You are unique among American cities in that you are in a constant self-imposed state of juxtaposition. You are, arguably, the northernmost Southern city. You are the borderland of seersucker and steel. Your neighborhoods include Irish Hill and Germantown, yet you are named for a decapitated Frenchman. And when it comes to sports you are the flickering red to blue of a 50’s horror flick. You, Louisville, are drunk.

So how do you do it? How do you keep yourself from constantly tearing at the seams? Well, yes, the bourbon probably helps quite a bit; probably a lot, actually. You know what, forget we asked. It was a dumb question so let’s move on.

With so much juxtaposition and contradiction, how do we come together as a city? The short answer is sports. And we’re not talking about Cards and Cats. That’s our own private little war. No, we’re talking about a sporting event that bring us all together and showcases our city’s inherent greatness. It’s an event that’s broadcast around the country and streamed internationally. That’s correct! We’re talking about the USL Cup championship.

USL Cup 2017

Supporters storm the pitch after Lou City’s 2017 USL Cup victory.

For the second year in a row our city has been graced with hosting duties for the USL Cup. Last year on a brisk Monday night in November the Boys in Purple brought home the silver and earned their gold star. Louisvillians came out in droves to watch the titanic struggle. We’d like to think Louisville City FC soccer is such a unifying force in the city because it meets the key requisites. Firstly, and most importantly, alcohol is served at the matches. Secondly, you can tailgate. And finally, it is legal and acceptable to scream at referees. Combine those things with the fact that it’s neutral ground in local sporting terms, and you have the ultimate recipe for success.

So what is one to do this Thursday night? Louisville is a notoriously fickle city when it comes to entertainment. Weather, performance, and competing events are consistent factors in producing low turnout. But Thursday is special. Thursday is a chance to see a Louisville professional sports franchise compete for back-to-back league championships. Thursday is the chance to put aside all of our differences and disagreements, and come together For The City. Thursday is the chance to tailgate, drink bourbon, and scream at referees.

So maybe you were thinking of going to the basketball game. Or maybe you were leaning towards going to Churchill Downs to throw some money away on the races. Well, come throw your money on us instead. Strike that, we just had a really bad visualization…. Come spend your money on beer, bourbon, and The City. The Boys in Purple need your voice. The USL Cup is on the line, and the only thing we want to juxtapose is our glory with the opponent’s misery. See you at Lynn Stadium.

USL Cup Championship
Thursday, November 8th – 8:00 PM
Lynn Stadium on the campus of the University of Louisville
Louisville City FC v Phoenix Rising FC