Rochester Rhinos News Release - www.rhinossoccer.com

Thursday, March 20, 2008

ROCHESTER, NY -- United Soccer Leagues announced that Adirondack Sports Club LLC has acquired the USL First Division and W-League franchise rights for the greater Rochester area. The Rochester Rhinos will call the newly built PAETEC Park home.

“Rochester soccer has created an outstanding tradition of success, and has built one of the finest soccer facilities in the nation with the assistance of the City of Rochester and State of New York,” said USL Executive Vice President and COO Tim Holt. “We are confident the Adirondack Sports Club ownership group, led by Robert Clark, will solidify Rochester as one of the cornerstones of professional soccer in North America, building upon the traditions of the past and the potential of the future.”

The change, arrived at via the discontinuation of the franchise rights with Empire Professional Soccer LLC and the acquisition of those franchise rights by Adirondack Sports Club LLC, will also be recognized through the modification on the team’s past nickname to the shortened ‘Rochester Rhinos’ and the introduction of a new team logo.

“Although different team names were considered to mark the establishment of the new club owned by Adirondack Sports as its own unique entity, ultimately USL and Rob Clark felt it was of greater importance to incorporate the brand of success that the Rhinos name has garnered in Rochester and throughout North American soccer to facilitate further success for the club off the field as it moves forward,” added Holt.

Robert Clark is a director of Adirondack Bank, a regional bank in northern New York. The Utica, NY native will be moving to Rochester to take over operations over the team effective immediately, utilizing the staff already in place from the Raging Rhinos, including Executive Vice President Matt Ford, as the new club moves forward for the 2008 season.

"I am proud and honored to be involved with a club with such great history," said Clark. "I feel blessed to have been able to pull this off and save soccer in Rochester. Our focus now is to run a sound business operation and to achieve success on and off the field."

Clark is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and oversees Facilities Management for Adirondack Bank. He joined Adirondack Bank in 2001 and has been a member of the bank’s Board of Directors since March 2002. Clark brings with him to Rochester over 15 years of banking experience. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Finance from Western New England College. He currently serves as a board member of several charitable organizations, most notably, Camp Ronald McDonald for Special Children, the Mohawk Valley Community College Foundation Board and the Save of The Day Foundation.

“As we move onto this new era of soccer in Rochester, I want to take one last moment to thank three individuals who have helped build the Raging Rhinos into the success that they have become on and off the field over the past 12 years,” said Holt. “Frank DuRoss, Steve Donner and Chris Economides, as principal owners of the team, not only put Rochester soccer back on the map, but helped build the USL First Division into a well-respected North American sports league through their tireless work, and helped maintain W-League women’s soccer in Rochester through their acquisition of the previously named Ravens.”