OKLAHOMA CITY -- Major League Soccer veteran and Oklahoma City native Chris Taylor has joined the city’s North American Soccer League franchise as a consultant, leading the efforts to reach out to soccer fans and soccer players.

Taylor was a high school and college standout in Oklahoma before being drafted by the MLS, where he played for the Portland Timbers. He was the 22nd pick overall in the 2011 MLS Super Draft and led the 2011 Portland reserve team in minutes played. Taylor played for Portland from 2011 to 2013.

The ongoing legal dispute between the owners and operators of OKC FC and the United Soccer Leagues (USL) may be decided outside of the court room.

According to a document filed July 26 in US District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, “the parties are currently considering whether alternative dispute resolution may provide a solution to their dispute.”

Additionally, sources with knowledge of the situation, who are not authorized to publicly comment, advised Eastword News the dispute is being mediated by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF).

Preparation and due diligence appear to be buzzwords for the people behind Oklahoma City’s USL PRO soccer team.

The people, also known as Prodigal LLC, have been making preparations for the upcoming 2014 USL PRO season since the franchise was formally announced on July 2 in a press conference at the Devon Tower.

Plans are underway to build a riverfront soccer-specific stadium in Downtown Oklahoma City, multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation have confirmed to Eastword News. Sources have advised Eastword News that the stadium will be built by the owners and operators of local soccer team, Oklahoma City FC (OKC FC), and other partners as part of a bid to bring the North American Soccer League (NASL) to Oklahoma City.

Please note that the unnamed sources who spoke to Eastword News for this article did so on the on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to publicly comment on the situation. 

Sources said the downtown stadium will have a capacity in the range of 9,000-14,000 seats and be part of a larger complex. The complex will include 10 youth soccer fields and team practice facilities, our sources added. Further, sources indicate that the site the group has in mind will be close to Oklahoma City’s future Downtown Public Park that is part of the 2009 MAPS 3 initiative.

It was goals, goals, goals as Oklahoma City FC (OKC FC) claimed a 5-0 victory over the Houston Dutch Lions tonight at Oklahoma City University’s Stars Field. The game, before a crowd of 1,191 supporters, marked the season finale for both clubs.

Although the team fell just shy of a playoff berth in its debut season (due to a victory by the Laredo Heat on July 18), the squad played an up tempo style of attacking soccer.

A long distance strike by Anita Pedford in the 65th minute was the difference as the Fort Worth Panthers claimed victory over Oklahoma City FC on July 13 at Stars Field on the campus of Oklahoma City University.

With the loss, OKC FC dropped to a record of 4-5.

It all comes down to this for the Oklahoma City Football Club (OKC FC) men’s team in their regular season finale against Houston Dutch Lions at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 20 at Stars Field on the campus of Oklahoma City University.

The team must win their final home game to make the playoffs in their debut season.

Prodigal LLC, the ownership group of the Oklahoma City Barons announced June 2 that they will operate a USL (United Soccer League) PRO soccer franchise that will begin play in 2014.

“We are thrilled about the addition of Oklahoma City for the 2014 season and as our 15th franchise member,” USL President Tim Holt said.