TL;DR: Man with too much time on his hands goes deep down the rabbit hole on a concept this sub already didn’t seem that enthusiastic about. If you really want to skip ahead, CTRL+F “verdict” and it’ll get you there.
Two days ago, u/MrPhillyj2wns made a post asking whether USL should launch a D1 league in order to compete in Concacaf. From the top voted replies, it appears this made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.
But I’ve been at home for eight weeks and I am terribly, terribly bored.
So, I present to you this overview of what the USL pyramid might look like if Jake Edwards got a head of steam and attempted to establish a USSF-sanctioned first division. This is by no means an endorsement of such a proposal or even a suggestion that USL SHOULD do such a thing. It is merely an examination of whether they COULD.
Welcome to the Thunderdome USL Premiership
First, there are some base-level assumptions we must make in this exercise, because it makes me feel more scientific and not like a guy who wrote this on Sunday while watching the Belarusian Premier League (Go BATE Borisov!).

1. All D1 teams must comply with known USSF requirements for D1 leagues (more on that later).
   
2. MLS, not liking this move, will immediately remove all directly-owned affiliate clubs from the USL structure (this does not include hybrid ownerships, like San Antonio FC – NYCFC). This removes all MLS2 teams but will not affect Colorado Springs, Reno, RGVFC and San Antonio.
   
3. The USL will attempt to maintain both the USL Championship and USL League One, with an eventual mind toward creating the pro/rel paradise that is promised in Relegations 3:16.
   
4. All of my research regarding facility size and ownership net worth is correct – this is probably the biggest leap of faith we have to make, since googling “NAME net worth” and “CITY richest people” doesn’t seem guaranteed to return accurate results.
   
5. The most a club can increase its available seating capacity to meet D1 requirements in a current stadium is no more than 1,500 seats (10% of the required 15,000). If they need to add more, they’ll need a new facility.
   
6. Let’s pretend that people are VERY willing to sell. It’s commonly acknowledged that the USL is a more financially feasible route to owning a soccer club than in MLS (c.f. MLS-Charlotte’s reported $325 million expansion fee) and the USSF has some very strict requirements for D1 sanctioning. It becomes pretty apparent when googling a lot of team’s owners that this requirement isn’t met, so let’s assume everyone that can’t sells to people who meet the requirements.
   

