USL League One
Which league did Richmond Kickers play for from 2019 to 2020?
Richmond Kickers The Richmond Kickers are an American professional soccer club based in Richmond , Virginia . Founded in 1993 , the Kickers are the oldest continuously run professional soccer clubs in the United States , along with the Charleston Battery . After following the United Soccer League into the second division for 2017 and 2018 , the Kickers returned to the third tier of American soccer in 2019 as a founding member of USL League One . The teams home field is City Stadium , where the club has played since 1995 . The teams chairman is Robert Ukrop , a Richmond native and former Kickers player . History . 1993–2019 . The Richmond Kickers were founded in 1993 and played their inaugural season in the United States Interregional Soccer League ( USISL ) , which , at the time , represented the third division of the American soccer pyramid . The team originally played their home matches on the campus of the University of Richmond and targeted players specifically from Virginia . After a poor season in 1994 , the club self-relegated to the newly formed fourth-tier USISL Premier League , now known as the USL League Two . During the 1995 season , the Kickers battled to a 15–3 winning season and went on to win the first ever USISL Premier League championship , defeating the now-defunct Cocoa Expos in the championship . That same season , Richmond won their only , Lamar Hunt U.S . Open Cup championship . The following year , Richmond chose to rejoin the third division , where they reached the USISL Select League championship , only to lose to the California Jaguars in the finals . For the next nine seasons , Richmond played in the second tier of the American soccer pyramid , earning the Commissioners Cup twice , in 1998 and 2001 , as well as earning two conference championships . However , the club was never able to secure a division two league championship , their closest coming in 2005 , when the Kickers fell to the Seattle Sounders in the 2005 USL First Division Championship . After the 2005 season , the Kickers ownership self-relegated the team back into the third division , citing possible financial problems for the club if they remained in the second tier . Since joining the third division , the Kickers have had tremendous success , making it to at least the playoff semifinals each season they have played in the third division . Additionally , the Kickers have won two third division premierships and two third division championships during their spell . In September 2005 , the club retired Rob Ukrops #6 jersey . Ukrop played for the inaugural 1993 Kickers and the 1995 U.S . Open Cup team , joined the New England Revolution at the launch of Major League Soccer before returning midway through the 1996 season to play out his career in his hometown . Richmond Kickers have not only experienced league success , but have been perennial contenders in the Lamar Hunt U.S . Open Cup tournament . In the 2007 U.S . Open Cup , the Kickers defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy of the first division , Major League Soccer , 1–0 in the third round of competition . The Kickers won their First Round match of the 2008 U.S . Open Cup , beating the Fredericksburg Gunners of the PDL with a final scoreline of 3–0 . The Kickers won their second-round game over the Western Mass Pioneers 2–1 before being eliminated from the Cup in the third round by MLS side , and defending USOC champion , New England Revolution , 3–0 . In the 2011 US Open Cup the Kickers made a Cinderella run , defeating MLS clubs Columbus Crew and Sporting Kansas City to reach the semi-finals , before falling to the Chicago Fire . The Kickers briefly sponsored two developmental teams of their own : Richmond Kickers Future and Richmond Kickers Destiny . Future played in the mens USL Premier Development League from 2002 to 2008 , while the Destiny played in the womens USL W-League from 2004 to 2009 . The Kickers entered a multi-year deal to become the USL Pro affiliate of D.C . United in 2013 , and continued that affiliation through 2018 . Loudoun United FC was launched as a fully owned-and-operated affiliate of D.C . United for the 2019 USL Championship season , presumably ending the Kickers affiliation tenure . USL League One era and new ownership ( 2019–present ) . After many years of struggling to keep up with the other teams in the USL Championship , the Kickers announced that they were self-relegating and becoming inaugural members of the new third division league , USL League One . In addition to joining a new league , the Kickers announced that 22 Holdings , LLC , an organization consisting of former Davidson College soccer players and led by former Kickers player Rob Ukrop , had acquired a controlling interest in the team . The former majority owners , the Richmond Kickers Youth Soccer Club , would continue holding a minority interest in the team and operating as the teams youth organization . Colors and badge . The Kickers primary colors are red and white , having been so since the beginning of the 2001 season . Their kits are manufactured by Adidas , as they have been since at least 2009 . In March 2012 , the