The Memphis 901 FC franchise will transfer its franchise rights to a new team in Santa Barbara, California, effective immediately, the USL announced on Wednesday morning.
“After evaluating multiple potential stadium options, unfortunately, the path to finding a permanent home for Memphis 901 FC did not materialize,” Justin Papadakis, USL Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Real Estate Officer, said in a statement. “A stadium is the cornerstone of a club’s long-term stability and growth. In the USL Championship, clubs like Louisville City FC and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC have shown how investing in soccer-specific venues creates lifelong fan connections and contributes meaningfully to the local economy. These stadiums are essential to our vision for professional soccer, creating spaces where clubs integrate deeply with their communities, fostering local pride, and positively impacting the region.”
The franchise will not play in 2025, and will the Santa Barbara SKY FC will begin USL Championship play in 2026.
901 FC played home games at AutoZone Park, a baseball stadium that serves as the home field for the Memphis Redbirds, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. But that wasn’t a long-term solution, and 901 FC officials had been trying to find a long-term stadium solution since the team debuted five years ago. But multiple plans fell through.
Statement from the Memphis Redbirds:
We are saddened by the news that Memphis 901 FC will be leaving our beloved community. We have cherished the opportunity to host the team and 901 FC fans at AutoZone Park these past several years as the team sought to find a permanent home.While we are disheartened by the soccer club’s departure, the transfer has no impact on the Memphis Redbirds current tenure – we remain committed to downtown Memphis and AutoZone Park.Since AutoZone Park was not allocated any of the state funding made available last year, the city has deployed approximately $5 million in funds to help start to bring the city-owned facility into compliance with MLB standards before next year’s PDL deadline. However, we have communicated to the city that there is still a long list of vital needs that must be addressed in order for AutoZone Park to maintain a Triple-A club, including new seating, painting, bathroom renovations, and concrete repairs, among others. These items must be addressed seriously and swiftly to safeguard the long-term future of AutoZone Park as the proud home of the Redbirds and a premier destination for events in the city.We look forward to continuing this critical work with the City of Memphis to ensure our ability to proudly open our doors to fans for many years to come, and hope that losing soccer serves as a sobering reminder that having the highest level of professional Minor League baseball in downtown Memphis is a privilege.
