New England Soccer Today

ASL: O’s GM Says Club is Not Affiliated w/ ASL, NEFC

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It appears that the Rhode Island Oceaneers will not be fielding a team – rebranded or otherwise – for the ASL’s upcoming season after all.

On Wednesday, Oceaneers general manager David Borts told NESoccerToday.com that his club is no longer affiliated with the league, and that Revere, Mass.-based New England FC is a separate entity, contrary to a previous report.

“The Oceaneers were not rebranded, and we are not competing in the ASL,” Borts said. “We are not affiliated with New England FC.”

The Oceaneers were a founding member of the ASL in 2014, and reached the playoff semifinals under coach Jasir Charris during their first year in the league.

Earlier this month, the club issued a release stating that it had left the league. A subsequent report on The Bent Musket alluded to the reason behind the decision.

“Overall, though, the team would still be playing now in terms of coaching, myself, and the players,” Borts said, “but for the fact that finances just were not made available to us to be able to run the team.”

While the Oceaneers won’t be on an ASL pitch anytime soon, Borts hinted that local fans haven’t seen the last of the club.

“We are working on something bigger than the ASL,” Borts said. “It is in the formative stages.”

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