Pittsburgh Hotspurs Rebrands to Steel City FC in Advance of the 2023 Season
By Steel City FC
Pittsburgh Hotspurs, a member of the Rust Belt Conference, will rebrand as Steel City FC (www.steelcityfc.com) for the 2023 season as they expand their program and continue to build a strong pathway for players at all levels in the Pittsburgh area.
“We’re thrilled to have our program competing as Steel City FC beginning this summer,” said Tom Ovenden, current Pittsburgh Hotspurs Club director. “In 2021, we entered into a collaboration with Arsenal FC of Pittsburgh to develop and ensure a pathway for Pittsburgh-talent to compete at the highest level. As our collaboration has strengthened, having our First Teams and academy in the same badge will further move the game forward.”
The Pittsburgh Hotspurs entered the NPSL in 2019. In 2020, they competed and won the Rust Belt Members Cup, and have since gone into the postseason in 2021 and 2022.
“We began our collaboration in 2021 with Hotspurs as so much of what we were trying to achieve aligned already. The pathway has already demonstrated a strong value for all involved as we have homegrown talent competing with our First Teams,” said Jon Velotta, executive director of Arsenal FC of Pittsburgh.
While the 2023 squad is still being formed, looking at the 2022 squad, the NPSL team provided ample opportunities for Pittsburgh players.
- 32 of 43 players were Pittsburgh-area players.
- 10 players were in high school or had just graduated.
- 15 total homegrown players coming from the Arsenal/Hotspurs academies.
The Steel City FC program oversees the development of more than 1,300 Pittsburgh players between 5-19 at the Academy level. While providing the path to compete in the UWS (women’s) or NPSL (men’s) for top talent beginning at 15 years old.
“Together we will continue to raise the level of Pittsburgh soccer. The players from our Youth through our First Teams represent the strength and determination that Pittsburgh embodies,” said Ovenden.
“And really, we’re buzzing with the new name, as it’s Hotspur(s) and Arsenal – no one would believe that the strength of that combo really works as well together as we do! It’s Steel City strong.”
Follow Steel City FC at:
Website – https://steelcityfc.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/SteelCityFCPittsburgh
Twitter – https://twitter.com/SteelCityFC
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/steel_city_fc/
Photo Credit: Ed Marra
