"Binghamton deserves a team," Cronin said.

Cronin said home games will be at Binghamton Alumni Field and the home opener is set for Saturday, July 25, against Watertown.

There's no coach yet, but the general manager is Kevin Faughnan of Binghamton, said Cronin, who has moved from Johnson City to Troy.

The team meeting is at 7 p.m. Monday at the Airport Inn on Airport Road in the Town of Maine.

The Dragons are one of eight teams set to go and are in a division with Watertown, Massena and Amsterdam. The other division is comprised of Plattsburgh, Vermont, Quebec and Ottawa. The EFL is celebrating is 40th anniversary year.

"This really helps ballplayers in this local area," said longtime EFL commissioner Dave Burch of Endicott, referring to travel costs to play elsewhere.

Especially with the Scranton Eagles, a perennial rival of Binghamton's teams over the years, having been granted a one-year leave of absence.

The Dragons finished the regular season 6-4 in 2005 and 5-5 in 2006, according to Burch.

The Quebec Titans beat the Vermont Ice Storm for the league title a year ago, both teams finishing with 11-1 records.