Last Week around the Leagues
by Fran Stuchbury
May 7, 2019 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Last week the Milwaukee Wave claimed the Ron Newman Cup as the 2019 Major Arena Soccer League champion, the defending NLL champion Saskatchewan Rush were eliminated in the NLL playoffs and Omaha was awarded a United Soccer League One franchise next season. Highlights from this week are from the Indoor Football League, Major League Soccer, National Women's Soccer League, Eastern League, Carolina League, Pacific Coast League, American Hockey League and the National Lacrosse League.
FOOTBALL
XFL
The XFL has selected Elevate Sports Ventures to guide and support ticket sales for the league's eight teams. The two-year agreement also sets Elevate as the league's first Business Solutions Partner.
Canadian Football League
The Toronto Argonauts announced the club has chosen National offensive lineman Shane Richards with the first overall selection in the 2019 CFL Draft. Richards, 23, played in 12 games over three seasons at Oklahoma State (2016-2018), which includes a redshirt season in 2017.
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League (AFL) and ESPN announce a media rights agreement for all of the AFL's 2019 regular-season games. Effective immediately, all regular-season games will be available on ESPN3 and the ESPN App. In addition, ArenaBowl XXXII will be televised on ESPN2.
Indoor Football League
Nebraska Danger kick returner Eric Thomas was electric in Week 10 as he returned not one, but two kicks for touchdowns against the Cedar Rapids River Kings.
SOCCER
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer announced an extension of its content agreement with Twitter that provides fans with a comprehensive slate of live matches, highlights and features. The partnership, originally announced in March 2018, has been extended through the end of the 2022 season.
Atlanta United FC forward Josef Martinez scored two goals, in their 3-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City:
The Philadelphia Union score six goals against the New England Revolution:
United Soccer League One
The United Soccer League (USL) announced it had awarded a USL League One franchise to Alliance Omaha Soccer Holdings, making Omaha, Nebraska the first new market to join League One for the 2020 season. The club will be the only professional soccer club currently operating in the state of Nebraska and will be coached by former University of Nebraska Omaha Head Coach Jay Mims.
National Women's Soccer League
North Carolina Courage defender Merritt Mathias saved the team from giving up a late goal in a 0-0 tie against Sky Blue FC:
An ownership group has expressed an interest in bringing a NWSL expansion team to Hartford for the 2020 season. If they get a team they would use "New England" in the name in an aim to capture the attention of the entire region.
Major Arena Soccer League
The Milwaukee Wave claimed the Ron Newman Cup and the 2019 MASL champion title. Now Seven-Time Champions, the Milwaukee Wave defeated the Monterrey Flash on their home turf at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. Final score: Milwaukee Wave 5, Monterrey Flash 2.
Tacoma Stars player-coach Nick Perera capped off his 1st Team All-MASL season with another piece of hardware, the Most Valuable Player Award. Perera led the league in scoring with 80 points (39 goals-41 assists) finishing 16 points ahead of second place.
BASEBALL
Eastern League
Erie SeaWolves right-hander and 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick by the Detroit Tigers Casey Mize tossed a no-hitter in his first Double-A start, a 1-0 win over the Altoona Curve, at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
International League
Triple-A Baseball (International and Pacific Coast Leagues) announced that FOX Sports will be the new exclusive television home of the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game. This year's contest takes place at 8pm ET/7pm CT on Tuesday, September 17 at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tennessee, home of the defending Triple-A National Champion Memphis Redbirds. The game will be televised live nationally on FS1 and available for live streaming on the FOX Sports app.
Carolina League
Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Javier Assad with a kick assist put out to first base for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans:
Pacific Coast League
Albuquerque Isotopes shortstop Brendan Rodgers almost hit a homer off his own face:
HOCKEY
American Hockey League
In the fifth-longest game in AHL history, Max Comtois scored for the San Diego Gulls in quadruple overtime to give his team the Game 1 win over the Bakersfield Condors 3-2.
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League announced that Andre Tourigny of the Ottawa 67's is the 2018-19 recipient of the Matt Leyden Trophy awarded annually to the OHL's Coach of the Year.
National Women's Hockey League
In the face of a reported 200-player boycott, the National Women's Hockey League announced plans to proceed with its 2019-2020 season.
BASKETBALL
NBA G League
The Grand Rapids Drive turned down an offer from the Detroit Pistons to move the team, its owner said, a move that now leaves the franchise preparing for a future as a NBA G League independent.
Women's National Basketball Association
The WNBA today announced its schedule of 20 live regular-season games to be streamed on Twitter during the 2019 season, marking the third consecutive year that the league's games will be available on the platform
LACROSSE
Steal, breakaway, game. Colorado transition player Joey Cupido scored the game winner for Colorado Mammoth to upset defending NLL Champions Saskatchewan Rush 11-10 in overtime:
The Buffalo Bandits hit the New England Black Wolves with a hidden ball trick. Don't blink, you'll miss it! The Bandits won the game 13-6.
Did we miss anything newsworthy or downright fun? Have a nomination for next week's column? Contact us today and let us know.
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Indoor Football League Stories from May 7, 2019
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- Last Week around the Leagues - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
