Oklahoma City sports fans will soon have the opportunity to cheer for a new professional soccer franchise coming to town: Rayo OKC.
Rayo OKC is the product of Oklahoma City-based Sold Out Strategies and Rayo Vallecano, a soccer club out of Spain, and the teams plans to debut in 2016.
Rayo OKC, also called the Oklahoma City Lightning, is part of the North American Soccer League. They are not to be confused with the pre-existing professional soccer team the Oklahoma City Energy FC that is part of the United Soccer League.
Soccer fan and student Luke Thorne said the introduction of the team might bring a positive factor for those on the field.
“Having two teams in two different leagues of soccer is a good thing,” Thorne said. “Some players might be able to go across the two different leagues if they are different seasons – get more playing time and practice time.”
Thorne said having two teams might also present a drawback though. “Because the fan base for soccer isn’t as huge as it is for other sports, having two different soccer teams could drastically reduce the funds each soccer team gets.”
Brad Lund of Sold Out Strategies joined NASL Commissioner Bill Peterson and Rayo at a press conference at Yukon High School on Tuesday to make the news official.
The high school will house Rayo OKC on game day with the help of its 6,000-seat stadium.
Exactly how many of those seats will be filled is the question as Oklahoma City soccer fans are now split between two teams playing similar game schedules.
“A lot of the way you get fans is being good as a team,” Thorne said. “I think the more enthusiastic soccer fans will look at the team and analyze how they play – might like it, might not. I don’t think distance will be an issue, especially if it’s just 20 to 30 minutes.”
The NASL plays spring and fall seasons, and Rayo OKC is expected to be ready for play in the 2016 spring season.
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