The growth of the USL in recent seasons has been predicated on clubs built around strong local ownerships, all able to reach and many times exceed the standards the league has steadily raised over the course of the past five years.

For the teams that have been part of the USL from its inception, that has brought fresh challenges, but for teams like the Richmond Kickers, they have not only been met head-on, but also offered the chance for the club to grow as an organization, and become an even bigger part of the club’s local community.

When it comes to maximizing a team’s resources, in fact, a team like the Kickers that has steadily raised its attendance year-on-year throughout the USL’s history might be among the best in the league.

“We are thrilled that more and more people in the city are talking about the atmosphere and experiencing the entertainment the Kickers have to offer,” said Kickers General Manager Shelley Sowers recently. “We are offering a very exciting and authentic fan experience and our fan base is growing rapidly.”

The Kickers have grown in part thanks to innovative thinking, and finding ways to increase their visibility in the community. The club partnered with Wild Wolf Brewing in 2014 to create the club’s signature beer, Kick it Hunny, while local food trucks and music are a staple at the club’s home games at City Stadium.

The club has also made upgrades to the facility, with new suites being installed for this season, and is hoping for the opportunity to do more within the stadium to improve the fan experience. Earlier this year, Kickers Chairman Rob Ukrop called for the Kickers to have the opportunity to take up a long-term lease at the facility, which would bring opportunity for both the club, and the local community.

“City Stadium has been a valuable community asset since 1929 and the Kickers have called the venue home for 22 years,” said Sowers. “With a long-term lease, the Kickers are prepared to make necessary capital improvements to revitalize the stadium for the benefit of our fans and the community at-large.”

One team that has already been able to begin making stadium upgrades this season is the Kickers’ long-term rival the Charleston Battery. Since B Sports Entertainment’s purchase of the club this offseason, a new 3,000-square foot video board has been installed at MUSC Health Stadium, while other investment into creating a great fan experience has also been undertaken.

Longtime Battery President Andrew Bell has been pleased with the way the Battery have been able to remain ahead of the curve as the league’s standards have risen, which has allowed the club to maintain its competitive edge on the field year after year.

“We always tried to be absolutely professional with all of our endeavors both on and off the field so I think for a lot of the changes we were either already doing it or were prepared for the new standards,” Bell said. “It’s obviously a good thing too for the fans and the players so we would welcome anything that raised the standard of the league.”

The USL champions in 2012, the Battery have seen new challengers arrive for the title in the past three years, including current Eastern Conference leader Louisville City FC, and the burgeoning force that is emerging with FC Cincinnati. The addition of those new clubs has made things more competitive on the field, but for Bell the league’s expansion and emphasis on regional structure has been very welcome.

“Honestly it's been refreshing to see all the new markets coming into the league,” Bell said. “We always lobbied for a more regional league. It's a much better model for the players with reduced travel and it's also good in terms of fostering fan engagement through the rivalries.”

Wilmington Hammerheads FC General Manager Jason Arnold agrees, and having been part of the league’s growth first as a member of the league’s staff, and now as part of one of its teams, being part of the league’s transformation over the past five years has been exciting.

“Seeing the massive improvements over the years has been extremely impressive and I can only imagine [how it appears] from an outsider’s view,” Arnold said. “To think back where the league was five years ago to where it is today is very hard to comprehend because it has improved so much, and in every possible aspect. I feel fortunate to have been on both the league and club side during this important time of growth for our sport in the United States.”

The Hammerheads share similarities with both the Kickers and Battery. Celebrating the club’s 20th anniversary this year, Wilmington has looked to take advantage of the opportunities that come with being in one of the league’s smaller markets.

“We receive great media coverage in our market and we are really able to establish relationships and make big impacts with our fans and community that larger market teams may not be able to,” said Arnold. “We also live and play in an unbelievable beach community which allows us to attract some great players to our club.”

If there’s another thing all three teams have in common, it is that they’ve looked to learn what they can apply to their own markets from the new additions to the league. Through both the USL’s partnership with Major League Soccer, and the addition of ownership groups in numerous markets with previous sports business experience, the opportunity for teams to take lessons back to their own markets to boost their profile has expanded as quickly as the league itself.

“I think there is great collaboration around the league,” said Arnold. “Since my time at the league office, we have always pushed the idea that on the field we will compete and do our best to beat each other, but off the field, we are all in this together and each one of our successes will help each club and the league grow. There is a lot of very experienced executives around the league that bring great new ideas and really help each club continue to improve.”

“With the caliber of ownership groups and executives involved in the USL, visionary new teams and the MLS partnership, the expertise and resources available to us has grown exponentially,” added Sowers. “Our product and brand are ever-evolving and sharing best practices with some very successful clubs has been beneficial over the past few years.”

Add the increased visibility soccer as a whole has found in the past decade across the United States, and there is a clear path to success for USL clubs on the business side as well as on the field of play.

“Soccer is becoming increasingly relevant in our culture and USL is at the forefront of the rising tide of fan interest,” said Bell. “It is awesome to see some of the attendances that our teams are generating, and as a league. I think it makes for a very attractive product, not just for the fans but also for sponsors on a national level. It’s important that we continue to do the things that help us to build on this growth and reward the fans for their engagement.”

In a city like Richmond, as far as the club has come in a short space of time, the Kickers’ goals on and off the field are now set at an all-time high.

“Our goal is to make Kickers games the number one sporting event in Richmond, and to replicate the energy, enthusiasm, passion and electric atmosphere we are seeing in MLS and USL cities across the United States,” said Sowers.