Toronto Blue Jays fans may have a new team to root for in the USL Championship.
Competing in the second-highest division of the American soccer pyramid, the Las Vegas Lights club has been purchased in full by Blue Jays legend José Bautista, as announced by the team.
“Las Vegas is the place to be and has emerged as a big professional sports town, and I will do everything I can to push this club forward,” said Bautista, who is now the Lights’ chairman and governor.
“As a soccer fan and former professional athlete, I am excited to be involved with the world’s game, Since my retirement from professional baseball, I have witnessed the incredible growth of soccer in the United States, and I look forward to sharing my love of sports with the Las Vegas soccer community.”
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Bautista hit .253 with 1,103 hits, 288 home runs, 766 RBIs and 790 runs scored in 1,235 games for the Blue Jays in his career from 2009 through 2017.
The pinnacle of his career came in Game 5 of the 2015 ALCS, where he launched a three-run go-ahead home run that was cemented as one of the most memorable shots in Canadian sports history with his iconic bat flip following the play.
A native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the 43-year-old told Daily Hive this past summer that he’s been playing in a recreational soccer league in Tampa, Florida.
“José’s vision and values align perfectly with our league’s ambitions and the positive impact our clubs are having in their local communities,” said USL Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer Justin Papadakis.
“José is the latest in a recent series of world-class athletes to invest in USL clubs, a clear indication of our league’s increased prominence in the professional sports industry and the real value proposition of investing in soccer today. The game is growing rapidly in the United States, and our clubs are bringing high-level professional soccer to communities across the country, providing long-term economic development and creating positive social impact every day.”
The Lights kick off their 2024 season on March 9, when they travel to Tennessee for a road match against Memphis 901 FC.
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