On the same weekend in which they were scheduled to open the Major Arena Soccer League season, the MetroStars Canada ceased operations Saturday afternoon.
The Canadian club was supposed to host the Rochester Lancers in St. Catharines, Ontario Friday night and Sunday afternoon.
The MetroStars’ ambitions of playing in six venues across Canada did not come to fruition.
According to an MASL press release, the team’s plans “ultimately proved to be financially and logistically improbable.” The MASL board of directors decided to make the necessary changes to ensure the best outcome for the league as a whole.
The changes will see the MASL still split into two conferences, with the Western Conference at eight teams and the Eastern Conference at nine teams. Every club in the MASL will still play 24 games this season, 12 at home and 12 on the road.
“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.
Week One continues Sunday with Utica City FC ho.sting the Baltimore Blast at 2 p.m. ET and the San Diego Sockers welcoming the Turlock Cal Express at 8 p.m. ET. On Monday, the MASL heads south of the border to see the Monterrey Flash host Soles de Sonora at 9:05 p.m. ET. All three games can be seen live on MASL.tv
