San Antonio Scorpions FC To Kick Off Inaugural Pro Soccer Season April 7 Against Atlanta Silverbacks
SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Scorpions FC, San Antonio's new professional soccer team, will begin stinging the competition Saturday, April 7, during a 28-game inaugural season in the North American Soccer League (NASL), just one step removed from Major League Soccer (MLS).
According to the NASL 2012 season schedule announced today, the Scorpions will open on the road in Atlanta and then return to San Antonio for their home opener versus the Puerto Rico Islanders at 6 p. m. Sunday, April 15, in Heroes Stadium, Wurzbach Parkway and Thousand Oaks Drive not far from the IH 35-Loop 410 interchange in Northeast San Antonio. This season's home games will be played at Heroes Stadium while construction of 6,100-seat Scorpions Community Stadium continues near Morgan's Wonderland in preparation for the 2013 season.
"We're absolutely thrilled to see the San Antonio Scorpions on the 2012 NASL schedule along with other talented NASL teams," said Gordon Hartman, founder of Soccer for a Cause, the community-wide effort to grow soccer in Greater San Antonio as well as benefit non-profit Morgan's Wonderland family theme park. "San Antonio has been asking for top-notch soccer, and we're going to deliver it. Head Coach Tim Hankinson and President Michael Hitchcock are building an international team blending experience and youth that I think is going to be very competitive."
The Scorpions' 2012 schedule is as follows (all times CST; home games in bold):
- 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 7 @ Atlanta Silverbacks
- 6 p.m. Sunday, April 15 vs. Puerto Rico Islanders
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 21 vs. Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- 6 p.m. Saturday, April 28 @ Carolina RailHawks
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5 vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies
- 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 12 @ Tampa Bay Rowdies
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19 vs. FC Edmonton
- 3:05 p.m. Sunday, May 27 @ FC Edmonton
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 2 vs. Minnesota Stars FC
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 9 vs. Atlanta Silverbacks
- 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 16 @ Puerto Rico Islanders
- 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 23 @ Tampa Bay Rowdies
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 30 vs. Atlanta Silverbacks
- 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 4 vs. FC Edmonton
- 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 11 @ Puerto Rico Islanders
- 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 14 @ Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 21 vs. Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 28 vs. Carolina RailHawks
- 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5 vs. Puerto Rico Islanders
- 8:05 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8 @ FC Edmonton
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11 @ Minnesota Stars FC
- 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19 vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies
- 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25 @ Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1 @ Minnesota Stars FC
- 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8 @ Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16 vs. Carolina RailHawks
- 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19 @ Atlanta Silverbacks
- 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23 vs. Minnesota Stars FC
Scorpions season seats can be easily reserved online at www.SanAntonioScorpions.com, Hitchcock said. Those who sign up before the season starts will be placed on a priority list for seat selection and will save significantly versus single-seat sales.
Hitchcock again thanked the community for taking such a great interest in the Scorpions. "As far as we know, this marks the first time in history that a professional sports team has been organized solely for the benefit of a non-profit cause such as Morgan's Wonderland," Hitchcock said. "The Scorpions will compete for a community that's eager to see soccer played at a high level and for Morgan's Wonderland, a unique theme park designed with special-needs individuals of all ages in mind but built for everyone to enjoy."
San Antonio philanthropist Hartman led the effort to create Morgan's Wonderland so people of all ages with and without disabilities could come together in a safe, colorful, totally-wheelchair-accessible park for fun and understanding. The 25-acre park, which features more than 25 rides, playscapes and attractions, just completed its second season. In the past two years, Morgan's Wonderland has attracted more than 200,000 guests from all 50 states and more than 30 other countries. More information is available atwww.MorgansWonderland.com.
Because anyone with a physical or cognitive special need is admitted free to Morgan's Wonderland, Hartman sought other revenue streams to help the park meet its financial obligations as well as to expand programs and services at the park for the special-needs community. Morgan's Wonderland opened in spring 2010 along with STAR Soccer, which conveys profits from the operation of 13 first-class playing fields to the park. Similarly, Scorpions profits will go directly to Morgan's Wonderland.
Sensing an opportunity to benefit Morgan's Wonderland for the long run, Hartman in fall 2010 secured an NASL franchise - one rung below MLS - and immediately launched Soccer for a Cause, a campaign to build community support for the new team. This included a name-the-team contest, a logo-design competition and an online vote of fans to select the Scorpions' jersey. Meanwhile, Nike became the first to sign up as a team sponsor.
Hartman reiterated several key goals for the Scorpions including heightening interest in soccer, promoting physical fitness and boosting tourism, in addition to the primary goal of generating profits for Morgan's Wonderland.
"Morgan's Wonderland continues to exceed expectations, profoundly touching the lives of special-needs children and adults, their families and friends," Hartman said. "Each and every day we draw inspiration from all those with special needs who must deal with hard-to-imagine physical and cognitive challenges."
About the NASL
The North American Soccer League is the Division 2 men's outdoor professional soccer league in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The NASL member teams are: Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, FC Edmonton, FC Tampa Bay, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, NSC Minnesota Stars, Puerto Rico Islanders and the San Antonio Scorpions FC. For more information about the NASL, visit www.NASL.com or on Facebook athttp://www.Facebook.com/NASL.fans.