(Known) USSF D1 league requirements:
- League must have 12 teams to apply and 14 teams by year three
- Majority owner must have a net worth of $40 million, and the ownership group must have a total net worth of $70 million. The value of an owned stadium is not considered when calculating this value.
- Must have teams located in the Eastern, Central and Pacific time zones
- 75% of league’s teams must be based in markets with at a metro population of at least 1 million people.
- All league stadiums must have a capacity of at least 15,000
The ideal club candidate for the USL Premiership will meet the population and capacity requirements in its current ground, which will have a grass playing surface. Of the USL Championship’s 27 independent/hybrid affiliate clubs, I did not find one club that meets all these criteria as they currently stand.
Regarding turf fields, the USSF does not have a formal policy regarding the ideal playing surface but it is generally acknowledged that grass is superior to turf. 6 of 26 MLS stadiums utilize turf, or roughly 23% of stadiums. We’ll hold a similar restriction for our top flight, so 2-3 of our top flight clubs can have turf fields. Seem fair?
Capacity is going to be the biggest issue, since the disparity between current requirements for the second-tier (5,000) and the first tier (15,000) is a pretty massive gap. Nice club you have there, triple your capacity and you’re onto something. As a result, I have taken the liberty of relocating certain (read: nearly all) clubs to new grounds, trying my utmost to keep those clubs in their current markets and –importantly--, ensure they play on grass surfaces.
So, let’s do a case-by-case evaluation and see if we can put together 12-14 teams that meet the potential requirements, because what else do you have to do?
For each club’s breakdown, anything that represents a chance from what is currently true will be underlined.
Candidate: Birmingham Legion FC
Location (Metro population): Birmingham, Ala. (1,151,801)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Legion Field (FieldTurf, 71,594)
Potential owner: Stephens Family (reported net worth $4 billion)
Notes: Birmingham has a pretty strong candidacy. Having ditched the 5,000-seater BBVA Field for Legion Field, which sits 2.4 miles away, they’ve tapped into the city’s soccer history. Legion Field hosted portions of both the men’s and women’s tournaments at the 1996 Olympics, including a 3-1 U.S. loss to Argentina that saw 83,183 pack the house. The Harbert family seemed like strong ownership contenders, but since the death of matriarch Marguerite Harbert in 2015, it’s unclear where the wealth in the family is concentrated, so the Stephens seem like a better candidate. The only real knock that I can think of is that we really want to avoid having clubs play on turf, so I’d say they’re on the bubble of our platonic ideal USL Prem.
Candidate: Charleston Battery
Location (Metro population): Charleston, S.C. (713,000)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Johnson Hagood Stadium (Grass, ~14,700)
Potential owner: Anita Zucker (reported net worth $3 billion)
Notes: Charleston’s candidacy isn’t looking great. Already disadvantaged due to its undersized metro population, a move across the Cooper River to Johnson Hagood Stadium is cutting it close in terms of capacity. The stadium, home to The Citadel’s football team, used to seat 21,000, before 9,300 seats on the eastern grandstand were torn down in 2017 to deal with lead paint that had been used in their construction. Renovation plans include adding 3,000 seats back in, which could hit 15,000 if they bumped it to 3,300, but throw in a required sale by HCFC, LLC (led by content-creation platform founder Rob Salvatore) to chemical magnate Anita Zucker, and you’ll see there’s a lot of ifs and ands in this proposal.
Candidate: Charlotte Independence
Location (Metro population): Charlotte, N.C. (2,569, 213)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Jerry Richardson Stadium (Turf, 15,314)
Potential owner: James Goodnight (reported net worth $9.1 billion)
Notes: Charlotte ticks a lot of the boxes. A move from the Sportsplex at Matthews to UNC-Charlotte’s Jerry Richardson stadium meets capacity requirements, but puts them on to the dreaded turf. Regrettably, nearby American Legion Memorial Stadium only seats 10,500, despite a grass playing surface. With a sizeable metro population (sixth-largest in the USL Championship) and a possible owner in software billionaire James Goodnight, you’ve got some options here. The biggest problem likely lies in direct competition for market share against a much better-funded MLS Charlotte side due to join the league in 2021.
Candidate: Hartford Athletic
Location (Metro population): Hartford, Conn. (1,214,295)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Pratt & Whitney Stadium (Grass, 38,066)
Potential owner: Ray Dalio (reported net worth $18.4 billion)
Notes: Okay, I cheated a bit here, having to relocate Hartford to Pratt & Whitney Stadium, which is technically in East Hartford, Conn. I don’t know enough about the area to know if there’s some kind of massive beef between the two cities, but the club has history there, having played seven games in 2019 while Dillon Stadium underwent renovations. If the group of local businessmen that currently own the club manage to attract Dalio to the table, we’re on to something.
Candidate: Indy Eleven
Location (Metro population): Indianapolis, Ind. (2,048,703)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Lucas Oil Stadium (Turf, 62,421)
Potential owner: Jim Irsay (reported net worth of $3 billion)
Notes: Indy Eleven are a club that are SO CLOSE to being an ideal candidate – if it weren’t for Lucas Oil Stadium’s turf playing surface. Still, there’s a lot to like in this bid. I’m not going to lie, I have no idea what current owner and founder Ersal Ozdemir is worth, but it seems like there might be cause for concern. A sale to Irsay, who also owns the NFL Indianapolis (nee Baltimore) Colts, seems likely to keep the franchise there, rather than make a half-mile move to 14,230 capacity Victory Field where the AAA Indianapolis Indians play and expand from there.
Candidate: Louisville City FC
Location (Metro population): Louisville, Ky. (1,297,310)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Lynn Family Stadium (Grass, 14,000, possibly expandable to 20,000)
Potential owner: Wayne Hughes (reported net worth $2.8 billion)
Notes: I’m stretching things a bit here. Lynn Family stadium is currently listed as having 11,700 capacity that’s expandable to 14,000, but they’ve said that the ground could hold as many as 20,000 with additional construction, which might be enough to grant them a temporary waiver from USSF. If the stadium is a no-go, then there’s always Cardinal Stadium, home to the University of Louisville’s football team, which seats 65,000 but is turf. Either way, it seems like a sale to someone like Public Storage founder Wayne Hughes will be necessary to ensure the club has enough capital.
Candidate: Memphis 901 FC
Location (Metro population): Memphis, Tenn. (1,348,260)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Liberty Bowl Stadium (Turf, 58,325)
Potential owner: Fred Smith (reported net worth $3 billion)
Notes: Unfortunately for Memphis, AutoZone Park’s 10,000 seats won’t cut it at the D1 level. With its urban location, it would likely prove tough to renovate, as well. Liberty Bowl Stadium more than meets the need, but will involve the use of the dreaded turf. As far as an owner goes, FedEx founder Fred Smith seems like a good local option.
Candidate: Miami FC, “The”
Location (Metro population): Miami, Fla. (6,158,824)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Riccardo Silva Stadium (FieldTurf, 20,000)
Potential owner: Riccardo Silva (reported net worth $1 billion)
Notes: Well, well, well, Silva might get his wish for top-flight soccer, after all. He’s got the money, he’s got the metro, and his ground has the capacity. There is the nagging issue of the turf, though. Hard Rock Stadium might present a solution, including a capacity of 64,767 and a grass playing surface. It is worth noting, however, that this is the first profile where I didn’t have to find a new potential owner for a club.
Candidate: North Carolina FC
Location (Metro population): Durham, N.C. (1,214,516 in The Triangle)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Carter-Finley Stadium (Grass/Turf, 57,583)
Potential owner: Steve Malik (precise net worth unknown) / Dennis Gillings (reported net worth of $1.7 billion)
Notes: We have our first “relocation” in North Carolina FC, who were forced to trade Cary’s 10,000-seat WakeMed Soccer Park for Carter-Finley Stadium in Durham, home of the NC State Wolfpack and 57,583 of their closest friends. The move is a whopping 3.1 miles, thanks to the close-knit hub that exists between Cary, Durham and Raleigh. Carter-Finley might be my favorite of the stadium moves in this exercise. The field is grass, but the sidelines are artificial turf. Weird, right? Either way, it was good enough for Juventus to play a friendly against Chivas de Guadalajara there in 2011. Maybe the move would be pushed for by new owner and medical magnate Dennis Gillings, whose British roots might inspire him to get involved in the Beautiful Game. Straight up, though, I couldn’t find a net worth for current owner Steve Malik, though he did sell his company MedFusion for $91 million in 2010, then bought it back for an undisclosed amount and sold it again for $43 million last November. I don’t know if Malik has the juice to meet D1 requirements, but I suspect he’s close.
Candidate: Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Location (Metro population): Pittsburgh, Penn. (2,362,453)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Heinz Field (Grass, 64,450)
Potential owner: Henry Hillman (reported net worth $2.5 billion)
Notes: I don’t know a ton about the Riverhounds, but this move in particular feels like depriving a pretty blue-collar club from its roots. Highmark Stadium is a no-go from a seating perspective, but the Steelers’ home stadium at Heinz Field would more than meet the requirements and have a grass surface that was large enough to be sanctioned for a FIFA friendly between the U.S. WNT and Costa Rica in 2015. As for an owner, Tuffy Shallenberger (first ballot owner name HOF) doesn’t seem to fit the USSF bill, but legendary Pittsburgh industrialist Henry Hillman might. I’m sure you’re asking, why not the Rooney Family, if they’ll play at Heinz Field? I’ll tell you: I honestly can’t seem to pin down a value for the family. The Steelers are valued at a little over a billion and rumors persist that Dan Rooney is worth $500 million, but I’m not sure. I guess the Rooneys would work too, but it’s a definite departure from an owner in Shallenberger who was described by one journalist as a guy who “wears boots, jeans, a sweater and a trucker hat.”
