USL News Release
Friday, April 29, 2011
TAMPA, Fla. – Bringing the world’s greatest game to the world’s greatest city, F.C. New York is preparing to make its USL PRO home debut Saturday when Orlando City visits the Big Apple. The game will mark the beginning of the next chapter for professional soccer in New York City, with F.C. New York becoming the only professional team playing its home games inside the city.
The ownership group of F.C. New York, led by Jo-Ellen Treiber and Doug Petersen, has committed to build a soccer stadium in Queens County within the next several years. The team will play its 2011 home games at Belson Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University in Queens. The economic and cultural significance of soccer is staggering, and having a Queens-based soccer franchise in an established professional league is a landmark development for the community.
“Soccer is a truly global sport whose demographics reflect those of New York City perhaps more so than any other market in the United States,” USL President Tim Holt said. “There are thousands of soccer fans and participants in Queens, and F.C. New York will not only allow them to support their local professional team, just as importantly, it will provide young players from throughout the greater New York City area with a team they can aspire to play for in the future.”
F.C. New York, which opened the season with a pair of road games, competes in the National Division of the 15-team USL PRO, alongside the Rochester Rhinos, Harrisburg City Islanders, Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Dayton Dutch Lions. USL PRO’s American Division includes the Charleston Battery, Richmond Kickers, Charlotte Eagles, Wilmington Hammerheads and Orlando City, and the International Division features the LA Blues, Antigua Barracuda FC, Puerto Rico United, River Plate Puerto Rico and Sevilla FC Puerto Rico.
“After four years of effort and hard work, we are excited to finally bring professional soccer to New York City,” F.C. New York President Doug Petersen said. “We hope that the community will support us as we continue to work with area soccer fans to build a successful team that all New Yorkers will take pride in on and off the pitch.”
USL PRO is the top division of United Soccer Leagues, which in 2011 is celebrating its 25th Anniversary as the largest system of elite level soccer leagues in North America and currently features more than 100 senior soccer franchises in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. Focused on franchise stability and longevity, USL PRO features an unprecedented six teams with more than a decade of operational experience in 2011, and more than 100 years of combined operational experience.
USL recently announced a three-year national broadcast package with FOX Soccer, featuring the USL PRO Game of the Week beginning on Saturday, June 11. Ten regular season USL PRO games are featured on Friday and Saturday nights through August 12. FOX Soccer also airs the 30-minute magazine show USL Breakaway, which is now a year-round monthly program.