Buffalo Pro Soccer
 | |
| Founded | March 28, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Ground | Queen City Field Buffalo, New York |
| Capacity | 7,600 |
| President | Peter Marlette Jr |
| League | USL Championship (men) USL Super League (women) |
| Website | buffaloprosoccer.com |
Buffalo Pro Soccer is an American professional soccer team based in Buffalo, New York.
Founded in 2024, the team plans to compete in the USL Championship and play its inaugural season at Queen City Field in 2026. A women's team will also compete in the USL Super League.
History
[edit]History of professional soccer in Buffalo
[edit]
Buffalo previously had three professional outdoor soccer teams play within its city limits – the Buffalo White Eagles (1962, ECPSL), Buffalo Blazers (1976–1980, NSL), and Buffalo Storm (1984, USL). The city also hosted two professional indoor soccer teams – the Buffalo Stallions (1979–1984, MISL) and Buffalo Blizzard (1992–2001, NPSL).[1]
Buffalo Bulls men's soccer coach John Astudillo and former Buffalo Stallions coach Sal DeRosa led an unsuccessful bid to have Buffalo host matches for the 1994 FIFA World Cup at Rich Stadium.[2]
Real estate developer John McClutchy acquired the rights to a Buffalo USL Championship expansion franchise in 2019 with aspirations to play at New Highmark Stadium, but he never founded a team.[3]
Franchise and academy acquisition, 2024–2025
[edit]On March 28, 2024, former professional soccer player Peter Marlette Jr. and his newly formed Buffalo Pro Soccer club were awarded the rights to a USL Championship expansion franchise.[3][4][5] Marlette Jr. also announced plans to found a women's team of the same name in the USL Super League.[6][7] As general manager of Union Omaha, Marlette Jr. led that club to USL League One regular season championships in 2021 and 2023, and the playoff championship in 2021.[8]
Peter Marlette Jr. announced on February 6, 2025 that the club had acquired the youth academy of USL League Two team FC Buffalo, renaming it Buffalo Pro Soccer Academy.[9][10] Canisius Golden Griffins women's soccer coach Ryan Louis was named the academy's U-20 head coach on April 18, 2025.[11] D'Youville Saints men's soccer coach Sean Hallas was named the academy's U-19 and U-17 head coach on April 19, 2025.[12]
Stadium selection, 2025
[edit]
Three potential stadium sites were considered – the former Buffalo News headquarters in downtown Buffalo, Father Conway Park in the Old First Ward, and the abandoned Medaille Sports Complex in the Lovejoy District.[13] The Buffalo News site was preferred, which would have cost $40 million and required $20 million in public funding.[14] Father Conway Park would have required environmental remediation, as it was built atop the former Ohio Street Basin that was filled with industrial waste.[15]
On April 11, 2025, Buffalo Pro Soccer held a press conference to announce that Medaille Sports Complex, now renamed Queen City Field, would be expanded to a capacity of 7,600 with $10 million in private funding.[7] It can be further expanded to a capacity of 15,000 should the team earn promotion to USL Division One under the league's new promotion and relegation system.[16] Politicians in attendance included former congressman Brian Higgins, State Sen. Sean Ryan, acting mayor Christopher Scanlon, Lovejoy District Councilor Bryan J. Bollman, and Erie County Legislator Lawrence Dupre.[17]
The stadium site was criticized due to its distance from downtown Buffalo and past environmental problems.[7] Queen City Field is two miles from downtown Buffalo, and was previously closed in 2021 due to sulfur dioxide emissions from the neighboring PVS Chemicals plant.[18][7]
The venue will reopen in 2026 following modular construction, featuring adjacent practice fields for the team and Buffalo Pro Soccer Academy.[19] Season ticket deposits were made available at $20 each, and 800 were purchased during their first weekend on sale.[20]
Ownership and coaching search, 2025–present
[edit]Although the team's ownership group is private, $20 million was raised as of April 2025, with Queen City Field owner Jon M. Williams and Buffalo Bills player Reid Ferguson both named as investors.[21] The team is currently searching for their league-required principal owner who has a minimum net worth of $30 million, and must purchase a 35% stake in the club.[3]
Peter Marlette Jr. revealed the club's head coach has been selected, and is described as, "a recently retired, remarkably famous" Premier League player.[22]
References
[edit]- ^ Silagyi, Kyle (June 15, 2024). "Buffalo Pro Soccer: How Bills-centered town can learn to love the 'other' football". Buffalo Bills On SI. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
- ^ "PANEL IN WORLD CUP BID PLANNING TRIP TO ITALY". Buffalo News. June 12, 1990. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
- ^ a b c Veronica, Nick (March 28, 2024). "Pro soccer in Buffalo by 2026? New group acquires rights for men's and women's pro teams, plans new stadium". News 4 Buffalo. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ "Buffalo Pro Soccer Unveils Plans to Bring Highest Levels of USL Professional Soccer to Buffalo". USL Championship. March 28, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ Trunick, Keegan (March 28, 2024). "New group plans to bring United Soccer League team to Buffalo". spectrumlocalnews.com. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ Wooten, Michael (March 28, 2024). "'I think Buffalo is ready': New plan to bring pro soccer team to Western New York". WKBW 7 News Buffalo. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Joly, Aidan (April 11, 2025). "Buffalo Pro Soccer president says new stadium site will be safe from past environmental issues". News 4 Buffalo. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ Hobbs, Morgan (October 16, 2023). "UNION OMAHA WINS 2023 USL LEAGUE ONE PLAYERS' SHIELD". Union Omaha. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ Schwartz, Michael (February 6, 2025). "Buffalo Pro Soccer acquires FC Buffalo Youth Academy to help develop future stars". WKBW 7 News Buffalo. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ "Academy". Buffalo Pro Soccer. April 2, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ Buffalo Pro Soccer (April 18, 2025). "Buffalo Pro Soccer Academy on Instagram: "Academy Coaching Announcement: Ryan Louis"". Instagram. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ Buffalo Pro Soccer (April 19, 2025). "Buffalo Pro Soccer Academy on Instagram: "Academy Coaching Announcement: Sean Hallas"". Instagram. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
- ^ Reyes, Anthony (January 29, 2025). "Downtown site among three being considered for 10K seat soccer stadium for Buffalo Pro Soccer". WKBW 7 News Buffalo. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
- ^ Petro, Michael (April 12, 2025). "As downtown soccer stadium idea dies, plan shifts to former Medaille sports complex". Buffalo News. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ "HAS THE ZOO FOUND THE RIGHT HOME?". Buffalo News. March 12, 1998. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
- ^ "Interview with Peter Marlette: Buffalo Pro Soccer Ramps Up For Launch". YouTube. April 16, 2025. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ WKBW 7 News Buffalo (April 11, 2025). "Watch live as Buffalo Pro Soccer makes a major announcement at The Powerhouse". Facebook. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Petro, Michael (April 11, 2025). "There won't be a downtown soccer stadium. Group picks site on Elk Street". Buffalo News. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "Buffalo Pro Soccer to Build New Stadium in the City of Buffalo". USL Championship. April 11, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ Tierney, Jacob (April 14, 2025). "Chemical plant opposes plan for $10 million soccer stadium next door". The Business Journals. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ Fink, Jim (April 11, 2025). "No Red Cards anticipated as Buffalo Pro Soccer lands new home". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ Joly, Aidan (April 18, 2025). "Buffalo Pro Soccer president says Elk Street stadium location was best fit". News 4 Buffalo. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
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