Tri-Cities Otters

{{Short description|Defunct amateur soccer team based in Johnson City, Tennessee}}

{{Infobox football club

| clubname = Tri-Cities Otters

| image = Tri-Cities Otters logo.png

| upright = 0.8

| caption =

| fullname = Tri-Cities Football Club

| nickname = Otters

| founded = {{start date and age|2016|6|28}}

| dissolved = {{start date and age|2022|12|12}}

| stadium = TVA Credit Union Ballpark
Johnson City, Tennessee

| capacity =

| coordinates =

| owntitle = Owner

| owner = Otter Soccer, LLC

| chrtitle =

| chairman =

| mgrtitle = Head Coach

| manager = David Strickland

| league = USL League Two

| season = 2022

| position = 4th, South Central Division
Playoffs: DNQ

| website = http://www.ottersoccer.com/

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The Tri-Cities Otters were an amateur American soccer club based in Johnson City, Tennessee who most recently competed in the USL League Two in 2022.[https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/page/show/4731477-tri-cities-otters Tri-Cities Otters] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202153843/https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/page/show/4731477-tri-cities-otters |date=2019-02-02 }} at www.uslleaguetwo.com{{cite web |url=http://www.uslleaguetwo.com/news_article/show/604965 |title=PDL Announces Addition of Tri-Cities FC for 2016 Season |publisher=Premier Development League (PDL) |date=January 28, 2016 |access-date=January 28, 2016 |archive-date=March 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322193952/https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/news_article/show/604965 |url-status=live }}

History

Founded in 2016, the team represented the Tri-Cities Area communities in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

As of the conclusion of the 2022 USL League Two season, the club failed to qualify for the USL League Two playoffs for the 6 years they participated in the USL.{{Cite web |title=Standings - 2022 Regular Season - South Central Division |url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/standings/show/6955520?subseason=800197 |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=www.uslleaguetwo.com |archive-date=2023-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205114553/https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/standings/show/6955520?subseason=800197 |url-status=live }}

= Hiatus (2022–present) =

On December 12, 2022, the team shared a statement to their social media accounts that "it is in the organization's best interest that we take the next year off from fielding a team". The club cited financial difficulties and the need for further planning prior to restarting. The same statement indicated that the club hoped to be active in time for the 2024 USL League Two season.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-12 |title=Otter Soccer to take year off after financial struggles |url=https://www.wjhl.com/sports/local-sports/otter-soccer-to-take-year-off-after-financial-struggles/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=WJHL {{!}} Tri-Cities News & Weather |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-12-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222170353/https://www.wjhl.com/sports/local-sports/otter-soccer-to-take-year-off-after-financial-struggles/ |url-status=live }}

On February 13, 2024, USL League Two announced the 128 teams participating in the 2024 season, confirming that Tri-Cities would not rejoin the league and would remain inactive for a second consecutive season.{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=USLLeagueTwo com |date=2024-02-13 |title=USL League Two Announces 2024 Divisional Alignment |url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/news_article/show/1300055-usl-league-two-announces-2024-divisional-alignment |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=USL League Two |language=en-us |archive-date=2024-02-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240213212558/https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/news_article/show/1300055-usl-league-two-announces-2024-divisional-alignment |url-status=live }}

Tri-Cities did not participate in the 2025 USL League Two season.{{Cite web |title=USL League Two Teams |url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/league-teams |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=www.uslleaguetwo.com |language=en-us}}