Vamos Lexington: A fun night in full kit with Lexington Sporting Club

Looking in the full-length mirror, I realized why my wife encouraged me to change clothes before going in public. We were heading out to watch Lexington SC, the new professional soccer club in town, and I was dressed like I was about to take the pitch as the team’s new chubby, out-of-shape midfielder.

I had on the official Lexington SC black jersey gifted to the KSR crew at our remote show at the new stadium back in February, matching black shorts, a Lexington SC scarf draped around my neck, my long hair slicked back, and a Lexington SC quarter-zip in hand in case I got chilly. To her point, I, a soon-to-be 40-year-old man, had on the entire Lexington Sporting Club kit for our Saturday date night. So, I changed the shorts and threw on a Kentucky hat to tone down the identity theft.

Vamos Lexington! #LexGo pic.twitter.com/sUZHy1LL9M

— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) May 24, 2025

Then, we made the short trip to the Athens-Boonesboro exit off I-75 for Lexington Sporting Club vs. the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Memorial Day weekend, part of the USL Championship league.

Let me tell you all about it and why I will soon be back for more.

The new stadium is really impressive and fun for the whole family

Lexington SC’s brand new, 7,500-seat stadium is a state-of-the-art venue unlike anything the area has ever seen. Designed specifically for soccer, Lexington SC Stadium features the club’s green and black colorway throughout the facility, video boards on each end, an Endline Club for VIPs, a merchandise store, training areas for the men’s and women’s teams, and plenty of fun surrounding the pitch, including food trucks, play areas for kids, cornhole boards, a concert stage, and a small barn where fans can pet the club’s two tiny mascots, Thunder and Lightning.

I don’t have a kid–I only wait in line at the petting zoo with them–but I noticed that the Lexington SC experience is very kid-friendly. In fact, they were everywhere. You should consider a match for your next family outing. It’s affordable, and dads can enjoy a sporting event (perhaps with a cold beer) while the young ones stay entertained. Or, make it a date night. We enjoyed ours.

Cheap beer, cheap hot dogs

To be completely honest here, the $1.50 beer night promotion lured me in. I’d been trying to attend a match for a long time, but admittedly, it took cheap beer, great weather, and a free Saturday night to finally do it.

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For those who partake, there were 16-ounce domestics (Coors Light and Miller Light) for $1.50 or a special on 12-ounce drafts of West Sixth Brewing’s Stadium Ale, the official craft beer of Lexington SC, for only $3.00. As a craft beer enthusiast, I went the Stadium Ale route and found that those things are delicious, maybe even too delicious. They’re also available in Lexington SC-branded cans at all matches.

Adding to the budget-friendly date, hot dogs were only three bucks, too. A craft beer and hot dog combo for six U.S. dollars? I’ll take two of each, please.

Vamos Lexington!

Lexington SC’s most loyal supporters, known as The Railbirds, bring the energy to the stadium, beginning with a pregame “March To The Match.” Once the action starts, Lexington’s hooligans sit in the end zone, leading chants of “LSC!” and “Vamos Lexington!” over the beating of drums from the crowd. The Railbirds also set off green smoke from the stands when the home team scores a goal, a tradition seen across professional soccer.

Another familiar soccer tradition: each team is escorted onto the pitch by little kids in the pregame ceremony. Every player on both sides held hands with a young child for their walk into the stadium, each child wearing the Lexington SC jersey. It was at this moment in the night when my wife seized the opportunity to joke about my outfit. Even worse for me, Lexington SC wore its black jersey with black shorts.

Lexington scored first in a 1-1 draw

As for the actual match, Lexington and Tampa were two teams needing a win, each in last place in their respective conferences, with one win apiece in 10 matches played. Lexington struck first on Saturday, scoring in the 31st minute to go up 1-0, conveniently while I was in the restroom. It sounded exciting, though. The green smoke was still billowing in the air when I got back to my seat.

Forster Aja-GOAL! 😎🔥#USLChampionship #LEXvTBR #LexGo pic.twitter.com/omdBYZkr2n

— Lexington Sporting Club Men (@LexSCmen) May 24, 2025

The visiting Rowdies would tie it up in the second half, capitalizing on a corner kick in the 62nd minute to even the score. Lexington nearly added a go-ahead goal late when a shot attempt clanked off the right goalpost in front of the Railbirds, but the score remained at 1-1 until the end, awarding each team one point in the standings.

Still, the night was a win overall. I’ll be back for another one this summer, likely the Commonwealth Cup vs. Louisville FC in July, if not sooner:

• Saturday, June 14 – vs. New Mexico United
• Friday, June 20 – vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC ($1.50 Beer Night)
• Saturday, July 26 – vs. Louisville City FC (Commonwealth Cup)
• Saturday, August 9 – vs. Phoenix Rising FC

Learn more about Lexington Sporting here. Maybe I’ll see you at the next one. Vamos Lexington.