ium ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁season ▁but ▁the ▁city ▁ended ▁the ▁project ▁in ▁early ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁over ▁financial ▁and ▁legal ▁concerns ▁with ▁the ▁group . ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁a ▁U . S . ▁District ▁Court ▁judge ▁found ▁developers ▁James ▁D uck ett ▁Jr . ▁and ▁Mitchell ▁Anderson ▁guilty ▁of ▁wire ▁fra ud , ▁consp i racy ▁and ▁money ▁la und ering . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁the ▁M AS L ▁announced ▁that ▁Hart ford ▁City ▁FC ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁permitted ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁league ▁that ▁season ▁and ▁began ▁league - wide ▁schedule ▁changes ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁failed ▁franch ise . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁local ▁restaur ateur ▁A aron ▁Sar war ▁bought ▁the ▁copy right , ▁tra dem ark ▁and ▁logo ▁for ▁the ▁team ▁and ▁began ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁team ▁from ▁the ▁ground ▁up . ▁In ▁November , ▁the ▁National ▁Premier ▁Soccer ▁League ▁announced ▁that ▁Hart ford ▁City ▁FC ▁would ▁join ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁division ' s ▁White ▁Conference ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁season . ▁ ▁The ▁team ▁played ▁their ▁inaug ural ▁game ▁on ▁May ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁defe ating ▁King ston ▁Stock ade ▁FC ▁ 3 – 1 ▁away . ▁Their ▁inaug ural ▁game ▁at ▁C CS U ▁Soccer ▁Field ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁where ▁H C FC ▁defeated ▁Se aco