March 28, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Western New York native and experienced sports executive Peter Marlette, Jr., today announced the formation of Buffalo Pro Soccer – a group that plans to bring a USL Championship club to Buffalo by 2026 through an exclusive partnership with United Soccer League (USL).
As President of Buffalo Pro Soccer, Marlette will work alongside club ownership, elected officials, community leaders, business partners, strategic advisors, and the USL to bring the highest levels of USL professional soccer to Western New York. Over the past several months, Marlette has been actively meeting and engaging with local officials and sports leaders to gain insights that will shape the professional soccer club in his hometown.
“Given soccer’s incredible growth trajectory in the United States, it’s time that Buffalo – one of America’s most passionate sports cities – joins the movement with its own professional club,” said Peter Marlette, Jr., President of Buffalo Pro Soccer. “This club will represent the hard work, resilience, innovation, and pride that our community is known for. I’m committed to building a winning USL Championship club and I look forward to collaborating with everyone who believes in Buffalo. Together, we’ll write a new chapter in our city’s vibrant civic and sports history.”
Marlette is a Buffalo native who played five seasons with FC Buffalo. He served the past three years as General Manager of Union Omaha, the 2021 USL League One champions and winners of two regular season titles. He previously worked in business development for FC Dallas of Major League Soccer.
The United Soccer League (USL) is shaping the future of soccer in America as the first to build complete youth-to-pro pathways for men and women in one ecosystem. With teams in more than 200 communities across the country, the USL has emerged as one of the world’s fastest growing and most respected sports organizations.
“Buffalo is home to some of the most fervent and proud sports fans in the world, and we know they will embrace and support a professional soccer club of their own,” USL Deputy CEO Justin Papadakis said. “Peter Marlette is a Buffalo soccer product with experience at all levels of the game and a deep commitment to the community he calls home. With his leadership, a growing, diverse population of young professionals, and a pent-up demand for the global game, Buffalo is poised to create a flagship club…