DCFC and Chattanooga will still be league rivals down the road -- it just won't be in the Members Cup.
"You won’t see any massive investment in the club from some anonymous overseas investment group, but you will see continual updates and improvements at Keyworth and the Fieldhouse as we strive to build on the best matchday experience in America. We probably won’t sign any former stars that were once on the cover of FIFA, but you are going to see a roster of players representing the city we love with pride, on a national platform week in and week out."
The rise to the professional ranks represents the latest accomplishment of a club and fan base that have become well-known for their bullish approach to growing the club "the right way" and being anti-MLS. USSF has a closed league pyramid, meaning teams do not change leagues based on performance, as do teams in most countries across the world with promotion/relegation systems. DCFC supporters pride themselves on their grassroots approach to forming and growing the club the way most European clubs have done.
"We started this endeavor with a goal of creating an organization with authenticity and heart, that was from the community, and for the community. Without your support, we would have never gotten this far, and without your continued support, we’ll never know how far we can take this," the letter reads.
"We’re going professional in 2020 because we built this together. But we still have some work to do in 2019. We’ll see you at Keyworth on Saturday night as we take on our new league rival."
The league will play a set of provisional games this fall, with full professional status pending a vote at the next USSF Annual General Meeting, set for February. The league plans to launch its first full season next spring.