OKC Energy FC

Oklahoma City businessman Robert "Bob" Funk, Jr., was awarded a United Soccer League franchise on July 2, 2013, and in November, the club announced its name would be Oklahoma City Energy FC. The ownership group, Prodigal LLC, formerly Express sports, which operated the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League and formerly oversaw the Oklahoma City Dodgers (formerly Oklahoma/Oklahoma City Redhawks.) baseball team of the Pacific Coast League and the owned Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League.{{cite web|url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/734282.html|title=Oklahoma City to Join USL PRO in 2014|date=July 2, 2013|publisher=United Soccer Leagues (USL)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705233032/http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/734282.html|archive-date=July 5, 2013|url-status=dead|access-date=August 16, 2013}} Recently retired Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen was named Energy FC head coach for the inaugural season. Tim McLaughlin, founder of Fields & Futures, joined the club as an ownership partner prior to the start of the 2014 season. Energy FC won their first match away to Orange County Blues FC on April 5 and played their first home match against Orlando City SC on April 26 at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School's Pribil Stadium. The season ended with a 10th place finish – four points short of a playoff spot and averaging 3,702 in attendance for home matches. The club moved to the newly-renovated Taft Stadium for the 2015 season and finished second in the Western Conference, making the playoffs for the first time. Energy FC advanced to the Western Conference Final, where they lost to LA Galaxy II.

For the inaugural (2014) season only, all games were broadcast on KXXY-FM radio with former Oklahoma sports personality Jack Damrill. For the 2016 and 2017 season Energy FC games were on local television on KSBI on Cox Cable Oklahoma channel 7 and simulcasted on Cox digital HD channels 707. Currently the Oklahoma City Energy FC has no radio or television deal in place.

In 2016, the team finished 7th in the Western Conference and advanced to the Western Conference semifinals. Energy FC also advanced to the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after defeating cross-town rival Rayo OKC 2–1 in extra time. That year also saw Energy FC host Club Deportivo Guadalajara in a friendly match played in front of 6,687 fans at Taft Stadium. Energy FC made the playoffs for a third consecutive season in 2017 after finishing 6th in the Western Conference. Back-to-back road wins earned the team a berth in the Conference Final for the second time in three years. Energy FC lost the match to Swope Park Rangers in a penalty shootout that saw both sides attempting 10 shots each, with the deciding goals coming down to each teams' goalkeepers. That year also saw the club host another international friendly, against 2017 Champions League winners CF Pachuca.

Prior to the 2018 season, Steve Cooke was named head coach of the club, a year after serving as interim head coach at MLS side Colorado Rapids. Energy FC narrowly missed the USL Playoffs competing for a spot until the final month of the season. Cooke was succeeded by John Pascarella in 2019. On June 4, 2021, following a winless start to the 2021 USL Championship season, Pascarella and the OKC Energy mutually agreed to part ways.{{cite web |title=ENERGY FC AND JOHN PASCARELLA PART WAYS |url=https://www.energyfc.com/news_article/show/1167820 |website=EnergyFC.com |date=4 June 2021 |access-date=4 June 2021}}

The club is currently not fielding a roster and, having relieved head coach Leigh Veidman,{{Cite web |date=2023-01-30 |title=Battery Announce Complete Coaching Staff for 2023 Season |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/battery-announce-complete-coaching-staff-for-2023-season/n-5919885 |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=OurSports Central |language=en}} have gone on an indefinite hiatus due to a club cited inability to meet league requirements for field conditions.{{Cite web |author=KOCO Staff |date=2022-11-19 |title=OKC Energy FC extend hiatus due to USL's field requirements, team officials announce |url=https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-city-fc-soccer-usl-hiatus-continues-field-requirements/42009000 |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=KOCO |language=en}} Following investment group Echo purchasing the club,{{Cite web |last=Media |first=Griffin |title=Investment Group Brings Soccer Back To OKC With Reimagined Team And Stadium |url=https://www.news9.com/story/66c60d008c172629c901f3bc/investment-group-brings-soccer-back-to-okc-with-reimagined-team-and-stadium |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=www.news9.com |language=en}} and a land donation from the city for a new stadium,{{Cite web |last=Fieldcamp |first=Brett |date=2024-11-20 |title=Land donation for $71M stadium approved by OKC City Council |url=https://freepressokc.com/land-donation-for-71m-stadium-approved-by-okc-city-council/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |language=en-US}} the club plans to return by 2027 with a potential women's side,{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Kylie |date=2024-08-23 |title=Energy FC may have women's team when pro soccer returns to OKC |url=https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-city-energy-fc-rebranding-womens-team/61958363 |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=KOCO |language=en}} following the completion of their new stadium.{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Chamber |title=New stadium and Energy FC revitalization to boost OKC's entertainment scene {{!}} GreaterPLC |url=https://www.greateroklahomacity.com/news/2024/09/10/development/new-stadium-and-energy-fc-revitalization-to-boost-okc-s-entertainment-scene/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=www.greateroklahomacity.com}}

For the 2014 season, home games began being played at Pribil Stadium on the campus of Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School and introduced their team kits and logo.{{cite web|title=OKLAHOMA CITY ENERGY FC|publisher=Oklahoma City Energy FC|date=November 14, 2013|access-date=November 14, 2013|url=http://energyfc.com/en/news-node-1.html}}{{cite web|title=OKC Energy Unveil Name, Colors|publisher=United Soccer Leagues (USL)|date=November 14, 2013|access-date=November 15, 2013|url=http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/home/769852.html}}{{cite web|title=Pro soccer: City's new USL Pro soccer team will be called Energy|publisher=Daily Oklahoman|date=November 14, 2013|access-date=November 15, 2013|url=http://newsok.com/pro-soccer-okcs-new-usl-pro-soccer-team-will-be-called-energy/article/3904801}} In 2015, the club moved to Historic Taft Stadium following extensive renovations made to that facility.{{Cite web|title = KÖNIG'S LATE GOAL LIFTS ENERGY FC PAST SEATTLE|url = http://www.energyfc.com/game-recap/konigs-late-goal-lifts-energy-fc-past-seattle/|website = www.energyfc.com|access-date = 2015-06-29}}

