HAMTRAMCK, Mich. – Thursday marks the beginning of a new chapter for Detroit City Football Club.
The soccer team announced it will be going pro after it was accepted into the National Independent Soccer Association.
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The team will go fully pro in spring 2020.
MORE: A guide to the 2019 Detroit City FC season
"This next chapter doesn’t necessarily represent a change for the club, but another step in its continued and unprecedented growth," owner Sean Mann said in a statement.
Mann said the change wouldn't lead to increased ticket prices.
"You will see players that are able to commit full-time to the club and sport, and compensated appropriately for their talents," he said. "You won’t see any massive investment in the club from some anonymous overseas investment group, but you will see continual updates and improvements at Keyworth and the Fieldhouse."
The pro bid requires final approval from the U.S. Soccer Federation.
Chattanooga FC and Oakland Roots SC were also selected to join the league.
DCFC is scheduled to face off against several NISA teams in the National Premier Soccer League Members Cup, including Chattanooga FC on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Hamtramck's Keyworth Stadium.
Read the full statement from the DCFC owners below:
"Thanks to your support over the past eight years, Detroit City FC has redefined what a soccer club can be in this country. Whether you invested in the Keyworth campaign or volunteered to rehab the stadium; whether you keep to yourself on the 'family side' or stand on top of the capo stand leading the chants; whether you wore the jersey in front of the most dedicated fans in America, or squeeze into your 2012 replica jersey for match day, you are the most dedicated fans in America and you are responsible for our club’s success.
"With your support, what started as a community organizing project to bring together neighbors in Detroit is now poised to be Detroit’s first professional soccer team in generations.
"Saturday night we host Chattanooga FC for the first-ever competitive match between our like-minded, community-based clubs. This match represents the culmination of everything we’ve built together to date, and everything we will build together in the future, as we kick off the club’s biggest chapter yet.
"2019 has been a transition year for the club, as it blended our traditional NPSL season with an extended fall campaign against the best of the best of our league. It has also been a historic season, playing our longest campaign with a committed squad training in a professional setting.
"And now, we’re excited to announce that we’ve been accepted to join the National Independent Soccer Association, the new third division of American professional soccer. We’ll be joining old friends like Chattanooga FC and Miami FC, as well as new clubs in major cities across the country.
"NISA is sanctioned under the United States Soccer Federation’s professional league standards, which means DCFC will be a fully professional club in a professional league starting in early 2020 (pending a final review of our application by the US Soccer Federation in the near future).
"While we’ve been one of the most well-attended and best-supported soccer clubs in the country outside of Major League Soccer, we were required to restructure our existing ownership group to meet USSF’s professional requirements. Those adjustments have been made with the leadership of the club remaining the same as it has been.
"This next chapter doesn’t necessarily represent a change for the club, but another step in its continued and unprecedented growth. With this move, you won’t see increases in ticket prices, but you will see players that are able to commit full-time to the club and sport, and compensated appropriately for their talents. You won’t see any massive investment in the club from some anonymous overseas investment group, but you will see continual updates and improvements at Keyworth and the Fieldhouse as we strive to build on the best matchday experience in America. We probably won’t sign any former stars that were once on the cover of FIFA, but you are going to see a roster of players representing the city we love with pride, on a national platform week in and week out.
"We started this endeavor with a goal of creating an organization with authenticity and heart, that was from the community, and for the community. Without your support, we would have never gotten this far, and without your continued support, we’ll never know how far we can take this.
"We’re going professional in 2020 because we built this together. But we still have some work to do in 2019. We’ll see you at Keyworth on Saturday night as we take on our new league rival."