Professional soccer returns to Syracuse and Central New York with the launch of The SYRACUSE Pulse, but that’s only the beginning of a plan to capitalize on the growing popularity of the world’s game.

SYRACUSE Pulse, launching in Spring 2022, will be a men’s professional team competing in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), a Division III professional league. It marks the return of pro outdoor soccer to the region, which has been without a professional club since the Syracuse Salty Dogs folded in 2004.

The team will enjoy in-state rivalries with Flower City Union in Rochester and New Amsterdam FC in the Hudson Valley. The league plays a split season, with competitions in the spring and fall. The team is planning special promotions to make attendance at games as fun as they are exciting.

Larger plans are afoot, however. The team’s owners plan to launch two more teams in 2023. NISA and the pro-am United Women's Soccer league are working together to create a fully professional league at the second tier of the women's soccer pyramid. The team also intends to create an amateur men’s team that will play in NISA Nation, the new elite amateur league that will focus on development and identification. 

“These teams form a pyramid with our youth academy to create a pathway to a professional career for young players. This is our full commitment to soccer in Central New York. We’re committed to providing an exciting, top quality set of professional teams, a great amateur experience and the best teaching in the region for youth players.”