Rochester Rhinos join NASL
The Rochester Lancers won a championship in 1970, their first season in the North American Soccer League. The Rhinos hope Rochester pro soccer history repeats itself next year.
Owner Rob Clark announced Monday that the Rhinos have left the USL First Division to join the new NASL, formed primarily by ex-USL owners who didn’t like the way the USL operates. Their unrest seemed fueled by Nike’s sale of the USL to NuRock Soccer in August.
The Rhinos played in the A-League, which was absorbed by the United Soccer Leagues in 1997, and USL in each of their 14 seasons. They were league champions in 1998, 2000 and 2001 and runner’s-up in 1996, 1999 and 2006.
“The intention all along has been to make sure Rochester put itself in the best situation possible. It looks, at this time, that the NASL is the stronger of the two leagues,” said new Rhinos coach Bob Lilley, who along with new general manager Pat Ercoli backed this move. “Obviously, a lot remains to be seen but the momentum seems to be on the (NASL) side at this point.”
Look for the Rhinos to still have a 28- or 30-match schedule.
The Canadian-born Ercoli came to Rochester to play for the Lancers in 1978. They left the American Soccer League in 1967 and played from 1968-80 in the NASL, which folded in 1984.
The NASL re-launch was started by a group called Team Owners’ Association (TOA) and spearheaded by Montreal Impact owner Joey Saputo. Clark said he has signed an agreement to join the NASL. Other clubs in what is now a 10-team league: Atlanta, Carolina, Minnesota, Montreal, Miami and Vancouver — all former USL-1 cities; Crystal Palace of Baltimore, a USL-2 team in 2009; Tampa Bay, initially slated to be a 2010 USL-1 expansion team; and St. Louis.
The NASL hasn’t been sanctioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation. Insiders expect a decision by the new year. If the NASL doesn’t get approved, Ercoli said it could pursue sanctioning by the Canadian Soccer Association. A very thin USL-1 also would likely welcome the Rhinos back.
Their departure leaves the USL-1, which saw Charleston drop to USL-2 last week, presumably with only Puerto Rico, 2009 expansion team Austin, 2010 expansion team FC New York and Portland, which is scheduled to join Major League Soccer in 2011.
“We held out as long as we could (this offseason with the USL),” said Ercoli, who became GM last month after coaching the Rhinos from 1996-2004. “With the teams that had jumped ship, it put us in a disadvantage staying in the USL. Look at who is left in the USL. It just made more sense that the NASL will be a stronger league.”
USL executive Tim Holt would not comment on the status of Cleveland, a 2009 USL-1 expansion team that may drop back down to USL-2.
“We’re extremely disappointed by the Rhinos’ announcement, however, out of respect for all parties we will be addressing our concerns through the appropriate channels and not publicly at this time,” Holt said.
He and Clark each declined to say whether Rochester paid its annual league fee for 2010. Holt also wouldn’t comment on whether the USL could pursue legal action against clubs such as Rochester that may have verbally agreed to 2010. Clark and Lilley attended the annual USL meetings two weeks ago in Tampa.
“I guess anybody can sue anybody, but I don’t feel like I had any legal or contractual obligation to the USL,” Clark said.
Questions remain about the new NASL’s stability, particularly with Vancouver headed to MLS in 2011 and Montreal a strong expansion candidate. Ercoli thinks a partnership in which it grooms young talent for MLS, similar to a minor-league affiliate in baseball, is more than just talk.
“We didn’t evaluate as USL versus NASL,” Clark said. “We evaluated what had the most potential for the future and we thought it was the NASL.”
JDIVERON@DemocratandChronicle.com
New NASL
Atlanta Silverbacks
Carolina RailHawks
Crystal Palace (Baltimore)
Miami FC Blues
Minnesota Thunder
Montreal Impact
Rochester Rhinos
St. Louis United
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Vancouver Whitecaps
