Camryn Lancaster (center) is a cornerstone of Dallas Trinity FC.
Mike Brooks
North Texas has seen one owner run multiple local pro sports franchises before. Tom Hicks, perhaps infamously, owned both the Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars for years as the ‘90s rolled into the current millennium. But it’s even more rare to see one owner for two pro teams playing the same sport around these parts.
That’s what USL Dallas is up to these days after the group that already owns the nascent Atletico Dallas bought Dallas Trinity FC, the women’s team that has played at the Cotton Bowl since 2024. Atletico’s founder and chairman, Matt Valentine, explained that the dual-ownership arrangement had been discussed early in 2026, but it took some time for things to start coming together.
“In May [Trinity FC] was at a valuation and structure that made a lot of sense for us,” he said. “So we jumped at the chance.” Running both clubs together, he explained, allows the organization to cut overlapping costs and build shared marketing muscle.
But Atletico’s senior team hasn’t started competing yet. That’ll happen in early 2027 when the club finally begins playing in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship, the second tier of the American soccer league system. (Major League Soccer is the top tier.)
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On the women’s side, Trinity is further along in its history, having just started its third season. Valentine was candid that the club — and the USL Super League it competes in — still has a long way to go in terms of commercial power and awareness compared to the more established National Women’s Soccer League.
“We’re still getting our legs. The league is still getting its legs under it,” he said, noting Trinity FC has reached the playoff semifinals in both of its seasons, although that hasn’t yet translated that success into a crowded Cotton Bowl. So, for a team and a league without a massive television contract or marquee names, the club’s request is simple: if you’re a soccer fan, show up.
“If you want to have a women’s professional sports team thrive in Dallas without buying tickets, it can’t last,” Valentine said.
The men’s club, even without playing any matches yet, made a major splash with the signing of Mexican soccer legend Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, announced just after the wildly popular World Cup ended in July. The addition was official in March, but Valentine said the announcement was timed to capitalize on Hernandez’s broadcasting role with Fox during the World Cup.
“His agent really [pushed] us to hold off and thought his profile would be even bigger after the World Cup, which it was,” Valentine said.
The announcement immediately caught fire and generated roughly 3.5 billion media impressions within days, according to Valentine. Hernandez has starred for some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Manchester United, scoring over 150 goals in a 20-year club career that has taken him from Mexico to England, Germany and America. Also, thanks to more than 50 goals for the Mexico National Men’s Team, he’s nothing short of a soccer god to millions of fans.
🚨🇲🇽 EXCL: Javier Chicharito Hernández has agreed to join Atlético Dallas, first signing ever for new USL Championship side.
Chicharito will start playing from 2027 but will be contributing to the project immediately.
38 year old striker, set for new chapter. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/NfAk5ULpU0
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 27, 2026
Beyond the impressive marketing numbers, though, he framed the signing as part of a broader strategy to lean into North Texas’ Hispanic soccer community. Like Dallas Trinity FC, Atletico will play its home games at the Cotton Bowl in Fair Park, bringing regularly scheduled men’s soccer to the classic stadium for the first time since 2005, when the Dallas Burn became FC Dallas in Frisco.
Affordability is a top concern when it comes to attending sporting events these days. Some of the biggest headlines of the World Cup involved the astronomical ticket prices, higher-than-normal concession prices and outrageous hotel rates. Going to a Dallas Cowboys game? That’ll cost as much, or more in some cases, than a ticket to the game might. Valentine is hoping that is where Atletico and Trinity FC can find a way into the hearts and wallets of local sports fans.
Valentine said average tickets run between $25 and $28, with entry as low as $18, through a provider that charges no added fees. Team jerseys sell for $95 — the same jersey players wear, not a replica — compared to around $160 for an MLS authentic jersey. Parking has been reduced to under $15, and concession prices at the Cotton Bowl have dropped by roughly 45% after pressure from the club.
The teams hope that a good value and a competitive product on the field will increase awareness and lead to a sustainable run for years to come. Valentine said he regularly meets people living in the so-called “635 loop,” who aren’t even familiar with FC Dallas, let alone Dallas Trinity FC or Atletico Dallas. He’s worked up something of an elevator pitch to try and clarify things in a pinch, which isn’t easy when you start trying to explain multiple levels of professional soccer in the U.S.
The team chairman enjoyed the World Cup over the summer like so many others, and he was certainly encouraged by the buzz signing Chicharito generated, but he’s not worried about capitalizing on next year’s women’s World Cup in Brazil to gin up interest in Trinity FC. He’s looking ahead to 2031, when the women’s tournament will be in the United States. That’s a good sign for anyone wondering if Valentine’s teams are here to stay.
“I feel like I’ve got four years to get strong footing underneath us to capitalize on that moment,” he said. “And that’s really, to me, what will catapult this and just the league in general across the national landscape. You know, the ‘27 [women’s] World Cup definitely will give us a bump and it will create more casual fans; then there’s having the World Cup in your home country. I’m really looking to that as a big benchmark for us.”