FOR SACRAMENTO, IT WAS NEVER A MATTER OF IF, BUT WHEN. >> WHEN IS TODAY. MICHELLE MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER ANNOUNCING REPUBLIC FC AS THE LEAGUE’S 29TH FRANCHISE. IT’S WELL-DESERVED FOR THE CITY, THE FANS AND THE CLUB AND WE WANT TO SHOUT IT FROM THE MOUNTAINTOPS. MICHELLE: IT HAS BEEN AN UPHILL BATTLE FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING. >> A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE SAID WHY DON’T I JUST HANG IT UP. I WAS NOT GOING TO DO THAT. IF THEY WERE GOING TO HAND IT TO SACRAMENTO, IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. MICHELLE: A SET THEIR SIGHTS ON JOINING BUT WAS PASSED OVER BY THE LEAGUE IS A FAVORED SEVERAL OTHER CITIES. >> THE PROCESS OF THE LAST FOUR TO FIVE YEARS WAS DIFFICULT. IT WAS THE ONLY TIME IN THE HISTORY OF OUR EXPANSION PROCESS OF 2019 THAT WE EVER HAD SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD. SOME OF THAT WAS UNIQUENESS AND MASSIVE UNDERTAKING IN THE RAIL YARD AND THE NEED FOR PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. MICHELLE: PLUS THE FINANCIAL PARTNERSHIP FROM AN OWNERSHIP GROU LED BY MATT ALVAREZ AND KEVIN NAGLE. A GROUP OF GUYS THAT LOVE SOCCER AND SACRAMENTO. >> TODAY IS NOT THE DAY WE HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR. TODAY IS THE DAY WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR. MICHELLE: AND THAT FIVE-YEAR FIGHT PAID OFF TODAY. IT IS PASSION AND HARDWARE. WE GOT HERE. >> WE CAME BACK FROM NEW YORK AND WE HAD TO USE THE NARRATIVE TO OUR ADVANTAGE T SAY, WE WILL PROVE TO THEM NOT TO GIVE UP. MICHELLE: IT TOOK A REPUBLIC TO GET THE DEAL DONE, IT BROUGHT MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER TO IN THE DOMINO BALL CITY. >> SACRAMENTO IS VERY PROUD OF WHERE THEY LIVE, WHERE THEY ARE FROM ANY WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT. TO HEAR THE FANS TODAY IS WHY WE HAVE A TEAM.