Kickers revealed a new logo to celebrate 20 years since their inception . Along with the new crest , the club also announced they would be using a third uniform with the colors from their first season in 1993 , green and blue . They also have a black kit they have used during the 2013 season . Stadium . - E . Claiborne Robins Stadium , University of Richmond , Richmond , Virginia ( 1993–1994 ) - City Stadium , Richmond , Virginia ( 1995–present ) Club culture . Supporters . The Kickers supporters groups sit in section O of City Stadium . The two supporters groups are the River City Red Army , which formed in 2010 , and the Scuffletown Social Club , which formed in 2020 . James River Cup . The James River Cup was an annual competition held between the Richmond Kickers and the Virginia Beach Mariners ( formerly Hampton Roads Mariners ) which the team with the most points at the conclusion of all scheduled matches between the two teams would win . The Cup was held every year since 1996 with the exception of 1997 and 2001 when Virginia Beach did not field a team . In 2007 , the Virginia Beach team was disbanded . For the 2008 season , the James River Cup was contested between the Kickers organization and the Hampton Roads Piranhas organization . The cup went to the organization that had the most points in games between their PDL and W-League teams . The series ended up tied 2–2–1 , with the Piranhas winning the Cup on goal difference . Winners . - 2008 : Hampton Roads Piranhas - 2007 : Not held - 2006 : Virginia Beach Mariners - 2005 : Richmond Kickers - 2004 : Richmond Kickers - 2003 : Richmond Kickers - 2002 : Richmond Kickers - 2001 : Not held - 2000 : Richmond Kickers - 1999 : Richmond Kickers - 1998 : Richmond Kickers - 1997 : Not held - 1996 : Hampton Roads Mariners Broadcasting . Beginning with the 2017 season , Richmonds CBS affiliate WTVR-TV will broadcast the clubs home and away matches on their primary channel and their subchannels . All USL matches were broadcast on the USL YouTube page from 2014 to 2017 . Previously , games were broadcast on USL Live . Starting in 2018 , matches will be broadcast on ESPN+ . From 2003 to 2004 , Selecta 1320 AM ( WVNZ ) broadcast select Kickers matches in Spanish ; in 2005 they broadcast all Kickers home matches . However , Selecta 1320 AM does not broadcast Kickers matches now . Players and staff . History vs . Major League Soccer . - 3/15/97 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 3 vs . Columbus Crew 1 ( UR Stadium ) - 6/17/97 – Exhibition – D.C . United 4 vs . Richmond Kickers 2 ( UR Stadium ) - 7/23/97 – U.S . Open Cup ( 3rd Rd ) – MetroStars 3 vs . Richmond Kickers 0 ( UR Stadium ) - 6/14/00 – U.S . Open Cup ( 2nd Rd ) – Richmond Kickers 3 vs . Colorado Rapids 0 ( UR Stadium ) - 7/25/00 – U.S . Open Cup ( 3rd Rd ) – San Jose Earthquakes 2 vs . Richmond Kickers 0 ( Spartan Stadium ) - 4/1/01 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 0 vs . Dallas Burn 0 ( UR Stadium ) - 7/24/01 – U.S . Open Cup ( 4th Rd ) – D.C . United 2 vs . Richmond Kickers 1 ( RFK Stadium ) - 4/13/02 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 0 vs . D.C . United 1 ( UR Stadium ) - 7/17/02 – U.S . Open Cup ( 3rd Rd ) – Columbus Crew 3 vs . Richmond Kickers 0 ( Crew Stadium ) - 4/5/03 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 1 vs . D.C . United 1 ( UR Stadium ) - 7/21/04 – U.S . Open Cup ( 4th Rd ) – Richmond Kickers 2 vs . D.C . United 1 ( UR Stadium ) - 8/4/04 – U.S . Open Cup ( Quarterfinals ) – Chicago Fire 1 vs . Richmond Kickers 0 ( UR Stadium ) - 8/3/05 – U.S . Open Cup ( 4th Rd ) – Richmond Kickers 1 vs . D.C . United 3 ( UR Stadium ) - 7/10/07 – U.S . Open Cup ( 3rd Rd ) – Richmond Kickers 1 vs Los Angeles Galaxy 0 ( UR Stadium ) - 3/22/08 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 3 vs . D.C . United 0 ( UR Stadium ) - 6/30/10 – U.S . Open Cup ( 4th Rd ) – D.C . United 2 vs . Richmond Kickers 0 ( George Mason Stadium ) - 6/28/11 – U.S . Open Cup ( 3rd Rd ) – Richmond Kickers 2 vs . Columbus Crew 1 ( Crew Stadium ) - 7/12/11 – U.S . Open Cup ( Quarterfinals ) – Richmond Kickers 2 vs . Sporting Kansas City 0 ( Livestrong Sporting Park ) - 8/30/11 – U.S . Open Cup ( Semifinals ) – Chicago Fire 2 vs . Richmond Kickers 1 ( Toyota Park ) - 5/29/12 – U.S . Open Cup ( 3rd Rd ) – Richmond Kickers 1 vs . D.C . United 2 ( City Stadium ) - 7/17/15 – U.S . Open Cup ( 4th Rd ) – Richmond Kickers 1 vs . Columbus Crew SC 3 ( City Stadium ) International competition . - 7/16/04 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 1 vs . Nottingham Forest 1 ( UR Stadium ) - 7/25/09 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 1 vs . C.S.D . Comunicaciones 0 ( UR Stadium ) - 7/1/14 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 1 vs . Mexico U21 1 ( City Stadium ) - 7/31/14 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 0 vs . Crystal Palace 3 ( City Stadium ) - 7/19/15 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 1 vs . West Bromwich Albion 2 ( City Stadium ) - 7/16/16 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 2 vs . Swansea City A.F.C . 0 ( City Stadium ) External links . - Richmond Kickers official website - Richmond Times Dispatch : Richmond Kickers