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The Charleston Battery announced an initial slate of preseason friendlies Wednesday ahead of the 2021 regular season. A trio of fixtures against familiar MLS sides kicks off on March 20 as the Black and Yellow head to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground to face Atlanta United.

The Battery will then travel south to face Minnesota United FC on March 27 at the Dewey O. Boster Sports Complex in Deltona, Fla. The preseason bout is the second match in as many seasons after seeing the Loons on the pitch during a 2020 preseason exhibition.

The tour is rounded off as the Battery play Inter Miami CF on March 30 at the Herons’ training ground, IMG Academy, in Bradenton, Fla. Charleston were the first team to face Inter Miami CF in a live match last year before the Miami side kicked off their inaugural MLS season.

At this time, the first slate of preseason matches will be closed to the public. Additional exhibitions to finish out the preseason will be announced soon. Fans can stay tuned for more updates on the 2021 season by following on Twitter and Instagram or subscribing to the Battery newsletter.

The Charleston Battery announced Wednesday the grand opening of its first brick and mortar retail presence in downtown Charleston. The official Charleston Battery Pop-Up Shop opens Friday, March 5. Located within The Vault Retro Sports Apparel at 322 King Street, the pop-up will provide Battery fans and Charleston visitors alike with a wide selection of team gear including game jerseys, t-shirts, hats, hoodies, and more.

“Having a physical presence in the heart of Charleston for fans to stop by and purchase their favorite team gear has been a goal of ours from day one,” said Battery Executive Chairman Rob Salvatore. “Since relaunching our brand in late 2019, we have been able to produce high-quality, beautiful Battery merchandise and are excited to make it more widely available through our King Street location.”

The new pop-up shop will also serve as a venue for the club to debut new products, host events, and sell tickets for the upcoming season. “We’re very excited to welcome fans this season at Patriots Point and to have a space in downtown Charleston to engage with the city before the season starts in May,” said Battery Head of Community Scott Krenitski. “We have some exciting local collaborations coming soon and the accessible location on King Street means we can launch these collaborations in the community itself.”

Grand Opening Weekend

The official Charleston Battery Pop-Up Shop at The Vault opens Friday, March 5 with an opening weekend full of promotions and giveaways for fans stopping by. From Friday through Sunday, March 7, all Battery gear and apparel will be 15% off. Fans can also stop by and enter to win one of several great prizes including a Battery jersey signed by the team or a daily giveaway for tickets to the season’s home opener at Patriots Point this coming May.

THE CHARLESTON BATTERY POP-UP SHOP @ THE VAULT
322 KING STREET
CHARLESTON, SC 29401

OPEN DAILY: 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM

Curbside pickup is available to customers ordering through the Charleston Battery online team store, shop.https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com.

Face coverings and proper social distancing are required of all customers on premise.

Rivalries revisited and returning foes slated for the Battery’s 2021 regular season.

TAMPA, Fla. –  The Charleston Battery took another step toward the 2021 regular season Tuesday as the USL Championship announced its league alignment for the upcoming season. The league will feature 31 teams across four divisions and two conferences. The Battery will compete in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.

Charleston renew rivalries with 2020 Group H foes Tampa Bay Rowdies and Miami FC, and welcome new opponents to the 2021 campaign with Charlotte Independence, Hartford Athletic, Loudoun United FC, New York Red Bulls II and fellow black-and-yellow side Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC rounding out the new Atlantic Division.

The league’s four divisions are aligned across the country creating the Atlantic, Central, Mountain and Pacific Divisions. The Atlantic and Central Divisions will comprise the Eastern Conference, while the Mountain and Pacific Divisions will set up the Western Conference.

“To be able to play a few more teams is going to be exciting, and still play Tampa Bay and Miami, these rivals that we’ve had the past few years,” said Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser. “And getting back to playing Pittsburgh, New York Red Bulls, Hartford, we’re really excited.”

During the regular season, the Battery will face Atlantic Division opponents four times – twice home, twice away. In addition, the four remaining games will be played against regional or cross-conference opponents.

As previously announced by the league, the Championship’s regular season will kick off on or about May 1st, with a flexible date range between April 24th and May 15th reserved to allow for clubs to begin play. 

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

The Charleston Battery announced Friday the signing of Burke Fahling. The 5-8 midfielder joins the Black and Yellow for his first professional season after a college career with Seattle University and the University of Memphis.

