Charleston, SC. In a continued effort to provide the Charleston community with an entertaining, successful and stable professional soccer team, the Charleston Battery will play in the United Soccer Leagues Second Division (USL2) for the 2010 season. As a USL professional franchise since 1993, the Battery has been a part of Charleston’s rich history and culture for 17 years, winning national championships in 1996 and 2003.
The Charleston Battery joins a league of stable franchises in USL2 that have been a part of USL for many years – Richmond Kickers (since 1993), Charlotte Eagles (1993), Pittsburgh Riverhounds (1999), Harrisburg City Islanders (2004) and Real Maryland Monarchs (2008).
"We believe that the level of competition in USL2 will be very similar to that in USL1 and we expect to field a very exciting and competitive team. We also look forward to renewing old rivalries with Richmond and Charlotte” said Battery President Andrew Bell. “Playing in this division will also substantially reduce our travel costs as we won’t be flying all over the country”, he added.
The current United Soccer Leagues First Division (USL1) is experiencing some difficulties with a group of owners known as the Team Owners Association (TOA) looking to breakaway and form a rival league. The TOA was formed in early 2008 by owners of USL1 franchises to address ownership and management issues. At that time every USL1 team was a member of the TOA with the exception of the Charleston Battery.
