Lakeland Tropics Named Newest PDL Club
The PDL has announced that the Lakeland Tropics will bu the league’s latest expansion club with kickoff of their inaugural season set for the 2017 campaign. A total of 67 teams took the field in the 2016 PDL regular season, with 11 franchises in partnership with a MLS or USL club.
PDL Soccer News: Lakeland Tropics are set to join the PDL as the league’s newest club with their inaugural season set for 2017. Led by CEO Andrew Haines, Central Florida Sports Ventures (CFSV) will operate the latest PDL franchise in Lakeland, Florida.
“We are thrilled to make our first expansion announcement for the 2017 season,” PDL Director Todd Eason said. “The Lakeland Tropics will bolster an already strong conference in the South and attract top college-aged players and local talent. The addition of this franchise gives the Lakeland community a high-caliber organization to showcase potential professionals, and I am confident that newly-appointed COO Chris Economides and the Tropics will seamlessly form some strong rivalries and produce the level of play that has defined the PDL.”
Florida consists of seven PDL teams at the moment, including The Villages SC, IMG Academy and the South Florida Surf.
“Having a PDL team is huge for our own player development,” Tropics and CFSV CEO Haines said. “It allows us to keep players here year-round and stay involved in the community, inspiring future athletes to one day play professionally for their hometown team. Our goal is to always be competitive right from the start, and we will do everything in our power to bring home a trophy to this community.”
Sixty-seven teams across four conferences took the field in the 2016 PDL regular season, with 11 franchises owned and operated by an MLS or USL club, or holding a partnership with an MLS or USL club.
“We are very excited to receive expansion rights for a PDL team here in Polk County,” Tropics COO Chris Economides said. “This gives us another avenue to engage and provide affordable entertainment to the community. We hope to rally the community behind the Tropics and provide a high level of professionalism both on and off the field.
“We have the people in place to do so, and we can’t wait to see what this organization can become and do for this community. Soccer is thriving, and it’s time Polk County gets a team that can compete on a national scale and attract some of the best athletes and future professionals.”
The PDL has received strong support from both the MLS and USL for providing a pathway to the professional game in the United States and Canada. More than 200 former PDL players have participated in the 2016 MLS regular season, including current U.S. Men’s National Team stars Brad Guzan and DeAndre Yedlin.
