The Syracuse Silver Knights may no longer find a rival in the Rochester Lancers. Why? Because the team will soon cease to exist.
Lancer’s owner Salvatore “Soccer Sam” Fantauzzo explained the reasoning for the soccer teams disbanding on their official website, citing a hefty worker’s compensation bill as a major factor. According to Fantauzzo, the Lancer’s premium rose from $20,000 to a completely unaffordable $277,000.
In a letter to the Professional Arena Soccer League, the owner divulged the of Lancer’s abusing the system and granting special privileges to players, such as allowing players who were actively competing to receive disability payments. Apparently, the state neither informed the Lancers of those claims nor fought the awards granted.
“There’s no going back,” said Fantauzzo.
The Lancers nearly disbanded last summer, but new management revived the franchise just before last season began. Unfortunately, it’s doubtful they will be granted the same fate.
“I think in order to be saved, they have to be moved,” said Silver Knights coach Tommy Tanner, also a friend of Fantauzzo. Indeed, many of the players will be looking for new teams for this upcoming season.
As for the fate of the Silver Knights, they aren’t in jeopardy anytime soon. Tanner reaffirmed the four-year old team will come back this upcoming season, and that it’s premiums are nowhere near that of the Lancers.
They will have to find a new rivalry, however. An average of 150 fans would travel between Rochester and Syracuse to see the two teams face off, and replacing a quick trip to Rochester a few times a season with more distant journeys will likely add about $15,000 to the Silver Knight’s travel budget.
There are rumors that a new team in Connecticut is slotted to replace the Rochester Lancers in the Syracuse Silver Knights division. Many fans will definitely mourn the loss of the great rivalry between the two upstate New York soccer teams, with Tanner commenting “…that was a great one that we had.”
There is chance that the Syracuse coach may pursue a few Rochester players, but didn’t name any names.
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