Candidate: Saint Louis FC
Location (Metro population): St. Louis, Mo. (2,807,338)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Busch Stadium (Grass, 45,494)
Potential owner: William DeWitt Jr. (reported net worth $4 billion)
Notes: Saint Louis has some weirdness in making the jump to D1. Current CEO Jim Kavanaugh is an owner of the MLS side that will begin play in 2022. The club’s current ground at West Community Stadium isn’t big enough, but perhaps a timely sale to Cardinals owner William DeWitt Jr. could see the club playing games at Busch Stadium, which has a well established history of hosting other sports like hockey, college football and soccer (most recently a U.S. WNT friendly against New Zealand in 2019). The competition with another MLS franchise wouldn’t be ideal, like Charlotte, but with a big enough population and cross marketing from the Cardinals, maybe there’s a winner here. Wacko idea: If Busch doesn’t pan out, send them to The Dome. Sure, it’s a 60k turf closed-in stadium, but we can go for that retro NASL feel and pay homage to our nation’s soccer history.
Candidate: Tampa Bay Rowdies
Location (Metro population): Tampa, Fla. (3,068,511)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Raymond James Stadium (Grass, 65,518)
Potential owner: Edward DeBartolo Jr. (reported net worth $3 billion)
Notes: This one makes me sad. Despite having never been there, I see Al Lang Stadium as an iconic part of the Rowdies experience. Current owner Bill Edwards proposed an expansion to 18,000 seats in 2016, but the move seems to have stalled out. Frustrated with the city’s lack of action, Edwards sells to one-time San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr., who uses his old NFL connections to secure a cushy lease at the home of the Buccaneers in Ray Jay, the site of a 3-1 thrashing of Antigua and Barbuda during the United States’ 2014 World Cup Qualifying campaign.
Breather. Hey, we finished the Eastern Conference teams. Why are you still reading this? Why am I still writing it? Time is a meaningless construct in 2020 my friends, we are adrift in the void, fueled only by brief flashes of what once was and what may yet still be.
Candidate: Austin Bold FC
Location (Metro population): Austin, Texas (2,168,316)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Darrel K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium (FieldTurf, 95,594)
Potential owner: Michael Dell (reported net worth of $32.3 billion)
Notes: Anthony Precourt’s Austin FC has some unexpected competition and it comes in the form of tech magnate Michael Dell. Dell, were he to buy the club, would be one of the richest owners on our list and could flash his cash in the new first division. Would he have enough to convince Darrel K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium (I’m not kidding, that’s its actual name) to go back to a grass surface, like it did from ’96-’08? That’s between Dell and nearly 100,000 UT football fans, but everything can be had for the right price.
Candidate: Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Location (Metro population): Colorado Springs, Colo. (738,939)
Time zone: Mountain
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Falcon Stadium (FieldTurf, 46,692)
Potential owner: Charles Ergen (reported net worth $10.8 billion)
Notes: Welcome to Colorado Springs. We have hurdles. For the first time in 12 candidates, we’re back below the desired 1 million metro population mark. Colorado Springs actually plans to build a $35 million, 8,000 seat venue downtown that will be perfect for soccer, but in our timeline that’s 7,000 seats short. Enter Falcon Stadium, home of the Air Force Academy Falcons football team. Seems perfect except for the turf, right? Well, the tricky thing is that Falcon Stadium is technically on an active military base and is (I believe) government property. Challenges to getting in and out of the ground aside, the military tends to have a pretty grim view of government property being used by for-profit enterprises. Maybe Charles Ergen, founder and chairman of Dish Network, would be able to grease the right wheels, but you can go ahead and throw this into the “doubtful” category. It’s a shame, too. 6,035 feet of elevation is one hell of a home-field advantage.
Candidate: El Paso Locomotive FC
Location: El Paso, Texas
Time zone: Mountain
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Sun Bowl (FieldTurf, 51,500)
Potential owner: Paul Foster (reported net worth $1.7 billion)
Notes: God bless Texas. When compiling this list, I found so many of the theoretical stadium replacements were nearly serviceable by high school football fields. That’s insane, right? Anyway, Locomotive don’t have to settle for one of those, they’ve got the Sun Bowl, which had its capacity reduced in 2001 to a paltry 51,500 (from 52,000) specifically to accommodate soccer. Sure, it’s a turf surface, but what does new owner Paul Foster (who is only the 1,477th wealthiest man in the world, per Forbes) care, he’s got a team in a top league. Side note: Did you know that the Sun Bowl college football game is officially, through sponsorship, the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl? Why is it not the Frosted Flakes Sun Bowl? Why is the cereal mascot the promotional name of the football game? What are you doing, Kellogg’s?
Candidate: Las Vegas Lights FC
Location: Las Vegas, Nev. (2,227,053)
Time zone: Pacific
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Allegiant Stadium (Grass, 61,000)
Potential owner: Sheldon Adelson (reported net worth $37.7 billion)
Notes: Sin City. You had to know that the club that once signed Freddy Adu because “why not” was going to go all out in our flashy hypothetical proposal. Thanks to my narrative control of this whole thing, they have. Adelson is the second-richest owner in the league and has decided to do everything first class. That includes using the new Raiders stadium in nearby unincorporated Paradise, Nevada, and spending boatloads on high profile transfers. Zlatan is coming back to the U.S., confirmed.
Candidate: New Mexico United
Location: Albuquerque, N.M.
Time zone: Mountain
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Isotopes Park – officially Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park (Grass, 13,500 – 15,000 with expansion)
Potential owner: Maloof Family (reported net worth $1 billion)
Notes: New Mexico from its inception went deep on the community vibe, and I’ve tried to replicate that in this bid. The home field of Rio Grande Cr---I’m not typing out the whole thing—Isotopes Park falls just within the expansion rules we set to make it to 15,000 (weird, right?) and they’ve found a great local ownership group in the Lebanese-American Maloof (formerly Maalouf) family from Las Vegas. The only thing to worry about would be the metro population, but overall, this could be one of the gems of USL Prem.
Candidate: Oklahoma City Energy FC
Location: Oklahoma City, Okla. (1,396,445)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark (Grass, 13,066)
Potential owner: Harold Hamm (reported net worth $14.2 billion)
Notes: There’s a bright golden haze on the meadow and it says it’s time to change stadiums and owners to make it to D1. A sale to oil magnate Harold Hamm would give the club the finances it needs, but Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark (home of the OKC Dodgers) actually falls outside of the boundary of what would meet capacity if 1,500 seats were added. Could the club pull off a move to Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma – home of the Oklahoma Sooners? Maybe, but at 20 miles, this would be a reach.
Candidate: Orange County SC
Location: Irvine, Calif. (3,176, 000 in Orange County)
Time zone: Pacific
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Angels Stadium of Anaheim (Grass, 43,250)
Potential owner: Arte Moreno (reported net worth $3.3 billion)
Notes: You’ll never convince me that Rangers didn’t choose to partner with Orange County based primarily on its name. Either way, a sale to MLB Angels owner Arte Moreno produces a fruitful partnership, with the owner choosing to play his newest club out of the existing Angels stadium in OC. Another baseball conversion, sure, but with a metro population of over 3 million and the closest thing this hypothetical league has to an LA market, who’s complaining?
Candidate: Phoenix Rising FC
Location: Phoenix, Ariz. (4,857,962)
Time zone: Arizona
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): State Farm Stadium (Grass, 63,400)
Potential owner: Ernest Garcia II (reported net worth $5.7 billion)
Notes: We’re keeping it local with new owner and used car guru Ernest Garcia II. His dad owned a liquor store and he dropped out of college, which is making me feel amazing about my life choices right now. Casino Arizona Field is great, but State Farm Stadium is a grass surface that hosted the 2019 Gold Cup semifinal, so it’s a clear winner. Throw in Phoenix’s massive metro population and this one looks like a lock.
Candidate: Reno 1868 FC
Location: Reno, Nev. (425,417)
Time zone: Pacific
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Mackay Stadium (FieldTurf, 30,000)
Potential owner: Nancy Walton Laurie (reported net worth $7.1 billion)
Notes: The Biggest Little City on Earth has some serious barriers to overcome, thanks to its low metro population. A sale to Walmart heiress Nancy Walton Laurie and 1.6 mile-move to Mackay Stadium to split space with the University of Nevada, Reno makes this bid competitive, but the turf surface is another knock against it.
Candidate: Rio Grande Valley FC
Location: Edinburg, Texas (900,304)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): McAllen Memorial Stadium (FieldTurf, 13,500 – 15,000 with expansion)
Potential owner: Alice Louise Walton (reported net worth $45 billion)
Notes: Yes, I have a second straight Walmart heiress on the list. She was the first thing that popped up when I googled “McAllen Texas richest people.” The family rivalry has spurred Walton to buy a club as well, moving them 10 miles to McAllen Memorial Stadium which, as I alluded to earlier, is a straight up high school football stadium with a full color scoreboard. Toss in an additional 1,500 seats and you’ve met the minimum, despite the turf playing surface.
Candidate: San Antonio FC
Location: San Antonio, Texas (2,550,960)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Alamodome (FieldTurf, 64,000)
Potential owner: Red McCombs (reported net worth $1.6 billion)
