Welcome to the Fan Home of Columbia, SC PDL Soccer
We will be adding more info as soon as possible including news on South Carolina's only pro soccer teams at this time, the Charleston Battery and Greenville Lions, as well as coverage of midlands soccer at any and all levels that we can get our eyes on. This page is for the fans who, like ourselves, would love to see a professional soccer team grace Columbia, SC with its presence. Charlotte, Greenville, and Charleston all have pro soccer. Now, it's our turn! Though woefully behind updates are in progress!! If you're interested in helping to drive this endeavor forward or just in having a good time
supporting soccer then check out our fan section.
So what is the PDL and why should Columbia get a team? First of all, the PDL is the Premier Development League which serves as the fourth division of the United Soccer Leagues system.
This league is largely built upon the premise of developing talented players usually under the age of 23. This means that some rosters are made up of promising
high school and college players who wish to develop their game at the highest level available to them without
relinquishing their eligibility. The PDL also serves as the first rung of a ladder that could lead all the way up to
the A-League in which the Charleston Battery currently compete. The level currently between the PDL and A-League
is the D3 or third division. This is the league in which the Greenville Lions compete. If Columbia were to gain entrance to the PDL
it could begin a climb up the ladder of leagues in the future while also providing a South Carolina
competitor in every competition run by the USL. So why should Columbia get or even want a USL soccer team? The answers
are myriad and could be answered in several ways but here's a list of some of the reasons why Columbia
should have its very own USL soccer team.
More entertainment options for your Summer vacation dollars
Fun for the entire family
The opportunity to watch local kids develop with and against pro players
A grass roots organization that will support the community
The chance to show everyone that Columbia is a major league sports town!
Why should the PDL come to Columbia? Let me count the ways!
An ever growing population and potential fanbase
Huge numbers of players in all age groups throughout the Midlands
Some of the state's top high school and club teams call the Columbia area home
High attendances for Gamecock soccer
All this and possibly the best feature of this city: metropolitan ambitions combined with a close knit community atmosphere
So what can I really do as a fan to help bring the excitement of USL soccer to Columbia? First of all you can talk soccer and support those who already do all that they can to make soccer as good as it is here in the Midlands.
If you love this game speak up! Nobody here's quiet about their feelings toward the Gamecocks or Tigers so why should we be so peaceful
about the sport we love? Even if you're not a fan of the game but are, instead, as many of you out there are, I'm sure, "just" soccer parents
whose children enjoy playing the sport there are things to be considered. Having a USL team in Columbia
that is accessible to kids, fans, schools, and just about anywhere else that would have them would help these children have someone
to look up to in their sport and in their very own local community.