Story by Hal Goodtree | November 11, 2009 | Tags: cary, nc, railhawks, soccer, Sports
Photos via the RailHawks Facebook page
Soccer fans across the Triangle could only be disappointed when the RailHawks and five other teams announced they were leaving the USL in September. So yesterday’s announcement of a new league brought a sigh of relief. There will be professional soccer in Cary come April.
Unlike most professional leagues, the USL is owned by a corporation, Nu-Rock Soccer Holdings of Atlanta. Team owners wanted more of a say in league management, marketing and branding decisions. They wanted a commissioner, responsible to a Board of Directors.
On Monday, team owners submitted paperwork for establishing a new circuit as a Division II Men’s Outdoor Professional League under the United States Soccer Federation. Joey Saputo, President of the Montreal Impact, was elected Chairman of the Board of Governors of the new league. “We feel that the league in its current state has handicapped the growth of our team and the league itself; ownership and control of our league are critical to our individual and collective growth,” said Saputo.
“After years of failed efforts to work and improve the current structure of our league, we must take control of our own destiny,” said Dean Johnson, owner of the Minnesota Thunder. Aaron Davidson, president of Miami FC, agreed. “With this decision, we gain control of our own destiny and can finally structure and operate our league in a manner which truly positions us for growth and success.”
“This is not your typical new league,” Saputo said. “Most of our teams have existed for years. We have united some of the best owners, teams and markets around a new vision for a professional soccer league in North America.”
“There is no other way. The teams must own and control their league,” said Jeff Cooper, president of the St. Louis club.
The new, as-yet-unnamed league already has seven teams lined up:
“This will be a league that will offer the best of both worlds – outstanding experience and leadership at the ownership level combined with the promise and ability to chart our own course for success as a new league,” said Cooper. “It’s this structure that motivated me to bring St. Louis into the new league, and why I believe the new league will have a lot of success at launch next year and well into the future.”
DC
November 11, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Awesome. i wish they could get the Puerto Rico Islanders to join… they already have most of the better USL teams on board that should be the 8th team. now i just hope they get some TV deals so we can watch games… i would also love to see some sort of arrangement with MLS.. either a D-league with loan agreements for developing players or a promotion/relegation system. CAN’T WAIT!!!!!