Notes: I wanted to keep SAFC in the Spurs family, since the franchise is valued at $1.8 billion. That said, I didn’t let the Rooneys own the Riverhounds based on the Steelers’ value and it felt wrong to change the rules, so bring on Clear Channel co-founder Red McCombs. Toyota Field isn’t viable in the first division, but for the Alamodome, which was built in 1993 in hopes of attracting an NFL franchise (and never did), San Antonio can finally claim having *a* national football league team in its town (contingent on your definition of football). Now if only we could do something about that turf…
Candidate: San Diego Loyal SC
Location: San Diego, Calif. (3,317,749)
Time zone: Pacific
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): SDCCU Stadium (formerly Qualcomm) (Grass, 70,561)
Potential owner: Phil Mickelson (reported net worth $91 million)
Notes: Yes, golf’s Phil Mickelson. The existing ownership group didn’t seem to have the wherewithal to meet requirements, and Phil seemed to slot right in. As an athlete himself, he might be interesting in the new challenges of a top flight soccer team. Toss in a move to the former home of the chargers and you might have a basis for tremendous community support.
Candidate: FC Tulsa
Location: Tulsa, Okla. (991,561)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium (FieldTurf, 30,000)
Potential owner: George Kaiser ($10 billion)
Notes: I’m a fan of FC Tulsa’s rebrand, but if they want to make the first division, more changes are necessary. A sale to Tulsa native and one of the 100 richest men in the world George Kaiser means that funding is guaranteed. A move to Chapman Stadium would provide the necessary seats, despite the turf field. While the undersize population might be an issue at first glance, it’s hard to imagine U.S. Soccer not granting a waiver over a less than a 10k miss from the mark.
And that’s it! You made it. Those are all of the independent/hybrid affiliates in the USL Championship, which means that it’s time for our…
VERDICT: As an expert who has studied this issue for almost an entire day now, I am prepared to pronounce which USL Championships could be most ‘ready” for a jump to the USL Prem. A reminder that of the 27 clubs surveyed, 0 of them met our ideal criteria (proper ownership $, metro population, 15,000+ stadium with grass field).
Two of them, however, met almost all of those criteria: Indy Eleven and Miami FC. Those two clubs may use up two of our three available turf fields right from the outset, but the other factors they hit (particularly Silva’s ownership of Miami) makes them difficult, if not impossible to ignore for the top flight.
But who fill in the rest of the slots? Meet the entire 14-team USL Premier League:
Hartford Athletic
Indy Eleven
Louisville City FC
Miami FC
North Carolina FC
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Saint Louis FC
San Antonio FC
New Mexico United
Phoenix Rising FC
Las Vegas Lights FC
Orange County SC
San Diego Loyal SC
Now, I shall provide my expert rationale for each club’s inclusion/exclusion, which can be roughly broken down into four categories.
Firm “yes”
Hartford Athletic: It’s a good market size with a solid stadium. With a decent investor and good community support, you’ve got potential here.
Indy Eleven: The turf at Lucas Oil Stadium is no reason to turn down a 62,421 venue and a metro population of over 2 million.
Louisville City FC: Why doesn’t the 2017 & 2018 USL Cup champion deserve a crack at the top flight? They have the market size, and with a bit of expansion have the stadium at their own SSS. LCFC, you’re in.
Miami FC, “The”: Our other blue-chip recruit on the basis of ownership value, market size and stadium capacity. Yes, that field is turf, but how could you snub Silva’s chance to claim victory as the first division 1 club soccer team to play in Miami?
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: Pittsburgh sacrificed a lot to be here (according to my arbitrary calculations). Their market size and the potential boon of soccer at Heinz Field is an important inclusion to the league.
Saint Louis FC: Willie hears your “Busch League” jokes, Willie don’t care. A huge market size, combined with the absence of an NFL franchise creates opportunity. Competition with the MLS side, sure, but St. Louis has serious soccer history and we’re willing to bet it can support two clubs.
Tampa Bay Rowdies: With a huge population and a massive stadium waiting nearby, Tampa Bay seems like too good of an opportunity to pass up for the USL Prem.
Las Vegas Lights FC: Ostentatious, massive and well-financed, Las Vegas Lights FC is everything that the USL Premier League would need to assert that it didn’t intend to play second fiddle to MLS. Players will need to be kept on a short leash, but this is a hard market to pass up on.
Phoenix Rising FC: Huge population, big grass field available nearby and a solid history of success in recent years. No brainer.
San Diego Loyal SC: New club? Yes, massive population in a market that recently lost an absolutely huge sports presence? Also yes. This could be the USL Prem’s Seattle.
Cautious “yes”
New Mexico United: You have to take a chance on New Mexico United. The club set the league on fire with its social media presence and its weight in the community when it entered the league last season. The market may be slightly under USSF’s desired 1 million, but fervent support (and the ability to continue to use Isotopes Park) shouldn’t be discounted.
North Carolina FC: Carter-Finley’s mixed grass/turf surface is a barrier, to be sure, but the 57,000+ seats it offers (and being enough to offset other fully-turf offerings) is enough to put it in the black.
Orange County SC: It’s a top-tier club playing in a MLB stadium. I know it seems unlikely that USSF would approve something like that, but believe me when I say “it could happen.” Orange County is a massive market and California likely needs two clubs in the top flight.
San Antonio FC: Our third and only voluntary inclusion to the turf fields in the first division, we’re counting on San Antonio’s size and massive potential stadium to see it through.
Cautious “no”
Birmingham Legion FC: The town has solid soccer history and a huge potential venue, but the turf playing surface puts it on the outside looking in.
Memphis 901 FC: Like Birmingham, not much to dislike here outside of the turf playing surface at the larger playing venue.
Austin Bold FC: See the other two above.
FC Tulsa: Everything’s just a little bit off with this one. Market’s slightly too small, stadium has turf. Just not enough to put it over the top.
Firm “no”
Charleston Battery: Small metro and a small potential new stadium? It’s tough to say yes to the risk.
Charlotte Independence: A small new stadium and the possibility of having to compete with an organization that just paid over $300 million to join MLS means it’s best for this club to remain in the USL Championship.
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: When a club’s best chance to meet a capacity requirement is to host games at a venue controlled by the military, that doesn’t speak well to a club’s chances.
El Paso Locomotive FC: An undersized market and a turf field that meets capacity requirements is the death knell for this one.
Oklahoma City Energy FC: Having to expand a baseball field to meet requirements is a bad start. Having to potentially play 20 miles away from your main market is even worse.
Reno 1868 FC: Population nearly a half-million short of the federation’s requirements AND a turf field at the hypothetical new stadium makes impossible to say yes to this bid.
Rio Grande Valley FC: All the seat expansions in the world can’t hide the fact that McAllen Memorial Stadium is a high school stadium through and through.
Here’s who’s left in the 11-team Championship:
Birmingham Legion FC
Charleston Battery
Charlotte Independence
Memphis 901 FC
Austin Bold FC
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
El Paso Locomotive FC
Oklahoma City Energy FC
Reno 1868 FC
Rio Grande Valley FC
FC Tulsa
With MLS folding the six affiliates it has in USL League One, the league is a little bit thin (especially considering USSF’s requirements for 8 teams for lower level leagues), but seems definitely able to expand up to the necessary numbers with Edwards’ allusions to five new additions this year:
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
Forward Madison FC
Greenville Triumph SC
Union Omaha
Richmond Kickers
South Georgia Tormenta
FC Tucson
Format of Assorted Leagues – This (like everything in this post) is pure conjecture on my part, but here are my thoughts on how these leagues might function in a first year while waiting for additional expansion.
USL Premier – We’ll steal from the 12-team Scottish Premiership. Each club plays the other 11 clubs 3 times, with either one or two home matches against each side. When each club has played 33 matches, the top six and bottom six separate, with every club playing an additional five matches (against each other team in its group). The top club wins the league. The bottom club is automatically relegated. The second-bottom club will enter a two-legged playoff against someone (see below) from the championship playoffs.
USL Championship -- 11 clubs is a challenge to schedule for. How about every club plays everyone else three times (either one or two home matches against each side)? Top four clubs make the playoffs, which are decided by two-legged playoffs. The winner automatically goes up. I need feedback on the second part – is it better to have the runner-up from the playoffs face the second-bottom club from the Premiership, or should the winner of the third-place match-up get the chance to face them to keep drama going in both playoff series? As for relegation, we can clearly only send down the last place club while the third division is so small.
USL League One – While the league is so small, it doesn’t seem reasonable to have the clubs play as many matches as the higher divisions. Each club could play the other six clubs four times – twice at home and twice away – for a very equitable 24-match regular season, which would help restrict costs and still provide a chance to determine a clear winner. Whoever finishes top of the table goes up.
And there you have it, a hypothetical look at how the USL could build a D1 league right now. All it would take is a new stadium for almost the entire league and new owners for all but one of the 27 clubs, who wouldn’t feel that their property would be massively devalued if they got relegated.
Well that’s our show. I’m curious to see what you think of all of this, especially anything that you think I may have overlooked (I’m sure there’s plenty). Anyway, I hope you’re all staying safe and well.

