FRESNO,CA (KMJ) – The future of the Fresno Football Soccer Club still up in the air.
City leaders said any move by Fresno Foxes outside the city won’t be due to a lack of effort on their part.
Mayor Lee Brand and City Councilmember Miguel Arias released a statement Thursday regarding the possibility that the Fresno Foxes may move their team to another City because they have not been able to find a location to build a soccer stadium.
Mayor Brand says the City has met with the Fresno Foxes “at least 11 times since January of last year to talk about possible stadium locations.”
Under United Soccer League rules all USL clubs must be the owner or primary tenant of soccer specific stadiums by the year 2020.
Fresno FC has shared Chukchansi Park with the Grizzlies since it was founded in 2018.
On Oct 4, GM Frank Yallop said there was a lack of progress — and political support to find a site and build a new stadium.
In the statement, Council member Arias said “I believe the Mayor has gone above and beyond to help keep the Fresno Foxes in our City. The Mayor, myself, and the Council know that Fresno is a great place for soccer and we would like them to stay here.”
Both Brand and Arias said they believe that if the Foxes end up moving the team outside of Fresno, it won’t be due to a lack of effort and creative thinking from the City, but rather an economic decision by the team’s ownership.
“We continue to be open to discussions that result in a mutually beneficial agreement that keeps them here,” said Councilmember Miguel Arias.
