Last Week around the Leagues
by Fran Stuchbury
Published on June 20, 2023 under National Arena League (NAL)
This past week the National Arena League terminated the Albany Empire franchise owned by former NFL receiver Antonio Brown, Angel City FC of the National Women's Soccer League fired Head Coach Freya Coombe, and the Western Hockey League's Winnipeg ICE relocated to Wenatchee, Washington and became the Wenatchee Wild. Highlights from this week come from the National Arena League, United States Football League, Canadian Football League, Indoor Football League, National Women's Soccer League, Major League Soccer, United Soccer League Championship, United Soccer League One, Western Hockey League, American Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Premier Lacrosse League, Women's National Basketball Association, and American Ultimate Disc League.
FOOTBALL
National Arena League
After exhausting all avenues, the NAL board of owners have decided unanimously to terminate the membership agreement of the Albany Empire. The decision was reached after an emergency conference call of the members in good standing to discuss the Empire's failure to pay their league mandated and overdue assessments. Each team is responsible to pay for 1/7 of the league's operating budget via monthly assessments starting in April. The Empire's owner, Antonio Brown, was also fined $1,000 for Conduct Detrimental to the League for his recent public comments. Mr. Brown refused to pay that fine.
End of the Empire: League leaders kick Albany Arena team
United States Football League
USFL Top 10 plays from week 10
Canadian Football League
CFL Plays of the Week - Week 2, 2023
Chad Kelly speaks with Donnovan Bennett and teammate Henoc Muamba about getting his number called in the Grey Cup game, his mindset and preparation and being ready to take over as the Argonauts starter in 2023.
XFL
The XFL announced that the following players were selected in the XFL Rookie Draft conducted on June 16, 2023. Players are listed alphabetically by team:
Indoor Football League
Plays of the Week 13
Champions Indoor Football
The Omaha Beef became the first team in CIF history to go undefeated as they claimed their second championship when they beat the Salina Liberty 50-30 at Liberty First Credit Union on Saturday night. The Beef finished the year with a perfect 12-0 record as beat the Liberty for the second time in three years in Champions Bowl 8. The third meeting was the first to be held at the Beef's home field after two years in Salina.
SOCCER
National Women's Soccer League
Angel City Football Club (ACFC) announced that the club has parted ways with Head Coach Freya Coombe effective immediately. Assistant Coach Becki Tweed will act as interim head coach until a permanent replacement is announced.
Bay FC, the Bay Area's newest professional sports franchise and member of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), today announced Brady Stewart as the club's first CEO. She will lead the club forward in its mission to be an iconic Bay Area sports franchise that will be a leader in building women's professional soccer globally. "Women's sports are a revolution happening in real-time. Bay FC will be a rallying point for our fans in the Bay Area, for women's sports, for the next generation of leaders and for anyone who wants to be part of creating an inclusive organization that unites our fans across the Bay Area and beyond," said Brady Stewart, CEO of Bay FC. "We will establish a legacy that unites and energizes our fans and celebrates our athletes for what they are: the best soccer players in the world. ¬Â
Brandi Chastain, Bay FC co-founder, and Brady Stewart, Bay FC CEO, join 'Squawk Box' to discuss where the recent investment will go, Brandi's sense of fan engagement and sponsorships in women's soccer, and more.
Kansas City Current Michelle Cooper scores the fastest goal in NWSL history, just 23 seconds after the opening whistle.
Major League Soccer
Golazo! Pablo Ruiz Scores from beyond Midfield!
United Soccer League Championship
The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week for Week 14 of the 2023 regular season with Miami FC forward Kyle Murphy voted the Championship Player of the Week presented by Konami eFootball after scoring once and notching two assists in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Rio Grande Valley FC on Saturday night at H-E-B Park.