Oklahoma City's event list.

Ongoing

• Fully Committed (Lyric at the Plaza) Thru Sun, Oct 2nd Start Time: 12:00pm Watch one man struggle to keep all the plates of his work and life spinning in this hilarious one-man comedy! Funny man Martin Burke plays Sam, an out of work actor managing the reservation line at New York’s hottest restaurant, and the 39 other characters in this tour de force one man show.
• 🎡 Edmond Historic Tours (N Blvd & W Danforth Rd - Edmond) Thru Sat, Dec 31st Learn about the history of Edmond with a spooky tour of the Gracelawn Cemetery where many founding fathers of the city…
• Power & Prestige: Headdresses of the American Plains (National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum) Thru Sun, May 14th Learn more about war bonnets and feather headdresses, iconic images of the American West, at the National Cowboy &…
• 🎭 The Rocky Horror Picture Show (The Boom) Thru Mon, Oct 31st The Boom, a combination club and live entertainment venue in Oklahoma City, puts on a production of the Rocky Horror…
• 🎭 Romeo and Juliet (Myriad Gardens Water Stage) Thru Sat, Oct 1st Sit back and watch as the Water Stage transforms into the city of Verona when Oklahoma Shakespeare brings this timeless…
• Victorian Walk (Historic Guthrie - Guthrie) Thru Sat, Dec 31st Go back in time with a close-up view of Guthrie's historic architecture on the Victorian Homes Tour. The…

Wednesday, Sep 21st

• $ 2016 OK Building Summit & Expo (Cox Convention Center) OSHBA's premiere training event will be September 21st and 22nd at the Cox Convention Center in OKC. The OK Building Summit & Expo will address the needs and concerns of our members and the residential construction industry.
• ♪ Adventure Road Entertainment Stage feat. Elvis Extravaganza (Oklahoma State Fair Park) Day 2 of 2 Start Time: 7:30pm Regional Elvis Impersonator Contest complete with live show band, horns and singers. Contestants compete for cash and prizes and a spot in the National Finals, which will be held in Tampa, Florida, at the Florida State Fair, February 2016. The Oklahoma State Fair is excited to officially announce the 2016 talent line-up for our Adventure Road…
• An exhibition featuring the silicone artworks ofadjunct professor Lopeeta Tawde (University of Central Oklahoma - Edmond) Day 2 of 2 An exhibition featuring the silicone artworks of University of Central Oklahoma adjunct professor Lopeeta Tawde, through Sept. 22, Melton Gallery, 100 N University Drive, 974-5299. (Edmond)
• 🍴 Anthem Drown Night! (HiLo Club) Our local friends at Anthem Brewing Co. have some great beers! Every Wednesday night from 9pm to close enjoy $8 Drown Night! Their Power Pils will be flowing!
• Bi-Weekly Meetup (51st st. Speakeasy) Start Time: 5:00pm
• Bringing Books to Life (Myriad Botanical Gardens) Start Time: 10:00am
• Norman Central - After School Special (Norman Public Library - Norman) Start Time: 3:30pm After School Special combines books, a film, and an awesome craft for an afternoon of fun. This weekly program is for children in Kindergarten, First, and Second grades. For more information, contact the Children's department at 405-701-2630.
• Norman Central - Baby Story Time (Norman Public Library - Norman) Start Time: 10:00am Calling all babies, toddlers and the ones who love them! It's time for Baby Story Time! Each week, we'll explore the world through books, songs, fingerplays and rhymes designed for the smallest library fans! This story time is great for ages birth to 24 months. For more information, please call the Children's department at 405-701-2630.
• Norman Central -Introduction to Genealogy: Start Right! (Norman Public Library - Norman) Start Time: 2:00pm Start right in your genealogy research. Learn how accurately identifying your ancestors and establishing family connections can provide a solid foundation for building your family tree. Presented by Kathryn Ramsay, Pioneer Library System Local History and Genealogy Librarian
• The Colors of the Spirit, exhibit by Alcohol Ink Artist Kim Harrison (Contemporary Art Gallery)
• Del City Kiwanis Club (Rose State College - Midwest City)
• 🎨 Exhibtion: Lowell Ellsworth Smith: My Theology of Painting (Western Heritage Museum) 1 day left Start Time: 10:00am **Lowell Ellsworth Smith: My Theology of Painting **
  Ohio watercolorist and Prix de West winner, Lowell Ellsworth Smith (1924-2011), once referenced his *theology of painting *during an interview. Short but meaningful, the phrase summarized his relationship with art. It was more than a hobby or pastime. More than a career. It was the lens…
  
• 🏃 Family Yoga Night (Noble Public Library - Noble) Start Time: 6:30pm Cooperative event with Shannon Scott. Please join the Noble Public Library and Shannon Scott for Family Yoga Night, every Wednesday. For more information please contact Shannon Scott -- [email protected] (405) 517-9605
  
• Ferry Fun Cruises (Oklahoma River Cruises) Day 1 of 2 Start Time: 11:30am With four river landings, it's easy travel the Oklahoma River. Learn more about each of the landings and where they're located.
  The ferry transit schedule varies throughout the season.
  *** Purchase your tickets onboard**
  **Trip times in black are 1 hr 40 min round trip*
  *** Theme Cruises are on all evening service departures the last…
  
• 🎨 A Hiding Place (Artspace At Untitled) 1 day left Start Time: 10:00am Poetry Reading Begins at 6:30pm
  This exhibit is a dialog beginning with a poet’s voice and then calling forth an artist’s remix, and response. You are invited to this collaborative exhibition in hopes you, too, will discover something hidden, and now made communal in the open light. A Hiding Place can be a rest stop or a generator shop, a…
  
• Hospice Volunteer Opportunities (New Century Hospice, Inc.) 1 day left Start Time: 9:00am The services you will give as a Hospice volunteer will profoundly improve the quality of our patient's lives. Friendly visits enable families to keep their loved ones at home, around the people they love, and the things they love. Assisting with errands helps a tired family cope with their many challenges and allows them time with their loved…
  
• Jonathan Byrd (The Blue Door)
  
• Margot Holaday and Dodge Hill (The Studio Gallery) Margot Holaday and Dodge Hill
  The Studio Gallery, 2646 W, Britton Rd., is pleased to have Margot Holaday and Dodge Hill as featured artists for the month of August.
  Holaday is an experienced artist who recieved her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University Of Oklahoma. She has participated in local art shows, in Texas
  and has had…
  
