The club announced a tie up with a newly formed USL2 team yesterday. Anyone (Scotty maybe?) got any insight to the team, their league and what it may mean for us?

ICTFC

Caley Thistle Go Global with Landmark US Affiliation - ICTFC

Inverness Caledonian Thistle are delighted to announce a new commercial international affiliation with USL League Two side Lorain County Leviathan, marking an exciting step in growing the club’s globa

Yeah I commented on this on Facebook.

I really don't see what's in it for ICT. Good luck to them and all that, and maybe some time down the line there's something to be had from it, but the article makes the connection sound pretty significant with US wide recognition coming because of this. There is probably more brand recognition in myself and @luvgravy wearing our ICT tops to a Toronto FC game so I have to say our former CEO or one time potential phygital chairman back then would be mighty proud of the verbage and spin.

These were my facebook comments (which someone in their supporters didnt seem to like ;))

Club formed in late 2025. Playing debut season in USL2 in 2026 (May-Jul) which is semi-amateur. Playing in a 5000 seat baseball stadium. And literally zero coverage of USL1 let alone 2 outside of US local markets. Don’t see what’s in it for us.

then ...

Don't take it personally. This is more about the article than your team. Everyone has to start somewhere (we are only 33 years old ourselves) and our supporters are very welcoming and will no doubt wish you well.

However, an affiliation with a USL2 team (any USL2 team) is not going to give the club the USA wide brand promotion they hope for in the article. Almost certainly, anyone reading this article likely had to google 'Lorain County' and 'USL2' and only a small portion might be able to list Columbus and Cincinnati if asked about teams from Ohio. I live in Toronto and even when Canadian teams were in USL we heard virtually nothing about it. Anything football related in the press in North America is MLS and even the MLS stuff is 80% LA/Miami then everyone else.

I will however take an interest in the Lorain County Leviathan now as the name is pretty unique and is up there with my previous favourite ... the Rochester Raging Rhinos.

Bottom line is that USL2 is tier 4 (of 5) in the US pyramid and these 2 graphics kind of explain it. Click image to make them bigger. No-one outside of the local base for each team hears of them unless they perhaps do something in the US Open Cup (equivalent of Scottish Cup) where you might hear the name if one of these teams did a giant killing act. Sacramento Republic are the closest thing to an upset and that team reached the Open Cup Final in 2022 with Nick Ross taking part (came on as 88th minute sub) as Orlando beat them 3-0. Sacramento were tier 2 of the pyramid ....

Maybe another kite by AS (can’t think anyone else from the club with the range of contacts), with the off chance we get some kids with potential to pop over when the US season finishes; (must admit I have no idea when that is), with the set conditions that these players get game time in real matches! On the premise we are capable of staying in the Championship that would mean potentially not having our strongest team out on the park (say against Partick). Much like the Robertson over McIntyre argument, I’m not sure this would sit well with our young ICT youth players or the fans.

From a commercial viewpoint there is insufficient (or no) detail to see how this could materialise into a cost effect operation. I respect the decision to try new ventures (given the club has tried and exhausted every local or home based approach), however would any club money invested be value for money? It just needs to be ‘structured’ that any investment does not repeat past (Gardiner like) errors.

If it’s (as mooted in P&B) it’s a World Cup jolly for AS, CC, Kells and Billy then fine, call it that for getting promoted. Otherwise provide more detail!

Tuppence worth.

Edited March 19Mar 19 by big cherly

2 hours ago, big cherly said:

the off chance we get some kids with potential to pop over when the US season finishes;

The season apparently runs May-July with playoffs in July and August. I dont know much about USL2 but reading online its mainly college kids and college coaches. The team had open tryouts in December (https://loraincountyleviathanfc.com/2026-team-tryouts) and a wikipedia page does list a squad but no-one on the squad has their own wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorain_County_Leviathan_FC

I highly suspect no-one on that squad other than the two marked as English would be eligible to get a work permit. Certainly not through football at least.

2 hours ago, big cherly said:

If it’s (as mooted in P&B) it’s a World Cup jolly for AS, CC, Kells and Billy then fine, call it that for getting promoted. Otherwise provide more detail!

A hell of a way to go for a World Cup jolly - and quite far from any World Cup stadia. Its a 2-hour flight to Boston and a 1-hour international flight to Toronto for the closest World Cup stadia.

Flight prices do seem to have settled down now though ... anything around June 11-30 was showing up 4 or 5 times the normal for a while but now seems to have settled down to 2-3 times the normal. Apparently accommodation in Boston is through the roof though!