A-League Rochester Rhinos May Make Jump To MLS In '04

Rhinos Could Take A Step Up In ‘04

A-League Rochester Rhinos Owner Frank DuRoss said that the team and MLS "are discussing bringing an MLS expansion team to play in Rochester as early as next season," according to Jeff DiVeronica of the ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE. DuRoss: "We have a very short opportunity to do this, but MLS and the Rhinos have agreed to try to work out an arrangement before Nov. 30 to bring a team here. ... If everything can be worked out on both sides before Nov. 30, the MLS will be in Rochester in 2004." MLS COO Mark Abbott: "This wasn't really on our radar, but if [PaeTec Park] will be ready at some point next year we are very interested (in Rochester). We'll sit down and talk more firmly with Frank about it and hope we can work something out, but it's still preliminary." DuRoss noted an MLS team "would have to play at Frontier Field until PaeTec Park is ready," but Rhinos' attendance at Frontier Field has been "better than those of some MLS teams for several years." DiVeronica reported that at last week's A-League meeting, the Rhinos "asked league officials to compose one 2004 schedule with Rochester in it and one without Rochester in case the Rhinos jump to MLS" (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 11/8). Rochester has consistently led the A-League in attendance, averaging 10,169 in '03 (SI.com, 11/8).