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May 7-May 13, 2021
IT’S OFFICIAL! New professional soccer team Queensboro FC to call York College home
BY GABRIELE HOLTERMANN
Queensboro FC (QBFC), an
expansion club of the United
Soccer League, announced that
York College will serve as the
site of its home games at a press
conference at York College in
Jamaica on April 27.
The 7,500-seat modular soccer
stadium will be built on the
field behind the Health & Physical
Education complex. It will be
the first and only professional
soccer-specific stadium in New
York City. The kickoff date on
the turf pitch is set for March
2022.
In addition to hosting QBFC
practices and competition play,
the stadium will also serve as
the venue for York College’s
commencement, CUNY Athletic
Conference tournament
games, and other free or ticketed
events.
Jonathan Krane, principal
owner of Queensboro FC,
thanked CUNY Chancellor Félix
V. Matos Rodríguez, York
College President Dr. Berenecea
Johnson Eanes, Congressman
Gregory Meeks, Queens
Borough President Donovan
Richards, and Council members
I. Daneek Miller, Adrienne
Adams and Francisco Moya for
supporting the vision of bringing
a professional soccer team
A rendering of the new Queensboro FC arena at York College. Photo courtesy of Queensboro FC
to Queens.
“Today is special because today
is the culmination of several
years of hard work and commitment
in support of the vision
to build a home stadium in
Queens for its own soccer team
and for the community. A vision
to bring people together in this
great borough. Queensboro FC
promised to deliver this vision
to the community and our fans,
and today we’re here because
it’s official,” Krane said.
Rodríguez was delighted to
be part of the experience and
that the stadium was the kind
of project dear to his heart because
of what it brings to the
community.
“It is going to add vitality to
this community. It is going to
bring sports, entertainment,
wellness. It is going to bring economic
development; it’s going
to bring job opportunities. It’s
going to bring synergy with the
great student body and faculty
that we have here at your college,”
said Rodríguez, who added
that he paid his way through
college as a soccer referee said
before offering his services.
“I’m used to be the guy that
everybody hates. I have a lot of
experience. I still have my whistles
and my yellow and my red
card. So if you’re ever short in a
match, I can pitch in,” he joked.
Eanes said that faculty and
students alike are thrilled to
welcome QBFC.
“As I tell my students, it’s
time to get it started and keep
it going. So I know this is just
the beginning. And I know that
you all know how much the students
of York mean to this community,
and how much we are
dedicated to growing and going
along. Please, please, please
know that you all are at home,”
Eanes said.
Meeks, who called soccer by
its proper name, “football,” said
he is excited for the opportunity
to watch it right here in Jamaica,
Queens, New York.
“And what we are so proud
of with this football team coming
here is that it will exemplify
what we need in America
today, all of us coming together
with people from different nationalities,
different parts of
the world,” Meeks said before
reminding the players that
Queens wants nothing less than
the championship.
Richards began his speech
by challenging Congressman
Meeks to a football match once
the stadium is built.
He went on to praise CUNY
as an institution that has been
the gateway of success for many
of its students because of its affordable
and quality education,
propelling almost six times
more low-income students into
the middle class and beyond as
all the Ivy League colleges combined.
Read more on QNS.com.
Vol. 9 No. 19 44 total pages
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