FC Tucson has a new owner and a new identity — as an independent club in USL League One.
The club announced Thursday that Brett Johnson has bought the club from Phoenix Rising FC.
The club is expected to participate in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup again this year. Previously, the club’s affiliation with Rising meant that it was ineligible to participate. The U.S. Open Cup pits teams from all levels of soccer against each other in a nationwide tournament.
Johnson was a founding member and co-chairman of Phoenix Rising FC, and was part of a group hoping to lure a Major League Soccer franchise to the Valley.
“I’ve always loved Tucson and been inspired by the culture of soccer here,” he said in a news release. “This town deserves a truly independent club built around the dynamic culture and ethos of this community.”
FC Tucson aims to field a championship-caliber club, create a world-glass game day experience and be a pillar in the community, Johnson said.
“And the best way to do that,” he said, “is to be an independent team that’s locally managed and operated.”
