Syracuse Silver Knights moving to Utica

UTICA, N.Y. — Syracuse’s soccer loss is Utica’s soccer gain.

What had been the Syracuse Silver Knights will now be known as Utica City FC.

Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) Commissioner Joshua Schaub announced Utica was getting a team in a release Wednesday and at a press conference in Utica.

The release made no mention of the team being moved from Syracuse, but the Silver Knights are no longer included on a list of teams on league websites. Even the Silver Knights’ webpage links to a list of teams that does not include the Syracuse team.

Utica City FC will play its home games at the Adirondack Bank Center beginning in the 2018-19 season, the release said.

The MASL has 18 teams, including the Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) Heat as well as teams in Baltimore, San Diego, and Orlando.

Utica City will play 24 games throughout its season, with 12 of those games taking place at the Adirondack Bank Center. The MASL season runs from December through March, with playoffs to crown the Ron Newman Cup Champion, the release said.

Tommy Tanner, general manager of Syracuse Silver Knights since 2011, was named Utica City’s general manager and Richard Shaw was named the team’s broadcaster/media and brand manager.

“This is a positive step for arena soccer and for the MASL. Utica fans are passionate about their hometown teams and Tommy (Tanner) has put together a competitive and exciting product that fans from the entire region will support,” said Schaub. “If they like hockey, they’ll love arena soccer.”

“I’m really excited about the new franchise in Utica, and to see how the fans and community embrace us as an organization committed to making a difference both on and off the field,” said defender Darren Toby. He was added to the Silver Knights’ roster last fall.

Contact McChesney at cmcchesney@cnybj.com