In 2017, the long-time professional soccer team in Rochester, the USL's Rochester Rhinos, announced that they were going on hiatus as of the 2018 season. The departure of the Rhinos left Rochester without a professional soccer team for the first time since 1995 and left the team's stadium, Rochester Community Sports Complex Stadium, without a tenant in 2019. In 2020, an ownership group headed by David Weaver, the CEO and founder of Rochester-based Aphex BioCleanse Systems Inc. and a former Kodak optical engineer, submitted an application for a NISA team in Rochester.[1][2] Mark Washo, a former Chief Business Officer with the Rhinos, was appointed as Managing Director and Chief Commercial Officer and the group later announced a partnership with St. John Fisher College’s Sport Management Department.[3] In December 2020, NISA approved the group's expansion application, and soon after the team was unveiled as Flower City Union, a nod to Rochester's nickname as the "Flower City".[4][5] On April 14, 2021, the team logo and colors were introduced, the primary color being lilac purple in honor of Rochester's signature flower.[6]
The club began play in 2022,[7] and finished last in the nine-team league. For 2023 they merged with the Syracuse Pulse to form a single club that would split home matches between Rochester (as Flower City Union) and Syracuse (as Salt City Union).[8]
During the 2023 season, Flower City finished in 6th place during the regular season, making the playoffs as the last seed. Flower City defeated the top three seeds, on the road, to win the 2023 NISA Championship.[9]
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