Hall Call Ep 010 - Rob Ukrop 09 - 25 - 19 by Hall Call published on 2019-09-25T15:49:26Z Since the 1994 World Cup, soccer has seen an unprecedented level of growth here in the United States. One of the longest continuously run professional soccer franchises in the country, happens to pre-date that ’94 World Cup, while also calling the Commonwealth home. The Richmond Kickers founded in 1993 have undergone many changes over the last 26 years, but the most recent one may be the most important. 2016 Virginia Sports Hall of Fame inductee and Richmond Kickers alum, Rob Ukrop, spearheaded an effort in 2018 to take ownership of the franchise with his group 22 Holdings LLC. Ukrop and 22 Holdings were approved as the new owners in December of 2018 with the goal of restoring a winning tradition to the Kickers. Ukrop, a Richmond native, joined the Hall Call Podcast to talk about his transition from player to executive, the role the Kickers will play in Richmond’s sports identity, and how all levels of professional soccer can help the U.S. build towards the 2026 North American World Cup.
