Denton Diablos Officially join the NPSL and Lone Star Conference
DENTON, TX – The Diablos are preparing to burn through Texas soccer fields when the elite minor league soccer club in Denton begins competition next summer.
Bolstered by a pair of passionate soccer-first investors, the Diablos will compete in the National Premier Soccer League’s Lone Star Conference beginning in May 2019.
The Denton Diablos FC will play home matches at UNT’s Soccer Stadium. The Diablos official launch party is schedule for 6 p.m. Thursday September 13 at LSA Burger Company (113 W. Hickory Street, Denton, Texas 76201).
The Diablos encompass a 50/50 partnership between Aspiro Agency, a Denton-based digital marketing agency owned by Damon Gochneaur and Playbook Management International, a Frisco-based sports management company owned by Michael Hitchcock.
“While we certainly have high expectations regarding the quality of our play and the results on the pitch, we understand that building a club the right way, one that’s a part of the fabric of the community, takes time,” Gochneaur added. “So while we’re absolutely committed to the pursuit of all the goals we have laid out for the club, from selling out home games, to winning the conference, to making deep runs in the U.S. Open Cup, we understand winning is a process, and we’ve only just begun that process.”
NPSL chairman Joe Barone has seen the Lone Star Conference grow to one of the largest in the league in the past two seasons with teams across Texas and Louisiana.
“It is very exciting to see the Lone Star Conference continue to grow with Denton Diablos FC,” Barone said. “Texas is a true hotbed of American soccer and we are extremely happy for the NPSL to have a stronger presence there.”
More information about the club can be found at www.dentondiablos.com or by following the club on Facebook(@DentonDiablosFC), Instagram (@dentondiablosfc), and Twitter (@dentondiablos). Season Seats and official Diablos gear now on sale at www.dentondiablos.com.
ABOUT DAMON GOCHNEAUR – A 2003 graduate of the University of North Texas, Gochneaur has spent nearly his entire life working and living in Denton County, with a rich and deep history of playing, coaching, and supporting the sport of soccer the entire time. Gochneaur grew up playing the game in Lewisville, TX before graduating to the Dallas Classic League and playing for the Dallas Texans and the Dallas Comets. He captained both his high school soccer team at Flower Mound Marcus as well as the Dallas Comets, while achieving significant team and personal success, both on and off the pitch. Gochneaur played two years of collegiate soccer at Missouri Valley College until injury changed his soccer fortunes and brought him back to Denton to finish his studies at UNT. He is excited to bring the NPSL to Denton, Texas and help grow the game that he loves and give back to the game which has given him so much already.
ABOUT MICHAEL HITCHCOCK – Hitchcock started his journey in soccer management 22 years ago with D.C. United. He spent 13 years in Major League Soccer (MLS), including stops in Los Angeles as Vice President for LA Galaxy and President/General Manager for FC Dallas and Pizza Hut Park. Hitchcock left MLS nine years ago and launched Playbook Management International (PMI), a sports management company that works with hand-selected clients in the U.S. and around the world. He is passionate about the game of soccer, the business of soccer, and the impact that clubs can have in their local communities. Through PMI, Hitch has ownership interest in Alfreton Town FC (National League in the UK), Tobago FC Phoenix (Trinidad & Tobago), Napa Valley 1839 FC (NPSL), Fort Worth Vaqueros FC(NPSL), and Professional Futsal League (PFL).
ABOUT THE NPSL –The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is the largest established men’s soccer league in the United States with 98 teams competing across the country in 2018. The NPSL is a successor to the Men’s Premier Soccer League (MPSL), which was formed in 2002. The NPSL is a member league of the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) and sanctioned by U.S. Soccer, the governing body of soccer in all its forms in the United States. The NPSL’s cooperative and turnkey ownership platform has led to its explosive growth, countless player development opportunities, and commitment to grow the game in the United States. For more information about the NPSL, please visit npsl.com.
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