By now you have probably noticed that FC Cincinnati will be joining the USL in 2016 (and no, my kids did not design the crest). The team will occupy a place in the Eastern Conference and as such, some shuffling will ensue.

According to a story in the Courier-Journal in Louisville, a new affiliate of Sporting Kansas City is in the offing, and they will be joined in the Western Conference by the recently-announced Rio Grande Valley FC as well as Saint Louis FC, currently in the East. The league has also said that the 2016 schedule will include 30 regular season games.

All of this adds up to what looks to be a 15-team Western Conference for the Republic to compete in, including at the very least, home/home dates with clubs in RGV, Saint Louis, and Kansas City. Speculation on the actual nature of the schedule is little more than good fun at this point, but following the precedents set forth in the 2015 conference format, the above situation looks likely.

Thoughts on FC Cincinnati, the conference setup, road trips to Missouri? Let us know.