Buffalo, NY –(November 21, 2012)
USSF and President Sunil Gulati announced the formation of a new women's professional soccer league here in the United States.
Eight teams, USSF control of the front office, and limited budgets headline the announcement of the launching of the league.
The league will have franchises in eight American cities, with U.S. Soccer serving as the front office for the league. Those franchises included some former members of the WPS such as Western New York, New Jersey, Boston, Chicago and Washington D.C. as well as new markets based in Seattle, Portland, and Kansas City.
U.S. Soccer will allocate and fund the participation for up to 24 National Team players, and the Canadian Soccer Association will allocate and fund up to 16 of their players. Mexico will also look to be a part of the league; allocating a minimum of 12 players to the league. The new league will be run on a smaller scale with the idea being sustainability.
"We are trying to find an economical model that is sustainable," Gulati said. Additional funding from the Canadian Soccer Association and FMF, Mexico’s soccer federation, should hopefully make that possible.
League will begin play in March or April of 2013 with teams playing 22 regular-season games. Play will conclude in September or October. More information to follow in the coming week.
About the WNY Flash
The WNY Flash is a professional women’s soccer club that has an unprecedented three titles in three consecutive years in three different leagues. The Flash joined Women’s Professional Soccer as an expansion club in September of 2010, directly following the club’s decisive W-League Championship as the Buffalo Flash in July of 2010.
The Flash posted a 13-2-3 record (42 points) in their inaugural campaign of the WPS, taking first place and the Regular Season Championship. On August 27, 2011 the Western New York Flash defeated the Philadelphia Independence to capture the WPS Championship title in front of a record crowd of over 10,000 fans at Sahlen’s Stadium. After the WPS suspended operations for the 2012 season, the Flash joined the WPSL Elite League and went on to win the WPSL Elite League Championship, posting their third straight title.
The WNY Flash play all home games at the Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester NY, home to the Rochester Rhinos. The Flash train out of owner, Joe Sahlen’s, indoor soccer facility, Sahlen Sports Park, in Elma, NY. The Flash colors are Red, Yellow, and Black, to match the Sahlen entities: Sahlen Packing Co., Sahlen Sports Park, and Team Sahlen racing team.
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