Toronto FC to Launch USL PRO Team
November 20, 2014 - United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release
TAMPA, Fla. - Toronto FC announced today that it will become the sixth MLS club to operate a franchise in USL PRO, joining the league beginning in the 2015 season. Toronto becomes the 11th new team announced for the 2015 USL PRO season - the second based in Canada - and joins the LA Galaxy, the Montreal Impact, the Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake and Seattle Sounders FC as MLS clubs operating teams in USL PRO.
Toronto FC is owned and operated by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, with Tim Leiweke serving as President & CEO and Tim Bezbatchenko as General Manager.
"USL PRO is pleased to welcome Toronto FC, the second Canadian team entering our league for the 2015 season," USL CEO Alec Papadakis said. "Toronto FC boasts an amazing fan base that with certainty will add a great deal of enthusiasm and excitement to USL PRO games. With this addition, our league continues to build on its competitive and commercial success."
Toronto FC's USL PRO team will be coached by Jason Bent, an assistant the past four seasons with the MLS squad. A former member of the Canadian National Team, Bent's professional career included stops in England and Germany, as well as three seasons in MLS with the Colorado Rapids.
Additional information including team name and home venue will be released at a later date.
"Today marks an important day in the history of Toronto FC," Bezbatchenko said. "Having our own USL PRO side is crucial in the development of our players. We saw several benefits from our partnership with Wilmington last season and we are pleased to now have our own side here in Toronto."
Since becoming an MLS expansion team in 2007, Toronto FC has claimed the Canadian championship four times and reached the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League in 2011-12. The club has also featured former USL professional standouts including former Richmond Kickers forward Dwayne DeRosario, who is the club's all-time leading scorer and sits second all-time in appearances. This past season Toronto FC held a partnership with Wilmington Hammerheads FC, as Quillan Roberts, Jordan Hamilton, Manny Aparicio and Mark-Anthony Kaye all played a role in helping the Hammerheads reach the USL PRO Playoffs.
USL PRO featured 14 teams in 2014 with new franchises already announced for 2015 in Austin, Charlotte, Colorado Springs, Louisville, Montreal, Portland, Salt Lake City, Seattle, St. Louis, and Tulsa.
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