In a move that may well mean the end for USL-1, the Rochester Rhinos, long one of the more successful teams in the USL, has jumped to the new NASL. That leaves just four established teams in the USL-1, Portland, Puerto Rico, Cleveland and Austin, plus an expansion team in New York that has yet to hire a coach. Plus there has been talk of another new team in Detroit, though this might not be the best time to launch a new sporting team in that city.
From the Rochester announcement:
“We evaluated the situation very carefully and decided that the best decision for the future of the Rhinos and soccer in Rochester was for us to join the new NASL,” said Rhinos CEO Rob Clark. “Soccer is maturing before our very eyes. We are joining a family of team owners who are committed to investing in our league and their teams to further the development of players and support the future growth of the sport in North America. The NASL is a new beginning for soccer in Rochester.”
That brings to 10 the number of teams in the new league: Atlanta, Carolina, Miami, Minnesota, Montreal, St. Louis, Vancouver, Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Rochester. I think Austin might be the next to jump. Unless some court action forces teams to go back to USL-1, a four or five team league will lose its USSF sanctioning and, let’s face it, what are the teams going to do, play each other eight times a year? Is Portland going to make four trips next season to Puerto Rico?
Rochester Rhinos are a fine, scrappy, hard-running addition to the resurrected NASL. Vancouver aside, the new league is quite East leaning and should provide real opportunity for young Americans to learn what a professional soccer environment really is. Plus lower travel costs as it starts out. Up AC*St. Louis.
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I would like for it to be the St. Louis Stars. At the press conference you can have Pat McBride, Al Trost, Gene Geimer and Denny Vanniger. wow!
Tom, have you ever thought about writing a book about the history of Soccer in ST. Louis? I occasionally go to the main library on Lindbergh in Frontenac and it’s great to look at microfilm of stories about the Stars and Steamers.
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Please don’t be the Stars, please don’t be the Stars…
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I understand that they’d like to see the Puerto Rico team come over since they are the one USL team that has played well against larger (and even foreign) opponents…but a fledging league like this may be best to limit the overall geography of the league.
I highly doubt they’ll be chartering private jets, so placing teams that are easily accessible by road or cheap airfare is an idea that they may want to hold to.
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The league hasn’t been sanctioned, at least not to my knowledge, and that’s the kind of thing the league will want to make sure everyone knows about.
The league wants Puerto Rico badly, but I haven’t heard anything new on them. With Portland going to MLS, the new league doesn’t matter much to them, but they’ll probably ask to join soon just because they need some place to play. If anything is holding those other teams back now, it’s most likely contractual obligations and the fear of losing their performance bond if they drop out.
I’ll be surprised if the New York team in USL-1 ever plays a game.
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Tom, since Rochester has joined, does this mean the league has been sanctioned? Any news about The Islanders jumping and if they do jump, could River Plate Puerto Rico be moving to the NASL as well?
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I am glad to hear that a team like Rochester is joining this league. It gives it a lot more credibility. They are an established team with some pretty good players. I can’t wait for next season to begin.
Louie Louie, oh no
We gotta goal
Aye-yi-yi-yi, I said
Louie Louie, oh baby
We gotta goal!
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