FC Dallas and the Trinidad and Tobago Pro League have announced the formation of an alliance, in which the two organizations will work together to continue developing the TT Pro League through regular sharing of business development strategies, player development initiatives, meaningful competitions, and scouting opportunities.
"We have a vision for football, a vision for professional sport in T&T and without a vision we would not be able to step out of the box," said TT Pro League Chairman Larry Romany at a press conference held in Port of Spain, Trinidad last week ahead of the Shaka Hislop Tribute Cup. "Visionaries like the Hunt family have changed the face of sport in the United States forever and we feel very privileged to be able to forge an alliance."
FC Dallas, along with its Brazilian partner Clube Atletico Paranaense were in Trinidad to kick off this alliance by participating in the Shaka Hislop Tribute Cup, which honored the recently retired FC Dallas and Trinidad and Tobago international goalkeeper. The friendly exhibition games were held as doubleheaders on Nov. 30 and Dec. 2 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, pitting FCD and Atletico Paranaense against two All-Star teams made up of players that currently play in the TT Pro League.
"The key to forming good partnerships is finding good people with a good vision, and we have that in Dexter Skeene and Larry Romany, who know where they want to take the TT Pro League," added FCD General Manager Michael Hitchcock. "Our goal is to be the premier team in North America and the TT Pro League's goal is to be one of the premier leagues in CONCACAF, so we've got two organizations that share a common commitment to excellence and that's the foundation of our alliance."
"We were not limited by where we are now and that's how we got to this point," said TT Pro League CEO Dexter Skeene. "The TT Pro League aims to become one of the most respected and most premier leagues in the CONCACAF region. We still have a lot to learn and a lot to come. The journey is long but today we are at an important and significant mile post."
This past Saturday, FC Dallas and Atletico Paranaense executives conducted a business summit for executives from the TT Pro League and its 10 teams, discussing a variety of management topics and player development philosophies. The alliance will allow for teams from the TT Pro League to use FC Dallas' home, Pizza Hut Park, for preseason, and give FCD the opportunity to conduct its own preseason in Trinidad. Other elements of this relationship include the opportunities to scout players through a combine organized by the TT Pro League, to exchange business and development ideas and programs, and to conduct competitions which would include TT Pro League teams. For more on the TT Pro League, visit: http://www.ttproleague.com.
