BUFFALO, N.Y. — Local soccer fans are rejoicing at the news that a division II professional soccer franchise may be heading to Buffalo.
Real estate developer John McClutchy Jr. released a statement on Tuesday that he has reached an initial agreement to bring a United Soccer League (USL) Championship team to the city.
The United Soccer League is the largest professional soccer organization in North America. The USL Championship operates as the second division in U.S. soccer, only behind Major League Soccer.
The conditional agreement is contingent on building a soccer-specific stadium in Buffalo and the completion of economic feasibility studies.
“Buffalo is no stranger to the beautiful game,” John H. McClutchy Jr. said. “Youth soccer is especially strong, with over 10,000 registered players and a supporter culture that has a great foundation with its American Outlaw chapter. When you combine this with Buffalo’s vibrant downtown community and its growing millennial population, the time is right to get the ball rolling on bringing a USL Championship club to this great city.”
The USL has 36 clubs across two conferences. The league recently signed a three-year agreement with ESPN.
Soccer fans may already know that Buffalo is home to a team in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). Owners of that franchise say this is an exciting announcement that shows the growth of the game here in WNY.
“We’ve had some intriguing discussions with John and Dennis about the project and a soccer-specific stadium of that scale in Buffalo would be such a terrific addition to our landscape,” said FC Buffalo co-owner Nick Mendola.
If Buffalo is ultimately awarded a USL franchise, the McClutchy group is targeting the 2023 USL Championship season for its debut.