• National Cavalry Competition (Historic Fort Reno - El Reno) Thru Sun, Sep 25th The National Cavalry Competition at Historic Fort Reno is a wonderful opportunity for re-enactors, active and reserve…
  
• Oil Paintingws by Russell Hughes (50 Penn Art Gallery) Day 2 of 2 Carolyn, please run the following under the Exhibits listing in the
  September 4th edition of the Oklahoman:
  *Oil Paintings by Russell Hughes, *through October 29th.
  50 Penn Art Gallery, 1900 NW Expressway. There will be an
  opening reception at 6 p.m. Friday (Sept. 9th) 848-5567
  
• Oklahoma Kids Count Conference (University of Central Oklahoma - Edmond) Day 2 of 2 Start Time: 8:00am A two-day event to inform and educate advocates across the state about key issues and policies impacting children and families. For more information, visit oica.org
  
• Oklahoma State Fair (Oklahoma State Fairgrounds Jim Norick Arena) Thru Sun, Sep 25th
  
• 🍴 Oklahoma State Fair (Oklahoma State Fair Park) Thru Sun, Sep 25th Make your way to the Oklahoma State Fair and celebrate the end of summer with endless carnival rides, delicious fair…
  
• ♪ THE REAL COST (89th Street Collective) Start Time: 7:00pm THE REAL COST IS THE BEST GODDAMN BAND https://therealcost.bandcamp.com/album/the-real-cost LIFE AS FRIGGN ONE lifeasone.bandcamp.com No X Thanks SHOULD HAVE NEW MUSIC BY THIS Noxthanks.bandcamp.com Maybe ur band?
  
• 🏃 Tai Chi Moving For Better Balance (Purcell Public Library - Purcell) Start Time: 1:00pm The movements of Tai Chi help all ages reduce stress, increase balance and flexibility. Participants learn relaxation to improve their overall mind, body and spirit through a series of slow continuous movements. This program is designed for people at all levels of mobility and can be performed standing or sitting. Please wear comfortable…
  
• 🎓 Teen STEAM (Purcell Public Library - Purcell) Start Time: 3:00pm Teens 6th thru 12th grade will explore various Technology and Lego Robotics Kits along with Art.
  
• 🎓 "Understanding and Responding to Dementia-Related Behavior": Coping with Alzheimer’s - A Three-Part Lecture Series for Caregiver (Concordia Life Care Community) Start Time: 6:30pm Behavior is a powerful form of communication and is one of the primary ways for people with dementia to communicate their needs and feelings as the ability to use language is lost. However, some behaviors can present real challenges for caregivers to manage. "Understanding and Responding to Dementia" will help you learn how to decode behavioral…
  
• 🎨 Volunteer for Cloud City by Tomás Saraceno Day 2 of 2 Tomás Saraceno’s Cloud City is coming to Oklahoma City! Get to know the large-scale installation inside and out as a volunteer for this “utopian city in the sky” during its five-week run at Campbell Art Park, adjacent to our planned art campus at NW 11th and Broadway. To show our appreciation, volunteers who work three shifts will…
  
• 🎨 Western Movie Matinee: Apache (Western Heritage Museum) Start Time: 1:00pm Join us for these terrific “staff picks.” Popcorn provided. The Museum is admission free to all on Wide Open Wednesdays, courtesy of the Oklahoma Ford Dealers.
  September 21 – Apache Hardly the first non-native to play one on film, Burt Lancaster stars as a restless Apache warrior who resists life on the reservation in Robert Aldrich’s…
  
• 😂 Zoltan Kaszas (Loony Bin Comedy Club) Thru Sat, Sep 24th
  

Thursday, Sep 22nd

• 🎓 2016 University of Oklahoma WaTER Symposium (Molly Shi Boren Ballroom - Norman) Start Time: 6:30pm The WaTER Center will host the 2016 OU WaTER Symposium on Thursday, September 22, to help address the world water challenge. Leading experts from around the world will discuss sustainability and sanitation. The public is invited to attend and learn more about the latest research, experiences and challenges in bringing water and sanitation to…
• 🎓 Adventure Road Entertainment Stage feat. Granger Smith (Oklahoma State Fair Park) Start Time: 7:30pm Over the course of nine albums, at a time when the music industry is undergoing a top-to-bottom transformation, Granger Smith has been building a career that is truly groundbreaking. With sold-out national tours, a social media following of more than four million, and YouTube views exceeding 35 million, he has amassed an audience that is purely…
• ♪ The Avett Brothers (Chesapeake Energy Arena) Visit the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City for a special performance by The Avett Brothers. This one night event…
• Brown Bag Lunch Series (Western Heritage Museum) Start Time: 12:00pm Take part in casual conversations about the Museum’s current exhibition. Bring a lunch or purchase one in The Museum Grill. Reservations are not required. Free admission to the Theater and Museum Grill.
  September 22 Cultural Appropriation and Headdresses. Matt Reed, 2nd Chief of the Chaui Band of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and Curator of…
  
• ♪ Cavalera - Return to Roots - OKC (Diamond Ballroom) Start Time: 6:30pm SEPT 22 at the Diamond Ballroom Max & Iggor Cavalera Return to Roots Performing the "Roots" Album in its entirety with Special Guest Combichrist, Allegaeon, A Dying Art Okc, Komatryp & Arise & Devour TICKETS ON SALE NOW: http://bit.ly/CavaleraRootsOKC
  
• 🎓 Norman Central - Computer Skills for Job Seekers, Day 3 (Norman Public Library - Norman) Start Time: 1:00pm It seems like every job these days wants you to have computer skills and to apply online. But don't fret! The Norman Library is here to help you get up-to-speed - and ready-to-work. In this third day, students will learn about resume writing. Students will employ Microsoft Word and learn how to navigate simple templates for resume creation, as…
  
• 🎓 Norman Central - STEAM Tweens (Norman Public Library - Norman) Start Time: 4:00pm STEAM Tweens connects kids with Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Design, and Mathematics in the library! Each week, join us as we explore and create different things of the STEAM variety! This program is for ages 8-12 or children in third, fourth, fifth, or sixth grades. For more information, please call the Children's desk at 405-701-2630.
  
• 🎨 Cloud City by Tomás Saraceno Start Time: 5:00pm Cloud City , Tomás Saraceno’s 28-foot-tall steel and acrylic sculpture, will refract and rearrange the Oklahoma City skyline beginning Sept. 8. The structure, previously installed atop New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and at the Green Box Arts Festival in Green Mountain Falls, Colo., can be explored from the inside and out. Visit NW…
  
• 🎓 English as a Second Language Class (Purcell Public Library - Purcell) Start Time: 11:00am English as a Second Language class. All materials are provided.
  