Fahling made 26 starts for the Tigers, recording two goals and seven assists in 33 appearances. After transferring to Seattle University, Fahling made appearances in 20 games including a 2019 season opener where he recorded a goal and two assists from his spot at midfield.

An all-state player at Inglemoor High School, Fahling was the leading scorer in King County, Wash. and named the county’s Most Valuable Player. He also suited up for both the Crossfire Premier Soccer Club and Seattle Sounders Youth Academy programs prior to his collegiate career. “The level of play in Seattle, just the number of good players from the area, it’s a great environment to come up in,” Fahling said of his early career.

Fahling caught the attention of the Battery late last year. “Burke is an exciting two-way midfielder that we were able to find through our offseason combines and invited to local trials,” Head Coach Michael Anhaesuser said of Fahling. “He is a tireless worker and brings that quality and edge we are looking for in the middle of the field. We look forward to him starting his professional career with the Battery.”

On beginning his pro career in Charleston, Fahling added, “One of my favorite things about the sport is the fight. I’m really excited to compete and looking forward to playing with and against quality players at the professional level.”

Are you in for 2021? Get the best seats and exclusive benefits as a Battery Season Member! Memberships start at $160 for the season and are on sale now. Click here to pick your seats and unlock exclusive benefits as a 2021 Season Member today!

The Charleston Battery announced Wednesday the addition of defender Erik McCue to the 2021 roster. McCue joins the Black and Yellow on a season-long loan from Houston Dynamo FC of MLS.

The 6-3 Swedish defender came up through the Dynamo Academy before signing a Homegrown Player contract with Houston’s first team in October 2018. His professional debut was on March 29, 2019, while on loan with Rio Grande Valley FC. McCue registered 5 starts in 7 appearances during his time with the USL Championship side.

As an academy player, McCue was named the U-17 Player of the Year, the Players’ Player of the Year and received the Academy’s Ricardo Clark Leadership Award prior to signing with the Dynamo’s first team.

“I’m excited to join such a strong side in the USL that has a winning culture,” McCue noted. “I look forward to the season and making the most of this opportunity.”  McCue’s size and experience joins a formidable backline that includes Jarad van Schaik, Leland Archer, Logan Gdula, AJ Paterson and Temi Adesodun, all returning for the 2021 season.

The USL Championship season is just around the corner! Battery Season Memberships are now on sale starting at $10 per match. Click here to pick your seats and unlock exclusive benefits as a 2021 Season Member today!

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship and its official match ball provider, Select, revealed today its new Select Super Brillant match ball for the 2021 Championship season. 

The Select Super Brillant has been the official ball of the Championship since the 2018 season and has provided high-level performance for the Championship’s clubs since its introduction. All league balls for the new season will have a new gold, black and turquoise design, and will be embossed with the Championship’s logo.

“The partnership between the USL and Select has gone from strength to strength over the past three seasons,” said USL President Jake Edwards. “The Select Super Brillant has provided outstanding consistency to our players on the field. We look forward to many more great performances by our players and teams as they compete for the chance to claim victory in the USL Championship Final this year.

The Super Brillant features a Zero-Wing bladder made of high-performance latex, a concept that has been developed to ensure that both the ball and the bladder remain as round as possible. The ball – which also serves as the official ball of the German Bundesliga – also incorporates a built-in balance point at the opposite side of the valve hole, which helps ensure a perfectly balanced ball with a very lively bounce.

Additionally, the 32-panel design of the ball is lined with several layers of textile material, which helps to adjust the softness and stabilize the panels to ensure the ball retains its perfect shape. The ball’s outer layer is made of synthetic leather in polyurethane, with the two surfaces of the cover combining to provide a strong material with consistent softness. 

Championship Board of Governors Approves Flexible Start Date of May 1; 32-Game Regular Season to Take Place Across 27 Weeks

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced on Thursday following the league’s Board of Governors meeting that the 2021 regular season will begin on or about May 1, see the teams split into four divisions, and will contain a 32-game slate running across 27 weeks through the end of October with playoffs scheduled for November. 

In voting for a flexible start date, the Governors have approved for clubs to begin play anywhere between April 24th and May 15th. Further announcements on scheduling, divisional alignment and playoff structure will be made in the coming months and the league will continue to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 crisis in the event that alterations to the format need to be made.

Due to a one-match change in the anticipated home schedule, current 2021 Season Members will automatically receive a pro-rated credit in their SeatGeek account. For any additional questions, please reach out to tickets@https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com.