Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report
by Dan Krieger
January 26, 2009 - Continental Baseball League (CBaseballL)
BASEBALL
Frontier League: The Frontier League announced that a proposed ballpark in Normal (IL) on the campus of Heartland Community College has been officially approved. A new Frontier League franchise is expected to start play in the Bloomington-Normal market in 2010.
Continental Baseball League: After announcing last week that the Alexandria Aces will join the CBL from the bankrupt United League Baseball (ULB), the CBL has extended an offer for the five remaining ULB teams to play as part of the 2009 CBL. These ULB teams would have to work out local ownership deals before playing in the CBL. At least one ULB team, the Laredo Broncos, might consider playing the 2009 season in the CBL and then try to join the American Association for 2010. After the 2008 season, the ULB tried to sell off the Amarillo Dillas and San Angelo Colts to the Golden Baseball League (GBL) and disband the rest of the teams.
Atlantic Coast League: The independent ACL had hoped to open its inaugural baseball season in 2009 with six teams in the Southeast, but has decided to push this back to a 2010 start.
Golden Baseball League: The GBL granted an expansion franchise to the town of Santa Clarita (CA) in 2005, but nothing has moved forward on a ballpark for the team and this expansion effort appears to be dead. The GBL plans further expansion into Canada and the Northwest and could even acquire some former United League Baseball (ULB) markets for the 2010 season.
BASKETBALL
American Basketball Association: The ABA has officially added the Los Angeles Slam as a West Coast expansion team. The Slam was originally supposed to join for the 2009-10 season, but had been filling in this season on the schedules of some of the western ABA teams that stopped playing. The Arizona Rhinos, based in Prescott Valley, announced there would be no more games played until it can resolve certain scheduling issues.
World Basketball Association Exposure League: The WBA Exposure League has announced a new team called the Tyrone (GA) Tornadoes has been added for the upcoming 2009 season. The Tornadoes will join three returning 2008 teams called the Memphis Blues, Decatur (AL) Court Kings and Buford (GA) Majic, along with four other new teams for 2009 called the Marietta (GA) Storm, Rome (GA) Gladiators, Palm Coast (FL) Blue Waves and the Birmingham-based Alabama Airmen.
Premier Basketball League: A team called the Orlando Flight is seeking a franchise in the PBL. The team plans to play a limited exhibition schedule this winter.
International Basketball League: The Snohomish County Explosion has announced its 2009 IBL schedule, which includes at least one game against a new expansion franchise based in McMinnville (OR) called the Yamhill Highflyers. McMinnville is in Yamhill County and located about 40 miles southwest of Portland. Earlier in 2008, the IBL had a proposed team listed as the West Coast Highflyers.
Americas Basketball International: Although there have been no results posted on the ABI's proposed December 2008 start, the league's Pensacola Reign team is now listed as the Biloxi (MS) Reign. The four United States teams are supposed to play games under international basketball rules against teams from South America, Central America and the Caribbean.
Women's Eastern Basketball Alliance: The WEBA standings now list a team called the New York Lady Wizards. This increases the league to seven teams for 2009.
FOOTBALL
American Indoor Football Association: The Arizona Adrenaline, based in Prescott Valley, has decided to suspend operations for the 2009 AIFA season. The team cited the poor economy as a reason and hoped to return in 2010. The departure of Arizona reduced the West division to 4 teams and left the league with 15 teams participating in the 2009 season.
Southern Indoor Football League: The SIFL will have six teams participating in its inaugural 2009 season, but its proposed Houston-based team called the Houston Crusaders will wait until 2010 to start play. The league has brought in the Tampa-based Florida Kings to play a limited 2009 road schedule. The Kings were reportedly ready to start in 2009, but the SIFL planned to start with only the six teams based in Louisiana and Texas, while adding Florida teams in 2010. Last week we reported the SIFL's Houston-based team was the Texas Pirates, but that is the name of the league's Pasadena-based franchise, which was originally referred to as the Texas Titans.
Indoor Football League: The Frisco Thunder, which played two seasons (2006-07) in the Intense Football League and was part of the league's merger with United Indoor Football to form the Indoor Football League (IFL), has reportedly filed for bankruptcy and could be liquidated. The Thunder had suffered from scheduling problems due to arena renovations last season and had previously announced it would sit out the IFL's inaugural 2009 season.
United Football League: Plans for a proposed UFL training facility in Casa Grande (AZ) appear to be in trouble, as the city could terminate its original agreement with the league. The UFL has announced plans to start play in the fall of 2009, but has not yet announced its locations and ownership groups.
National Football League: With the recent approval of football stadium plans in the City of Industry area of Los Angeles, construction is expected to move forward and could be completed for the 2012 season. A current NFL team would be targeted for relocation to the new stadium, possibly the San Diego Chargers.
HOCKEY
Major League Roller Hockey: The second event of the six-team MLRH Pro Series will be held next month in the Palatine area of Chicago and will feature the Chicago RollerSnakes, Michigan Thunder, Washington Power and Florida Fusion. The first event featured the Chicago and Michigan teams, along with the Boston Storm and Buffalo Wings.
International Hockey League: The financial state of the Bloomington (IL) Prairie Thunder franchise in the IHL has city and arena officials concerned. There has been a drop in attendance this season, along with some unpaid bills. The franchise was in financial trouble last season, but a group of local investors took over the team.
Central Hockey League: Although the New Mexico Scorpions have gotten the most news about its financial problems, almost every CHL franchise has experienced an attendance decline this season.
National Hockey League: The New York Islanders will play an exhibition game next season in Kansas City (MO) and some are wondering if the franchise could be considering a move. The plans for a rebuilt Nassau County Coliseum have stalled and the management of the Sprint Center in Kansas City is looking for a major sports tenant.
SOCCER
Major League Soccer: The new soccer-specific stadium in Harrison (NJ) for the New York Red Bulls will not be ready until the 2010 season, so the team will have to play another season at Giants Stadium. The Delaware County Council voted to provide $30 million in financing for the new soccer stadium in Chester (PA) that is under construction and is supposed to be ready in 2010 for a Philadelphia-based MLS expansion team.
United Soccer League First Division: The USL First Division announced plans for its 2009 season that will include 11 teams listed in one table with no divisional alignment. The Seattle Sounders and Atlanta Silverbacks will not return, but the league has added the new Austin Aztex team and the Cleveland City Stars team that was promoted from the USL Second Division. Other 2009 teams include the Charleston (SC) Battery, Carolina RailHawks (Cary, NC), Miami FC Blues, Minnesota Thunder, Portland Timbers, Puerto Rico Islanders, Rochester Rhinos and Vancouver Whitecaps.
Professional Arena Soccer League: The Mexican Division of the PASL-Pro League now has six teams listed-Cuernavaca, Deportivo Lomas, La Cabana, Liverpool, Machado and UABC Ensenada. Four other Mexican teams are listed as "Provisional, Expansion, Exhibition". There is no information as to any games played by the Mexican teams this season.
OTHER
World TeamTennis: The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has become a 25 percent owner of the Advanta World TeamTennis Pro League. The WTT recently renewed its sponsorship agreement with Advanta for another three years.
Dan Krieger is the creator of "Leagues, Teams & Nicknames", which tracks the changes in league alignments, franchise movements and team nicknames in today's sports world. The latest version can be found at http://www.lulu.com/content/2533047. Dan can be contacted at dankrieger@leaguesteamsnicknames.com.
Continental Baseball League Stories from January 26, 2009
- Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report - OSC Original by Dan Krieger
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.