• 🎨 Exhibtion: Lowell Ellsworth Smith: My Theology of Painting (Western Heritage Museum) Last Day Start Time: 10:00am **Lowell Ellsworth Smith: My Theology of Painting **
  Ohio watercolorist and Prix de West winner, Lowell Ellsworth Smith (1924-2011), once referenced his *theology of painting *during an interview. Short but meaningful, the phrase summarized his relationship with art. It was more than a hobby or pastime. More than a career. It was the lens…
  
• Ferry Fun Cruises (Oklahoma River Cruises) Day 2 of 2 Start Time: 11:30am With four river landings, it's easy travel the Oklahoma River. Learn more about each of the landings and where they're located.
  The ferry transit schedule varies throughout the season.
  *** Purchase your tickets onboard**
  **Trip times in black are 1 hr 40 min round trip*
  *** Theme Cruises are on all evening service departures the last…
  
• Found Poetry Playshop (IAO Gallery) Start Time: 7:00pm Hey poets! Have you ever been to a workshop? HAve you ever toiled away for endless hours to write that perfect next word? Well, we won't be doing that here! Join IAO for a Found Poetry Playshop Thursday, September 22 at 7:00 pm!!! You'll create a poem from a short piece of prose using some rather loose rules! Then, if you're brave enough, you…
  
• Friends of thePreview Sale (Moore Public Library - Moore) Start Time: 6:30pm
  
• 🎨 A Hiding Place (Artspace At Untitled) Last Day Start Time: 10:00am Poetry Reading Begins at 6:30pm
  This exhibit is a dialog beginning with a poet’s voice and then calling forth an artist’s remix, and response. You are invited to this collaborative exhibition in hopes you, too, will discover something hidden, and now made communal in the open light. A Hiding Place can be a rest stop or a generator shop, a…
  
• Hospice Volunteer Opportunities (New Century Hospice, Inc.) Last Day Start Time: 9:00am The services you will give as a Hospice volunteer will profoundly improve the quality of our patient's lives. Friendly visits enable families to keep their loved ones at home, around the people they love, and the things they love. Assisting with errands helps a tired family cope with their many challenges and allows them time with their loved…
  
• Max & Igor Cavalera et al. (Diamond Ballroom) CAVALERA
  Thu - Sep 22
  

   Diamond Ballroom 

  8001 S. Eastern Ave.
  Oklahoma City, OK
  MAX & IGOR CAVALERA RETURN TO ROOTS
  PERFORMING 'ROOTS' IN ITS ENTIRETY
  with Special Guests:
  COMBICHRIST
  ALLEGAEON
  A DYING ART
  KOMATRYP
  ARISE & DEVOUR
  Tickets On Sale Now
  Buy For Less locations in OKC
  Brady Box Office or…
  
• National Cavalry Competition (Historic Fort Reno - El Reno) Thru Sun, Sep 25th The National Cavalry Competition at Historic Fort Reno is a wonderful opportunity for re-enactors, active and reserve…
  
• Oklahoma State Fair (Oklahoma State Fairgrounds Jim Norick Arena) Thru Sun, Sep 25th
  
• 🍴 Oklahoma State Fair (Oklahoma State Fair Park) Thru Sun, Sep 25th Make your way to the Oklahoma State Fair and celebrate the end of summer with endless carnival rides, delicious fair…
  
• Pollinator Habitat Workshop (Norman Public Library - Norman) Start Time: 6:00pm Several Oklahoma counties, including Cleveland and McClain will receive $26,400 each to create and improve monarch butterfly and other pollinator habitats in its communities. Learn how you can get involved at a Pollinator Workshop on Sept. 22 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Norman Public Library, 225 North Webster Avenue, Norman.
  Workshop attendees…
  
• 🎓 Scaling Up Business Growth Workshop (Bank of Oklahoma Plaza) Start Time: 8:00am Gazelles International's all day workshop designed for CEO's and executive teams of mid-market companies ($5M-$200M) is coming to Oklahoma City!
  The world-renowned Scaling Up Business Growth Workshop empowers you to accelerate profitable growth using a time-tested and results-driven methodology. Through this exclusive learning experience,…
  
• ⚾ SNU: Soccer (M) vs Ouachita (Bethany Library - Bethany) Start Time: 7:00pm Soccer (W) vs Ouachita\nStreaming Video: https://www.youtube.com/useSNUCrimsonStorm\n http://snuathletics.com/calendar.aspx?id=2857
  
• Sunset River Cruises (Oklahoma River Cruises) Start Time: 7:30pm Departs Exchange Landing | Last 3 Fridays (June – September) | $35/person
  Relax and recharge on the deck in the fresh Oklahoma breeze or inside the climate-controlled cabin while on an hour and a half sunset cruise enjoying music, appetizers and soda. Cruise times vary by season. A cash bar is available on board.
  Space is limited and…
  
• 🎓 Teen - Vinyl Cutting (Blanchard Library - Blanchard) Start Time: 3:30pm Learn to design with the Silhouette Vinyl Cutter. You can have fun making your name and other designs in sticky-backed vinyl. You are welcome to complete one of the projects that will be on hand or bring something of your own that you want to decorate with vinyl designs.
  
• 😂 Zoltan Kaszas (Loony Bin Comedy Club) Thru Sat, Sep 24th
  
• 🎓 Zumba in the Gardens presented by Oklahoma City Community Foundation (Myriad Botanical Gardens) Start Time: 5:45pm Terrace Room $5 members, $10 nonmembers No pre-registration required Thursdays through September 20 Presented by Oklahoma City Community Foundation
  Zumba is a Latin-inspired cardio-dance workout that uses music and choreographed steps to form a fitness party atmosphere. While many of the types of dance and music featured in the program are…
  

Friday, Sep 23rd

• 🎨 ARTonTAP (Oklahoma City Museum of Art) Once a year, Art on Tap brings community members together over beer, food and art. At this annual event, dress up…
• 🍴 Tuttle BBQ Cook-Off (Tuttle American Legion - Tuttle) Bring the family and a big appetite to Tuttle this September for the annual Tuttle BBQ Cook-Off. This event, held in the…
• Day Out with Thomas (Oklahoma Railway Museum) Thru Sun, Sep 25th Climb aboard for fun as Thomas the Tank Engine chugs into the Oklahoma Railway Museum in Oklahoma City. Thomas fans are…
• John Pizzarelli (University of Central Oklahoma - Edmond)
• ♪ Montgomery Gentry in Concert (Oklahoma State Fair Park) Head to the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds for a night of hard-driving and Kentucky fried country music when Montgomery…
• National Cavalry Competition (Historic Fort Reno - El Reno) Thru Sun, Sep 25th The National Cavalry Competition at Historic Fort Reno is a wonderful opportunity for re-enactors, active and reserve…
• Oklahoma State Fair (Oklahoma State Fairgrounds Jim Norick Arena) Thru Sun, Sep 25th
• 🍴 Oklahoma State Fair (Oklahoma State Fair Park) Thru Sun, Sep 25th Make your way to the Oklahoma State Fair and celebrate the end of summer with endless carnival rides, delicious fair…
• 🎡 Pops Arcadia Corn Maze (Arcadia) Thru Sat, Oct 29th Celebrate the fall season with a trip to the Pops Arcadia Corn Maze. Navigate your way through the maze, which has a…
• Skindred et al. (89th Street Collective)
• Titus Andronicus (Opolis - Norman)
• 😂 Zoltan Kaszas (Loony Bin Comedy Club) 1 day left

