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| Full name | New England Tea Men | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1978 | ||
| Dissolved | 1980 | ||
| Stadium | Schaefer Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts Nickerson Field, Boston, Massachusetts Providence Civic Center (indoor) Providence, Rhode Island | ||
| Capacity | 60,000 11,940 (indoor) | ||
| Coach | Noel Cantwell | ||
| League | NASL | ||
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The New England Tea Men were an American professional soccer team based in the Greater Boston metropolitan area. They played in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1978 to 1980. Their home venues for outdoor play were Schaefer Stadium (shared with the NFL's New England Patriots) in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Nickerson Field near Boston University. They also played one season of indoor soccer in the NASL, using the Providence Civic Center for home games.
The Tea Men were originally owned by Unilever's Lipton subsidiary and given their unusual name as a nod to both the company's product line and the Boston Tea Party.
The Tea Men won their division in 1978 and made a further playoff run in 1980. However, the team struggled for financial solvency in Massachusetts. Right at the start of the 1980–81 indoor season[1] they relocated to Jacksonville, Florida and became the Jacksonville Tea Men.[2]
- ^ "The Day – Google News Archive Search".
- ^ Bart Hubbuch (June 25, 2006). "Remember the Tea Men? A pro kickoff". The Florida Times-Union. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2011.