On December 10, 2019, Oklahoma City voters approved MAPS 4, a sales tax extension planned to fund 16 major projects over 8 years. MAPS 4 allocates $37 million towards the construction of a multipurpose stadium that would serve as the new home field for the Energy.{{Cite web |last=City of Oklahoma City |title=RESOLUTION OF INTENT OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OKLAHOMA CITY SETTING FORTH A NEW MAPS PROGRAM TO BE KNOWN AS "MAPS 4" |url=https://www.okc.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/15044/637025198181170000}} After city government's search for a final site and design for the stadium concluded,{{Cite web|url=https://www.city-sentinel.com/arts_and_entertainment/oklahoma-city-mayor-holt-and-maps-program-manager-david-todd-share-maps-4-stadium-ideas/article_1fd6f162-ad7f-5815-8dc7-842f50ab1f3a.html|title = Oklahoma City Mayor Holt and MAPs program manager David Todd share MAPs 4 stadium ideas| date=6 October 2021 }} a location was identified near lower Bricktown where the new Oklahoma City Thunder arena and new transit area is to be built.{{Cite web |last=Media |first=Griffin |title=Land Donation For MAPS 4 Stadium Goes To Oklahoma City Council |url=https://www.news9.com/story/6738268d726050258954f693/land-donation-for-maps-4-stadium-goes-to-oklahoma-city-council |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=www.news9.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Dickerson |first=Brett |date=2024-05-17 |title=Spot chosen in downtown OKC for new Thunder NBA arena |url=https://freepressokc.com/spot-chosen-in-downtown-okc-for-new-thunder-nba-arena/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |language=en-US}} Should the stadium be fully constructed, the 42-acre site's stadium will be able to host 12,300 guests and host both OKC Energy and a potential professional women's soccer team. The plan was approved by city council unanimously on November 19, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Jessie Christopher |title=Echo donates land to OKC for new MAPS 4 soccer stadium |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/local/2024/11/19/land-donated-to-okc-for-new-maps-4-stadium-to-house-energy-fc-soccer/76430056007/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=The Oklahoman |language=en-US}}

OKC Energy have five recognized supporters groups: The Grid,{{cite web|url=http://www.energyfc.com/thegrid/|title=The Grid|work=Energy FC|access-date=July 28, 2016}} La Furia Verde, OKC Breakers, Northend United, and Main St. Greens.{{cite web|title=Energy FC Feeds Off Support in Open Cup Thriller|date = 2 June 2016|url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/655379?referrer_id=2425682}}

OKC Energy's main rivals are FC Tulsa, with both teams being located in Oklahoma. The teams compete in the Black Gold Derby. The supporters group of both teams established a trophy, a 4-foot wrench painted with the colors of each team on either side, which is awarded to the regular season winner of the derby.{{cite news|last1=Czubinski|first1=Grant|title=Black Gold Derby Brings Added Heat in Oklahoma|url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/655664?referrer_id=2333971|access-date=July 28, 2016|work=United Soccer League|date=June 3, 2016}} OKC lead the series against Tulsa in all competitions with a record of 10–8–5 (W-D-L). OKC have secured the wrench four years out of the seven that the rivalry has been in existence, in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019.

The club was formerly associated with FC Dallas of Major League Soccer from 2015 through 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.fcdallas.com/post/2016/01/11/fc-dallas-announces-usl-affiliation-oklahoma-city-energy-fc |title=FC Dallas announces USL affiliation with Oklahoma City Energy FC |publisher=FC Dallas| date=January 11, 2016 |access-date=July 28, 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32800&ATCLID=210626688 |title=Energy FC, FC Dallas Announce New Partnership |publisher=United Soccer League (USL) |date=January 11, 2016 |access-date=July 28, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216165520/http://www.uslsoccer.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32800&ATCLID=210626688 |archive-date=February 16, 2016 }} They were affiliated with Sporting Kansas City from 2014 through 2015.{{cite news |url=http://newsok.com/article/5455041 |title=Sporting Kansas City announces USL team, ends affiliation with Oklahoma City Energy FC|newspaper=The Oklahoman| date=October 21, 2015 |access-date=July 28, 2016}}

Local, family-owned First Fidelity Bank became the inaugural jersey sponsor in 2014.{{cite news|title=OKC Energy FC lands jersey sponsor|url=http://www.socceramerica.com/article/56862/okc-energy-fc-lands-jersey-sponsor.html|work=Soccer America Daily|date=Mar 13, 2014|quote=USL PRO expansion team OKC Energy FC has landed First Fidelity Bank as a founding partner and jersey sponsor for its inaugural season.}}

• Includes USL regular season, USL playoffs, U.S. Open Cup

• Includes USL regular season, USL playoffs, U.S. Open Cup

{{Updated|October 10, 2021}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20141006072958/http://www.prodigal.com/index.html Prodigal, LLC] (archived)

{{Oklahoma City Energy FC}}

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Category:Association football clubs established in 2013

Category:USL Championship teams

Category:Soccer clubs in Oklahoma

Category:Soccer clubs in Oklahoma City

Category:2013 establishments in Oklahoma