolina FC – 11.4 percent
3. Sacramento Republic FC – 11.1 percent
4. Detroit City FC – 8.7 percent
5. Tampa Bay Rowdies – 7.3 percent
No surprise which club is at No. 1 here, and with the offseason additions LouCity has made including reigning Defender of the Year Arturo Ordóñez and fellow All-League First Team selection Taylor Davila the two-time title winners are in a good position.
The shift into the top three of Sacramento Republic FC close behind North Carolina FC feels notable here. Sacramento was close to winning the regular season title a season ago and only seems to have become stronger this offseason. Tampa Bay’s fans certainly could feel confident as well.
1. Louisville City FC – 16.1 percent
2. North Carolina FC – 11.6 percent
3. Sacramento Republic FC – 9.1 percent
4. Detroit City FC – 8.2 percent
T-5. Charleston Battery – 6 percent
T-5. Tampa Bay Rowdies – 6 percent
And there you have it, a clean sweep for Louisville City FC. If they manage it, it would be the first time they finished with the best record in the regular season and lifted the trophy in the same campaign. Those expectations are certainly going to be there within the club.
Elsewhere, North Carolina FC winning League One and the Championship in consecutive seasons would be an incredible story – and one that might only further fuel ideas about promotion and relegation – while the Charleston Battery bobbing up into a tie for the Top 5 alongside the Tampa Bay Rowdies should be a reminder that Ben Pirmann’s crew likely aren’t going anywhere this season when it comes to title contention.
Thank you to all who participated – we admire the confidence of those of you who said you would win the Championship’s Player of the Year award.
Now we get to see how it plays out for real.
Tag(s): Features San Antonio FC CO Spring Switchbacks Orange County SC Phoenix Rising FC Sacramento Republic FC FC Tulsa Charleston Battery Louisville City FC Pittsburgh Riverhounds Tampa Bay Rowdies Las Vegas Lights FC Birmingham Legion FC North Carolina FC Indy Eleven Memphis 901 FC El Paso Locomotive FC New Mexico United Loudoun United FC Hartford Athletic San Diego Loyal SC Miami FC Oakland Roots SC Detroit City FC Monterey Bay F.C. Rhode Island FC