Future of the Atlantic League...

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DCAbloob
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Post by DCAbloob » Thu Apr 04, 2013 12:19 am

Loudoun County, VA's county board has granted final rezoning approval for the relocated Loudoun Hounds stadium site. The new venue will also host an NASL soccer team with planned launches for both teams in 2014.

HeadFirst
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Post by HeadFirst » Thu Apr 04, 2013 2:54 am

On track for 2014 openings for both Loudoun Hounds (Atlantic League) and Virginia Cavalry FC (North American Soccer League):

http://www.loudounhounds.com/newswegotthevote

LOUDOUN COUNTY UNANIMOUSLY SAYS ‘YES’ TO THE HOUNDS & CAVALRY FC

Ashburn-based facility on track for a 2014 opening for baseball and soccer

Ashburn, VA – April 3, 2013 - Following this evening’s vote by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, professional baseball and soccer will come to Loudoun County, Virginia, in 2014. The Board voted unanimously to approve the request to build the privately financed facility in Ashburn within the One Loudoun development at the interchange of Route 7 and Loudoun County Parkway.

“Tonight’s strong vote of support is a testament to the level of support and desire to have professional sports to call our own in Northern Virginia and Loudoun County,” said Bob Farren, President and CEO of VIP Sports & Entertainment. “I want to profusely thank our fans who have supported us over these many years and I can’t wait to put a shovel in the ground and create a facility that will be a source of affordable, family fun for generations to come.”

In the coming weeks, VIP Sports & Entertainment will be announcing a number of additional events, ranging from Ballpark Groundbreaking to Hounds FanFest and Cavalry FC SoccerFests, in addition to other important announcements.

Farren concluded, “We are excited about our sports future with the Hounds and Cavalry FC. The ballpark will serve as a community gathering point and is another example of why Loudoun County is a great place for families and businesses alike.”

The Hounds’ website is http://www.LoudounHounds.com and they can be found on social media at Facebook.com/HoundsBaseball and Twitter.com/LoudounHounds. Cavalry FC’s website is http://www.VirginiaCavalry.com, and they can be found on social media at Facebook.com/VirginiaCavalry and Twitter.com/CavalryFC.

# # #

About VIP Sports & Entertainment/Loudoun Hounds/Virginia Cavalry FC

The mission of VIP Sports &Entertainment is to provide the families of Loudoun County and Northern Virginia with a spectacular, state-of-the-art entertainment venue for hosting a wide variety of fun, affordable attractions year-round -- from Loudoun Hounds professional baseball, Virginia Cavalry FC professional soccer and other sports, to concerts, festivals, shows, fairs, community and charity events.
"Let's play hardball. I'm goin' headfirst."

DCAbloob
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Virginia Beach franchise awarded

Post by DCAbloob » Mon Apr 08, 2013 10:58 pm

The Atlantic League has granted conditional approval to a franchise in Virginia Beach, Va.

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/04/minor-league-baseball-va-beach-takes-step-forward

pilots13
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Post by pilots13 » Tue Apr 09, 2013 2:20 am

After all these years they are finally getting their team. Amazing they stuck with making this team a reality for so long. Now the question is who's the 8th team? I'm guessing they'd really like a second Texas team.

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Post by toad455 » Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:41 am

[quote=""pilots13""]After all these years they are finally getting their team. Amazing they stuck with making this team a reality for so long. Now the question is who's the 8th team? I'm guessing they'd really like a second Texas team.[/quote]

The league has 8 teams, currently. Loudon makes it 9, Virginia Beach makes it 10, & Malden, Mass. makes it 11. The league desprately wants another Texas team to reduce travel $$$, but I'm sure they'd like at least 3 Texas teams in total. Add in Rockland & Quebec from the Can-Am league plus bring back the RoadWarriors to make it an even 16 and we're all set.

NORTH DIVISION
Quebec
Malden, Mass.
Bridgeport
Rockland

EAST DIVISION
Long Island
Somerset
Lancaster
York

CENTRAL DIVISION
Loudon
Virginia Beach
Southern Maryland
Camden

SOUTH DIVISION
Sugarland
Laredo, TX
Texas expansion #2
RoadWarriors

pilots13
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Post by pilots13 » Fri Apr 12, 2013 6:21 pm

I don't see the Can-Am teams merging in with the AtlL. The Can-Am and AA have far too strong a connection for that to happen. There will be a fight for markets in TX for sure. There's a good chance the UBL falls apart this year, and there are some viable markets that both the AA or AtlL could move into.

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Post by nksports » Fri Apr 12, 2013 7:22 pm

[quote=""pilots13""]I don't see the Can-Am teams merging in with the AtlL. The Can-Am and AA have far too strong a connection for that to happen. There will be a fight for markets in TX for sure. There's a good chance the UBL falls apart this year, and there are some viable markets that both the AA or AtlL could move into.[/quote]

The Can-Am and AA even share a commissioner.

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Post by wildthing2022000 » Mon Jun 03, 2013 12:23 pm

Worcester,MA might be throwing their hat into the ring.

http://www.telegram.com/article/2013060 ... 009/sports

The team might either be in the AtlL, the Northern League (brought back in 2013), or some new league created by the founder and CEO of the AtlL and possible owned or at least managed by the San Jose Sharks owner of the local AHL team.
Atlantic League founder and CEO Frank Boulton is interested in bringing professional baseball back to Worcester next year and Worcester Sharks governor Michael Lehr is exploring the possibility of the Sharks running the franchise.

“All I can tell you at this point,” Boulton said via telephone, “is we have an exciting baseball project that will be announced in June, and certainly we've had conversations with the town fathers and many of the folks up in Worcester. We recognize that there's an opportunity in Worcester for professional baseball for next year. It's definitely a next-year project, 2014.”

Boulton said he plans to announce in mid-June the details of a new developmental league that he's creating and that he would like Worcester to be a part of that league. Boulton emphasized that the new league will not be associated with the Atlantic League.
Lehr said the Sharks would be interested in managing the franchise, but not owning it. Asked if he'd own the team in Worcester, Boulton replied, “That's a possibility.”

Lehr said the Sharks have talked with the Atlantic League and the Northern League, but not the Can-Am League. All three are professional leagues not affiliated with major league baseball.

BlastFan
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Post by BlastFan » Mon Jun 03, 2013 4:55 pm

I'm curious as to why the proposed developmental league will not be affiliated with the Atlantic League. In the Atlantic League, you see former MLB players that are playing for fun, talented players that have made it to AA or AAA and are bouncing back, but you do not see many players fresh out of school. With a developmental league underneath the Atlantic League, these young players will start to filter through.

I remember seeing Ryan Zimmerman play for the Coastal Plains league in the summer (a collegiate league) and then getting picked up by the Nationals. With a developmental league affiliated with the Atlantic League, you just might see that sort of thing happen especially since the Atlantic League is one of the premier independent leagues and all the teams are looking at its players since they are after all independent.

toad455
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Post by toad455 » Wed Jun 05, 2013 3:28 am

The Atlantic league should really wait until 10 years or so until forming a development league. They only have 8 teams, and might reach 12 teams in about 5 years. This development league seems a bit far-fetched.

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