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Indoor soccer takes another hit in Toronto as MetroStars pull out of MASL

TORONTO — Indoor soccer has taken another blow in Toronto with MetroStars Canada, formerly known as the Mississauga MetroStars, confirming they will not take part in the 2019-20 Major Arena Soccer League season.

In saying they are stepping away after one year of play, the MetroStars are joining the Toronto Shooting Stars and Toronto ThunderHawks in failing to establish a foothold for pro indoor soccer in the Toronto area.

In a social media posting Friday, the MetroStars said the decision was made not to play this season after plans to have the team take part in neutral site games in Ontario had to be cancelled.

"Unfortunately this major undertaking had many moving parts and unexpected challenges that ultimately led to where we are today," the club said. "As to not affect the brands of everyone involved, we made the decision with the MASL to postpone the 2019-20 season.

"Our hope is to step away from the game only to become stronger so that we can better execute on the vision we undertook."

it is perhaps a measure of the club's problems that its release on ceasing operations Friday came six days after the league issued a revised schedule due to the Canadian team's withdrawal.

The MetroStars had planned neutral site games in Kingston, Oshawa, Windsor, Sarnia and Brampton this season. They had partnered with Marvel on select games to host a "Marvel Super Hero Weekend" with, for example, the MetroStars dressing in Thor uniforms while the Rochester Lancers wore Loki uniforms.

"Canada attempted an aggressive barnstorming tour that would have introduced arena soccer to thousands of Canadians," MASL commissioner Joshua Schaub said in a statement. "Ultimately, the logistics of this tour including the variances in fields of play proved untenable in totality. We hope to continue in Canadian markets going forward and are not giving up those efforts."

The MetroStars finished 15th in the 17-team league in their inaugural season with a 4-20 record. The team featured former Canadian international star Dwayne De Rosario and former Toronto FC players Adrian Cann and Mo Babouli.

The Canadian team ranked 14th in the league in attendance, averaging 1,020 at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre.

The MASL has started the season with 17 teams in the U.S. and Mexico.

The MetroStars were owned by Gladiator Sports Media Entertainment Corp.

 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 29, 2019.

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press

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