Coronavirus has taken too much from this nation.
As of this typing, nearly 241 thousand people have died nationwide, but it has also killed a lot of businesses. The Nugget in Reno, known for a famous burger, went under. So did a Japanese restaurant, and a few stores.
What really upset me is that this happened:
Reno 1868, which had the best record in the USL in 2020, is CLOSED.
Why? Part of it is having no fans thanks to the virus, but it's also the fact that the team would prefer its home pitch rather than sharing it with the Reno Aces.
This is why Fresno FC had to move out of town this year, but will go somewhere else.
I have been to a few games over the team's short history. I remember when they place balloons at the Virginia Street Bridge to celebrate the team's arrival. I even wore the special scarf USL had to celebrate the team entering the league. After I had to leave Sacramento and miss its soccer success, I was so happy soccer would have its chance in Reno. Since it was the top team this past season, I fully expected to come back next season. Seeing that e-mail at work horrified me more than the idea of Trump winning.
A Facebook page called the Battle Born Brigade has had a lot to say about this, and it's not wasting time trying to resurrect itself, as you can see in this link.
Actually, a site called Zac Electrify has even more to this story, including the fact that the team has never turned a profit and the Earthquakes might be pulling out of its partnership. He does have a plan where we'd have a team in the lower divisions but would be a start to get back to the USL Championship level.
Sadly it means the Las Vegas Lights will smirk at Reno for quite a while, but Reno fans can turn to Sacramento Republic for a while.
Remember, San Jose Earthquake fans were in the wilderness for more than a decade until Major League Soccer arrived. It's Reno's turn, and it can create something to get back to USL League Two at least.
In the meantime, fans can keep their jerseys and masks and other gear until the city's back in a league. I still plan to wear any of the four jerseys and five or six scarves.
Reno can be big league again, but it will take time. Medical malpractice will not rob Reno of its status as a soccer town!
