The lower league soccer landscape for 2022 continues to take shape within the state of Michigan ahead of the upcoming season.
The latest news to drop is the Flint City Bucks apparently buying out Detroit-based Corktown AFC to form a club called Flint City AFC who will compete in the new USL-W League.
“We are excited to form this partnership with Eddie Hudson and launch a USL W League team in Flint, Michigan,” said Costa Papista, President of Flint City AFC. “Starting a women’s side has always been on our radar and the timing of USL W League’s launch is ideal for our organization. We know that our supporters will be excited as they have been strongly encouraging us to make this a reality.”
With over 27 years of experience in USL League Two, the Flint City Bucks organization is now extending its programming to include a women’s senior team in the USL W League. Flint City AFC, an extension of the Flint City Bucks organization through the acquisition of Detroit-based Corktown AFC, will serve as a development platform for athletes in Flint and its surrounding cities to pursue pre-professional careers in women’s soccer through the USL’s robust women’s pathway.
“We are very excited to join Flint City AFC to make this happen,” said Eddie Hudson, Partner of Flint City AFC. “We have watched this fanbase and supporter group grow and we know they will love the energy, grit and skill that our ladies will bring to Flint.”
USLWLeague.com
Seeing an extension of the Bucks pursuing a women’s team in the USL-W isn’t surprising considering the Club’s men’s team is already a member of USL League Two. What is somewhat surprising though is the news of an “acquisition” of Corktown AFC to make it happen and the further questions that come from it.
In mid-December, Corktown and the Michigan Hawks announced a “partnership” dubbed the Corktown Hawks who would compete in both United Women’s Soccer leagues (UWS and UWS2) for 2022. According to the December, announcement matches would continue to take place at the Corner Ballpark which served as Corktown’s home all of last season.
So with all of this happening, is this the end of Corktown’s partnership with the Michigan Hawks? Is this the end of Corktown as an entity within the women’s soccer landscape in the Metro Detroit area?
We reached out to the UWS, Flint City Bucks, and the Michigan Hawks for comment but haven’t yet heard back.
