Published On: Mon, Oct 23rd, 2017

Could Professional Soccer be Coming Back to Boca Raton?

During their tenure at Boca Raton High School, Boca Raton FC averaged 1,600 fans, the highest average in the APSL.

Boca Raton could be getting their own professional soccer team in the near future.

According to a report by soctakes.com, Boca Raton FC is one of the seven teams who recently signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to join the North American Soccer League (NASL) in the 2018 season.

The deal is far from done, as the NASL themselves need to move past some hurdles, most notably whether the league itself will remain a sanctioned Division II professional league.

These LOIs, signed in September of 2017, state that the teams will join NASL if the league is able to retain their DII status after the upcoming Oct. 31 hearing regarding its federal antitrust lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation (USSF).

The NASL currently finds themselves in a battle with USSF since it was announced over the summer the NASL would not retain DII status.

Potentially joining Boca Raton FC for the 2018 NASL season are current NPSL sides Boston City, Detroit City FC, FC Arizona, and Virginia Beach City FC, New Orleans Jesters, and Hartford City FC.

Boca Raton FC currently plays in the American Premier Soccer League (APSL), and the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), and play their home games at Atlantic High School.

Formed in 2015, Boca Raton FC has won two APSL Championships and 2 APSL Fall Championships. The Club has also played in two Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournaments representing the city in which they have the name in the crest.

If Boca Raton FC is to make the move to professional soccer, it would be the first time since 1994 that the city would have a Professional soccer team.

The Boca Raton Sabers played in the United States Independent Soccer League (USISL) from 1992 until 1994. The USISL would later become the United Soccer League (USL), which currently functions under DII in the USSF.

When reached for a comment, a Boca Raton FC spokesperson declined to comment on the story.

Mayor Susan Haynie and Council Member Robert Weinroth welcome former Shakhtar Donetsk head coach, Mircea Lucescu to Boca Raton

Boca Raton FC has brought some of the biggest names in both National and International Soccer to Boca Raton in past. Back in January 2016, Boca Raton FC hosted Ukrainian-giants, FC Shakhtar Donetsk at Boca Raton High School, and in March, the club brought the legendary New York Cosmos to play, also at Boca High.

A potential move to FAU Stadium could be in the folds, as the stadium is no stranger to soccer matches, having hosted the US Men’s and Women’s National Teams as well as powerhouses such as Argentina, Colombia, Germany, and others.

FAU Stadium holds 29,419, which would give Boca Raton FC one of the largest stadiums in the NASL.

The USMNT played Honduras at FAU Stadium back in 2014 in front of 14,805 fans.

Many across the soccer world have long stated that FAU Stadium would be the ideal place for a professional soccer franchise to thrive in the Palm Beach County market.

Another option for the local club would be to play its home matches at Boca Raton High School, like they did in the 2015 season.

Spanish River High School, Olympic Heights High School, and West Boca High School are also potential landing spots for the professional franchise to play its games.

With the club playing in a DII league, the value it would bring to the city would be felt.

With NASL matches going from April until November, the influx of opposing team fans, and team staff would give a boost to tourism in months when the city is usually in the low season.

Nevertheless, all of this hinges on the upcoming Oct. 31 injunctive relief hearing.

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