According to a recent article in the Washington Post, the Wilmington Hammerheads are considering a move to Baltimore, with some details including playing at Johnny Unitas Stadium, the home of Towson University football and lacrosse, and they would play in USL, the current 3rd division of US Soccer, which includes MLS teams. Currently, the Hammerheads have a relationship with Manchester City's NY affiliate in MLS, and I don't see that changing given the information available about the Hammerheads owner. I would love to sit and talk with the ownership group to discuss their plans and help them in any way possible with this transition.
Like I've said before, time and time again, Baltimore deserves a professional soccer team. However, I have major concerns about USL's structure and its allowance of MLS reserve teams (think Sounders 2, not Bethlehem Steel) and how that would impact how well the team can do here. I also think that the Bohemians are left out in the cold if the Hammerheads come up here as they will have built the framework for soccer branding here, despite the club's issues. I feel that a "merger" or a buying-out of the Bohs name and usage of their staff would be a great idea for the Baltimore USL group, but I can see how Bohs fans and ownership would be resistant to that. However, I don't think the Bohs can be as successful as they are with a pro team in town. They did not play at Bonvegna Field in Canton due to a sharp increase in rent. It had nothing to do with a lack of fan support.
Back to the point, though, if this is what it takes for Baltimore to get a professional soccer team, then I don't know if I can be completely happy with it, but I will come out to Towson to watch this team and cover it, either here or (hopefully) with a professional newspaper to where I could get paid to do it.
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