Flower City Union: From Concept To Championship

When the Rochester Rhinos ceased operations in 2017, FSE Founding Partner Mark Washo set out to bring professional soccer back to Rochester. He built a pitch-deck business plan and searched for investors, and in 2020, just before Covid, met with NISA and found a league model built for the Rochester market.

FSE co-founded Flower City Union in 2021 with original investor Dave Weaver, then CEO of Aphex, and Todd Harrison, lead professor of St. John Fisher Sport Management. FSE raised the initial capital, attracted new investors, negotiated with NISA and was involved in every element of the brand launch, leading to an outsourced management partnership.

A fan ownership campaign through WeFunder brought in 150 fan owners and close to $80,000. In only its second season of professional soccer, the club won the 2023 NISA Championship, and on April 19, 2024 it was recognized at Rochester City Hall for that historic season.