Western New York Flash Moving to North Carolina.
Western New York Claimed the 2016 NWSL Championship (@NWSL/Twitter)
The Western New York Flash made it official Monday. The team sold their rights in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the new owners are moving the franchise to Cary, North Carolina for the 2017 season.
The Flash, which debuted in 2009, were a very successful franchise, including winning four postseason championships: the W-League Championship in 2010, the WPS Championship in 2011, the WPS Elite Championship in 2012 and the NWSL Championship in 2016.
"We know that the North Carolina market will provide what the players deserve and we are excited to see the team continue to compete at the highest level. The NWSL has been an incredible platform for the top women’s soccer players to perform in and we are proud to have been a founding member. We wish the NWSL and our other fellow ownership groups – as well as US Soccer – the best of luck and would like to thank them for the past four years." The Sahlen Family, owners of the club, said in a statement.
The Sahlen family thanked players, staff and the community in their statement.
"Thank you to all of our former and current players for their efforts on and off the field and who always wore the Flash brand with pride," the statement said. "We are eternally grateful for all of our front office staff over the past seven years who worked to make this vision into a reality. All current employees have been offered opportunities within our entities and we hope they continue to work with us for many years to come.
"Lastly, we want to thank the Western New York area for welcoming us into their community for the past seven years and helping us celebrate five trophies throughout four different leagues in Professional Women’s Soccer. It has been an incredible journey and we will cherish these memories for a lifetime.”