Saturday, Sep 24th

• ♪ Blues in the Deuce (Artspace At Untitled) Spend the evening relaxing as waves of Memphis blues hit your ears from the Artspace at Untitled stage. Grab a…
• Car Show (Firelake Casino - Shawnee) Admire the timeless designs of classic cars at the FireLake Casino Car Show in Shawnee. The FireLake Casino Car Show…
• ♪ Coheed And Cambria et al. (Diamond Ballroom) Coheed and Cambria will embark on a fall North America tour, stopping at Diamond Ballroom along the way. Crowd the…
• Day Out with Thomas (Oklahoma Railway Museum) 1 day left Climb aboard for fun as Thomas the Tank Engine chugs into the Oklahoma Railway Museum in Oklahoma City. Thomas fans are…
• ⚾ End of Season Mash Up (Firelake Arena - Shawnee) Catch the buzz as the Oklahoma City Roller Derby put on an electrifying dance of athleticism and grace as jammers and…
• 🎡 Coyle Fall Festival (City Ballpark - Coyle) Bring the family out to the Coyle Fall Festival for a fun-filled day. With old fashioned family games and plenty of…
• Fall Gourd Dance (First American United Methodist - Norman) Participate in the annual Fall Gourd Dance in Norman for a taste of American Indian culture. Besides hearing American…
• ♪ Festival (Plaza District) The Plaza District Festival is quickly growing into one of Oklahoma City's most endearing annual art events, drawing…
• 🍴 Grape Stomp Festival (Slaughterville) The Canadian River Wine Festival invites all ages out to Slaughterville for a fun day at the winery. Enter the Lucille…
• Heritage Hills Historic Home Tour (Overholser Mansion) Day 1 of 2 The Heritage Hills Historic Home Tour has been a staple Oklahoma City fall activity for 50 years and provides a unique…
• 🎡 Lebanese Heritage & Food Festival (Our Lady of Lebanon - Norman) Come celebrate the riches of Lebanese food, history and culture at the annual Lebanese Heritage & Food Festival.…
• National Cavalry Competition (Historic Fort Reno - El Reno) 1 day left The National Cavalry Competition at Historic Fort Reno is a wonderful opportunity for re-enactors, active and reserve…
• ⚾ OKC Energy FC vs Saint Louis FC (Taft Stadium) Start Time: 6:00pm
• Oklahoma State Fair (Oklahoma State Fairgrounds Jim Norick Arena) 1 day left
• 🍴 Oklahoma State Fair (Oklahoma State Fair Park) 1 day left Make your way to the Oklahoma State Fair and celebrate the end of summer with endless carnival rides, delicious fair…
• $ Oklahoma Wildlife Expo (Lazy E Arena - Guthrie) Day 1 of 2 In September, Guthrie's Lazy E Arena will be transformed into Oklahoma's largest indoor and outdoor recreation…
• 🎡 Pops Arcadia Corn Maze (Arcadia) Thru Sat, Oct 29th Celebrate the fall season with a trip to the Pops Arcadia Corn Maze. Navigate your way through the maze, which has a…
• 🏃 Redman Triathlon (2016 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships) (Stars & Stripes Park) OKLAHOMA is a word that was coined by the native American missionary Allen Wright. He combined two Choctaw words, "ukla" meaning man and "humá" meaning red to form the word that first appears in an 1866 Choctaw treaty. Oklahoma means REDMAN & REDMAN means a flat, very fast course & ease of access, all combined with service & support that will…
• 🏃 Robert E. Brady Memorial 5K (Farmers Insurance HelpPoint parking lot) The out and back course will be closed to traffic and is considered to be flat and fast. Fast and accurate times will be provided by DG Productions. Proceeds will go to benefit the United Way.
• 🍴 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Midwest City) The Sam's Club National BBQ Tour in Midwest City is spicing up the world of competitive barbecue. The barbecue…
• Touch a Truck (Cleveland County Fairgrounds - Norman) Norman's Pioneer Library System invites families to bring their children to the Cleveland County Fairgrounds to see…
• University of Oklahoma Ghost Tour (University of Oklahoma - Norman) Discover the mysterious side of an Oklahoma landmark with a University of Oklahoma Ghost Tour. Visitors who join this…
• 🏃 Walk to End Alzheimer's (Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark) 7:30 a.m. Registration 9 a.m. Ceremony & Walk
• Watermelon Slim (The Blue Door)
• 😂 Zoltan Kaszas (Loony Bin Comedy Club) Last Day

Sunday, Sep 25th

• Big Thief (Opolis - Norman)
• Buckcherry et al. (Kickapoo Casino - Harrah)
• Day Out with Thomas (Oklahoma Railway Museum) Last Day Climb aboard for fun as Thomas the Tank Engine chugs into the Oklahoma Railway Museum in Oklahoma City. Thomas fans are…
• Don't Quit Your Day Job: an OKC StorySLAM (Saints) Start Time: 7:00pm
• ♪ Groovefest (Andrews Park - Norman) Founded in 1986 by the OU Chapter for Amnesty International, Groovefest in Norman is the longest-lasting human rights…
• 🏃 HDSA Hope Walk & 5K (Stars & Stripes Park) Huntington's Disease Society of America
• Heritage Hills Historic Home Tour (Overholser Mansion) Day 2 of 2 The Heritage Hills Historic Home Tour has been a staple Oklahoma City fall activity for 50 years and provides a unique…
• National Cavalry Competition (Historic Fort Reno - El Reno) Last Day The National Cavalry Competition at Historic Fort Reno is a wonderful opportunity for re-enactors, active and reserve…
• ⚾ Oklahoma Derby Day (Remington Park) Celebrate the Oklahoma Derby in style at Remington Park Racetrack & Casino in Oklahoma City. In addition to the 10…
• Oklahoma State Fair (Oklahoma State Fairgrounds Jim Norick Arena) Last Day
• 🍴 Oklahoma State Fair (Oklahoma State Fair Park) Last Day Make your way to the Oklahoma State Fair and celebrate the end of summer with endless carnival rides, delicious fair…
• $ Oklahoma Wildlife Expo (Lazy E Arena - Guthrie) Day 2 of 2 In September, Guthrie's Lazy E Arena will be transformed into Oklahoma's largest indoor and outdoor recreation…
• 🎡 Pops Arcadia Corn Maze (Arcadia) Thru Sat, Oct 29th Celebrate the fall season with a trip to the Pops Arcadia Corn Maze. Navigate your way through the maze, which has a…

Monday, Sep 26th

• Drown Night at Saints (Plaza District) Start Time: 8:00pm All you can drink Anthem beer for $8 starting at 8pm.
• #FreeCoffeeMondays (District House) Start Time: 7:00am 7:00am - 10:30am. A free small cup of coffee for anyone who comes in.
• Milk Moms (Thrive Mama Collective) Start Time: 6:00pm
• $ OKC Painting Palooza (Reed Conference Center - Midwest City) Thru Sat, Oct 1st Celebrate all forms of creative arts with OKC Painting Palooza. During this week-long event, learn art techniques from…
• Pint Night (Plaza District) Start Time: 5:00pm Come try a new brew and keep the glass while you're at it!
• 🎡 Pops Arcadia Corn Maze (Arcadia) Thru Sat, Oct 29th Celebrate the fall season with a trip to the Pops Arcadia Corn Maze. Navigate your way through the maze, which has a…
• Public Access: Open Mic Mondays (District House) Start Time: 8:00pm Got talents? Come rock the mic.
  Hosted by Matt Raney
  
• Shel (University of Central Oklahoma - Edmond)
  

Tuesday, Sep 27th

• Hellyeah (Diamond Ballroom)
• Islander et al. (Thunder Alley Grill & Sports Bar)
• $ OKC Painting Palooza (Reed Conference Center - Midwest City) Thru Sat, Oct 1st Celebrate all forms of creative arts with OKC Painting Palooza. During this week-long event, learn art techniques from…
• 🎡 Pops Arcadia Corn Maze (Arcadia) Thru Sat, Oct 29th Celebrate the fall season with a trip to the Pops Arcadia Corn Maze. Navigate your way through the maze, which has a…