Sacramento Republic FC’s new president and general manager takes charge ahead of Opening Night
ALL RIGHT. IT IS OPENING WEEK ON THE PITCH FOR SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC. THE CLUB PLAYED ITS FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON AT HEART HEALTH PARK THIS SATURDAY AGAINST FC TULSA. LOTS OF EXCITEMENT FOR THE CLUB. THEY HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER HEADING INTO THE SEASON. HE’S JOINING US HERE TODAY, TIM HOLTZ. OF COURSE IN STUDIO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. MY PLEASURE. HOW’S THE FIRST WEEK ON THE JOB? IT’S BEEN A WHIRLWIND, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE. FIRST OFFICIAL WEEK THIS WEEK. AND IT HAPPENS TO BE OPENING WEEK OF THE SEASON. OUR HOME OPENER, WHICH IS ALWAYS EXCITING. AND FOR A SOCCER TEAM, WE’VE SOLD OUT THE LAST SIX AND WE’RE AIMING TO DO THAT AGAIN AT HEART HEALTH PARK ON SATURDAY NIGHT. YEAH, THE FANS ARE ALWAYS GREAT OUT HERE FOR TURNING OUT. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE SEASON OPENER BECAUSE IT IS COMING UP AGAINST TULSA. GOT A RELATIVELY NEW SQUAD AS WELL THOUGH FOR REPUBLIC. WELL TULSA WILL BE A TOUGH OPPONENT. THEY WERE THE WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS LAST YEAR AND SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FINISHED SEASON WITH THE TWO BEST TEAMS IN THE CONFERENCE FROM LAST YEAR. IT WILL BE A TOUGH GAME. THE ROSTER IS NEIL COLLINS, OUR HEAD COACH. HIS SECOND SEASON, BUT HIS FIRST FULL OFFSEASON TO SORT OF RESHAPE THE ROSTER. SO A LOT OF RETURNING PLAYERS, FAMILIAR FACES AND WE’VE ADDED ABOUT A DOZEN NEW PLAYERS WITH EXPERIENCE AT MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER, AND ONE THAT EVEN PLAYED IN THE LAST WORLD CUP. YEAH. I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU, JUST WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THE MIX OF THE NEW GUYS COMING IN? WELL, I THINK IT’S A GOOD BLEND OF VETERANS AND YOUNG, EXCITING PLAYERS. WE HAVE THREE HOMEGROWN PLAYERS, IF YOU WILL, THAT ARE TEENAGE PROS IN OUR ACADEMY THAT ARE PART OF THE ROSTER. AND AGAIN, WE HAVE PLAYERS THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE RECENTLY PLAYED IN A WORLD CUP AND WON MLS CUP AND PLAYED IN THE LEAGUE FOR A LONG TIME. SO I THINK IT’S A GOOD BLEND. IT’S A MUCH MORE, I THINK, DYNAMIC GROUP ON THE ATTACKING SIDE OF THE BALL AND LAST YEAR WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN ONE OF THE BEST DEFENSIVE GROUPS IN THE USL. I THINK IT’S REALLY INTERESTING THAT THE U.S. OPEN CUP IS ALSO JUST ON THE HORIZON AS WELL. SO YOU GET THESE TWO BIG MATCHUPS, JUST MILESTONE MATCHUPS COMING ONE AFTER THE OTHER, SEEMINGLY. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU ALSO PREPARE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, JUST NOT FAR REMOVED FROM THE SEASON OPENER. NO, I MEAN THIS LOOK, THIS CLUB HAS A GREAT HISTORY IN THE OPEN CUP, PLAYED IN AN OPEN CUP FINAL. THE ONLY USL TEAM TO DO THAT OVER THE LAST DECADE. SO IT’S A COMPETITION THAT WE TAKE SERIOUSLY, JUST LIKE WE TAKE THE LEAGUE SERIOUSLY. WE HAVE A DEEP ROSTER WHICH ALLOWS US TO ATTACK BOTH. WE PLAY A LOWER DIVISION CLUB IN THE FIRST ROUND, AS YOU SAY, IN ABOUT TWO AND A HALF WEEKS. REALLY, WE JUST TAKE IT ONE WEEK AT A TIME. SO WE’RE FOCUSED ON SATURDAY AGAINST TULSA, AND THEN WE’LL SHIFT THE FOCUS TO GOING TO LEXINGTON AND THEN PREPARE FOR OUR CUP COMPETITION. I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE NEW STADIUM. YOU KNOW, THINKING AHEAD TO THAT. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US JUST A LITTLE BIT? ANY UPDATES, IF ANY, ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE NEW HOME? YEAH. WELL, THINGS ARE MOVING. I THINK THAT’S ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS ABOUT THE FUTURE. THE PRESENT IS REALLY BRIGHT, BUT THE FUTURE OF THE CLUB IS EVEN BRIGHTER, IF THAT’S POSSIBLE. AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING A DOWNTOWN STADIUM THAT YOU CAN CALL YOUR OWN, THAT’S PURPOSE BUILT FOR SOCCER WILL BE A GAME CHANGER FOR US. AND IT MAKES EVERYTHING POSSIBLE IN THE FUTURE. TIM, WHEN WE WERE TALKING IN THE COMMERCIAL BREAK, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE WITH REPUBLIC PRIOR YEARS AGO, SO YOU KIND OF COME FULL CIRCLE. HOW HAVE THINGS CHANGED OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME? WELL, AS YOU JUST MENTIONED, I HAPPEN TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF USL IN 2014 WHEN THIS TEAM LAUNCHED, I WAS AT THE INTRODUCTORY ANNOUNCEMENT, THE FIRST EVER GAME AT HUGHES FIELD, 20,000 PEOPLE, AND