Wednesday, September 24, 2003

 

United Soccer Leagues announced today the founding of the Harrisburg City Islanders, an expansion club set to begin play in the USL Pro Soccer League in the 2004 season, at a press conference in the Harrisburg City Government Center.

The new franchise will call Skyline Sports Complex in City Island home.

"We are excited to bring Harrisburg into the USL family," said USL COO and Executive Director Dave Askinas. "We have been working on bringing a team to Harrisburg in the two years since the popular Hershey Wildcats team ceased operations.  We were impressed by both the business acumen and the soccer passion that Eric Pettis and his group bring to the project.  City Island is an ideal location in downtown Harrisburg and with the planned stadium improvements this franchise can look forward to a solid future."

The club will fill the void of professional soccer in the city following the loss of the Major Indoor Soccer League's Harrisburg Heat, which averaged over 4,700 a game in attendance over the team's 11-year existence.

United Soccer Leagues also announced today that it has officially changed the name of the PSL to Pro Soccer League due to trademark issues related to the former Pro Select League moniker.

The A-League's Pittsburgh Riverhounds will be moving to the PSL for the 2004 season while the organization focuses on the development of a stadium project in the greater Pittsburgh area. The club won 10 of its last 12 matches in the league to finish just shy of reaching the playoffs. Riverhounds forward Thiago Martins won the scoring and goal scoring championships and was named league MVP.

The regular season champion Carolina Dynamo will be moving to the Premier Development League for the 2004 season. USL Hall of Fame member Joe Brown also announced he is stepping down as general manager and coach and will be taking the position as Executive Vice President. Assistant general manager Scott Zapko was promoted to general manager.