Major League Soccer's partnership with USL PRO will include a full one-third of the lower division's clubs being operated by MLS teams in 2015.
The New York Red Bulls confirmed on Wednesday that they will field a USL PRO club in 2015, the eighth MLS-owned team of the league's 24 entries. In 2014, the league had 14 teams and only one, LA Galaxy II, was operated by an MLS club.
The Red Bulls had been one of the earlier MLS clubs to express interest in a USL PRO team, but their willingness to operate one wavered in 2014. After then-Sporting Director Andy Roxburgh was quoted in March as saying the club would "definitely" add a USL PRO team for 2015, he said in September that the Red Bulls were looking to affiliate with an existing USL PRO club.
General manager Marc de Grandpre confirmed in early January the club's renewed interest in fielding their own team, culminating with Wednesday's announcement. The name of the team has not yet been announced.
While the Red Bulls' USL PRO team will train at the club's facility in East Hanover, New Jersey, their venue for home games also remains to be announced. In addition to Red Bull Arena and the New Jersey training facility, both Columbia University's Baker Athletics Complex (which includes the 3,500-capacity Commisso Soccer Stadium) and St. John's University's Belson Stadium (capacity 2,168 but expandable) have been mooted as possible venues.
The Red Bulls' U-23 team, a summer squad that mostly consists of Red Bulls youth products currently in college, played home games at the training facility in 2014 but played the National Premier Soccer League championship game at Red Bull Arena as part of a doubleheader with the first team.
