Empire Cup College Showcase

Thousands of people -- high school soccer players, coaches, officials, and parents -- are in Batavia this weekend for the Empire Cup, a soccer showcase that gives high school players from throughout the Northeast a chance to play against other top players and display their skills for college recruiters.  

In the parking lot were license plates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ontario, Canada, and, of course, New York.

Players were at both the Batavia Sports Park on State Street Road and at Genesee Community College.

The event brings an estimated $500,000 into the local economy. The Empire Cup is supposed to go for two weeks, but the boys' event was rained out last weekend.

The 2017 Empire Cup College Showcase is a two-weekend event a big financial boost to the local tourism industry, but a week of rain, some of it heavy at times, has saturated playing fields and forced the cancellation of this weekend's games.

As for next weekend's games, that depends on the weather.

"We've got to hope for a couple of dry days this week," said Kelly Rapone, director of tourism for the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

Over two weekends, more than 3,000 soccer players from all over the Northeast were expected to fill up local hotels and eat at local restaurants, but that $1.1 million of expected economic impact has been cut in half.

Everybody, from the hoteliers to the event's hosts to the participants are hugely disappointed by the rainout, Rapone said.

The event is a chance for top high school players to showcase their talent for college recruiters and give them a chance to play against some of the other top players in the Northeast and Canada.

This weekend, the boys' championship games were scheduled to be played. Next weekend, girls' games are scheduled.

Players from more than 70 teams and their families are in town this weekend for the Empire Cup College Showcase, a premier soccer event for soccer players 15-18 looking to move to the next level. Coaches from more than 100 colleges attend the tournament at the Batavia Sports Park on Bank Street Road. Players travel from all over the Northeast in order to participate. Clor's Meat Market is the official food vendor. Local businesses report seeing an increase in sales during the event.

Soccer continues tomorrow at the park.