United Soccer League One
Can't Be Stopped - USL League One Player of the Month, May: Trevor Amann
HOCKEY
Western Hockey League
The Wenatchee Wild organization is excited and humbled to announce its approval as the newest member club in the Western Hockey League (WHL), effective with the 2023-24 season. The team's membership in the WHL replaces that of the Winnipeg Ice, whose membership in the league has been purchased by Wenatchee Wild owners David and Lisa White.
Wenatchee Wild general manager Bliss Littler talks about the difference between the BCHL and WHL. He says one gears players towards college where the other prepares players for the NHL. Wenatchee will move to the WHL this fall.
2022-23 Highlight Reel - Jackson Unger
American Hockey League
The Detroit Red Wings on named Dan Watson head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins. Watson becomes the 12th head coach in franchise history after serving six seasons as head coach of the ECHL's Toledo Walleye. "I'm thrilled to announce Dan as the head coach of the Griffins," said Griffins general manager / Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff. "He established a tremendous winning culture during his six years as head coach in Toledo through his work ethic, communication skills, and the relationships he built with his players. Dan's passion for player development and familiarity with the Red Wings organization will be vital assets, and we're confident his experience will lead to the continued growth of our players in Grand Rapids. ¬Â
Grand Rapids Griffins introduce new head coach Dan Watson
The American Hockey League has established a new record for total postseason attendance this spring, with nearly 500,000 fans having already attended games during the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs. Through 80 games, the league's playoff participants have drawn a total of 498,828 fans, and will surpass half a million fans in a single postseason for the first time in league history. Additionally, the league average of 6,235 per game ranks the 2023 postseason third-highest in the last 60 years, behind only the 2016 playoffs (6,513 over 67 games) and the 1964 playoffs (6,794 over 17 games).
Southern Professional Hockey League
The Pensacola Ice Flyers have announced that head coach Rod Aldoff will be retiring after nine seasons with the team. Aldoff took over as head coach in 2013 and led the team to an overall regular season record of 237-154-54 (.593) and an overall post-season record of 22-11 (.667). He won three SPHL championships, the first in 2014 after the Ice Flyers won their first championship in 2013. Aldoff followed that up with another championship in 2016, and then assembled a remarkable team during the SPHL's COVID season in 2020-21 that brought Pensacola its fourth SPHL championship.
Ontario Hockey League
Matthew Maggio - Red Tilson Trophy / Most Outstanding Player
Dave Cameron - Matt Leyden Trophy / Coach of the Year
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League (USHL) announced that Glenn Hefferan has been selected as its 11th President and Commissioner. Hefferan brings an extensive background as a volunteer, board and committee member with USA Hockey as well as running/directing youth and junior hockey clubs and leagues. He currently serves as President of the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association, the USA Hockey Affiliate for New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, and Delaware, having been re-elected three times since his initial election in 2015.
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
2022-2023 recap
LACROSSE
Premier Lacrosse League
TOP 10 PLAYS FROM 2023 CHARLOTTE
What Cities Will The PLL Teams Go To?
BASKETBALL
Women's National Basketball Association
Best of WNBA: Week 3
Watch as Candace Parker jumped into Shaquille O'Neal arms after the Las Vegas Aces' big win over Seattle Storm.
NBA G League
The Portland G League team, the official NBA G League affiliate of the Portland Trail Blazers, has announced Jim Moran as the franchise's first head coach. Moran returns to the Pacific northwest as the head coach of the Portland G League team after he began his NBA coaching career with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2014-15, where he first served as the team's associate video coordinator. Moran was promoted to an assistant coach in 2015 and served in the role through the 2020-21 season. Most recently, Moran spent the past two seasons (2021-23) as an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons. His coaching career started in 2013 as a player development coach with the Maine Red Claws of the then NBA Development League.
BASEBALL
Around the minors for games on Sunday June 18th!
OTHER LEAGUES
American Ultimate Disc League
The TOP 10 plays from Week 7 of the 2023 AUDL season!
Did we miss anything newsworthy or fun? Have a nomination for next week's column? Contact us today and let us know.
National Arena League Stories from June 20, 2023
- 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.