THEN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. THEN IT’S GROWN BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS. I CAN’T THINK OF A CLUB THAT HAD A BETTER FIRST SEASON IN TERMS OF LAUNCH, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT’S PUT IT IN GREAT SHAPE. BUT THE LEADERS AND THE OWNERSHIP GROUP THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW HAVE TAKEN THIS CLUB FORWARD TO THE POINT WHERE IT’S SO MUCH IT’S IN SO MUCH BETTER POSITION FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE SUCCESS THAN IT’S EVER BEEN BEFORE. I’M JUST I’M HAPPY TO BE A PART OF IT. ABSOLUTELY. REAL QUICK, I KNOW THE DIEHARDS KNOW HOW TO GET TICKETS, BUT FOR ANYBODY WHO’S BEEN MAYBE A CASUAL FAN AND THEY WANT TO GET THEIR HANDS ON SOME TICKETS, WHERE SHOULD THEY GO? SIMPLE. SAC REPUBLIC FC.COM. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, SIX STRAIGHT HOME OPENER SELLOUTS AND I THINK WE’LL GET THERE BY SATURDAY NIGHT. SO IT’S GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT. I WOULDN’T I WOULDN’T HESITATE TO TO GET ON THERE AND SECURE THE TICKETS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. GREAT TO MEET YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ON IN. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANKS AGAIN. SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC IS OPENING NIGHT THIS SATURDAY AT 7 P.M. AT HEART HEALTH PARK. AGAIN, THEY’RE TAKING ON FC TULSA AND AGAIN, CHECK OUT THE
Sacramento Republic FC’s new president and general manager takes charge ahead of Opening Night
Updated: 6:22 PM PST Mar 4, 2026
Sacramento Republic FC this week introduced Tim Holt as its new president and general manager. Holt brings 25 years of executive experience to the club. He previously served as president of the United Soccer League when Sacramento first joined the league, and then joined Major League Soccer as the vice president of development for Orlando City SC. He also served as the managing director for San Antonio FC.The Republic FC is undergoing a season full of change, with a new front office and new players, while working to build a new downtown stadium. Holt joined the KCRA 3 News at Noon on Wednesday to talk about the upcoming season. The Republic FC takes on FC Tulsa on Saturday at Cal Expo’s Heart Health Park. Holt said his first official week on the job has been “a whirlwind.” Speaking about Saturday’s match, Holt said he expected a tough contest against last year’s Western Conference champions. The Republic FC finished second in its conference. There are about a dozen new players on the roster who coach Neill Collins has added during his first full off-season with the club. Some of those have Major League Soccer experience, while one has competed in a World Cup. “I think it’s a good blend of veterans and young, exciting players,” he said. “It’s a much more, I think, dynamic group on the attacking side of the ball. And last year we continued to maintain one of the best defensive groups in the entire USL.” See more in the video above. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Sacramento Republic FC this week introduced Tim Holt as its new president and general manager.
Holt brings 25 years of executive experience to the club. He previously served as president of the United Soccer League when Sacramento first joined the league, and then joined Major League Soccer as the vice president of development for Orlando City SC. He also served as the managing director for San Antonio FC.
The Republic FC is undergoing a season full of change, with a new front office and new players, while working to build a new downtown stadium.
Holt joined the KCRA 3 News at Noon on Wednesday to talk about the upcoming season. The Republic FC takes on FC Tulsa on Saturday at Cal Expo’s Heart Health Park.
Holt said his first official week on the job has been “a whirlwind.”
Speaking about Saturday’s match, Holt said he expected a tough contest against last year’s Western Conference champions. The Republic FC finished second in its conference.
There are about a dozen new players on the roster who coach Neill Collins has added during his first full off-season with the club. Some of those have Major League Soccer experience, while one has competed in a World Cup.
“I think it’s a good blend of veterans and young, exciting players,” he said. “It’s a much more, I think, dynamic group on the attacking side of the ball. And last year we continued to maintain one of the best defensive groups in the entire USL.”
See more in the video above.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel