Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report

by Dan Krieger
Published on July 6, 2009 under United League Baseball (ULB)


BASEBALL

United League Baseball: The ULB has announced the addition of the Tijuana Potros for the second half of its 2009 season. To even out the number of teams to eight, the ULB has added a travel team called the United League Travelers. The Tijuana Potros team was originally a 2009 expansion team planned for the Golden Baseball League, but apparently failed to pay the GBL franchise fee.

New York State League: The developmental NYSL plans to start its 2009 season next week and again will feature two teams-the NYSL Federals and the NYSL Capitols. The NYSL teams play doubleheaders during weekdays throughout the month of July with all games played in New York City. The league is an avenue for players looking to sign with other independent teams in other leagues.

New York-Penn League: The home field of the Burlington-based Vermont Lake Monsters in the affiliated short-season Class-A New York-Penn League apparently does not meet minimum standards, which has led to speculation the team could consider a move in the future. The league's Jamestown (NY) Jammers have been mentioned as a team possibly destined for Norwich (CT), if that city's Double-A Eastern League club, the Connecticut Defenders, is moved to Richmond (VA).

Canadian-American League (Can-Am): Although the Can-Am League has had attendance and weather issues this season, it has denied rumors that the Nashua-based American Defenders of New Hampshire franchise will fold before the end of the season.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association Development League (D-League): The new D-League franchise in Springfield (MA) has announced the team will be called the Springfield Armor, which pays homage to the strength and stability of the Springfield Armory. Colonials, Spirit and Founders were some of the other names considered. The Armor is the relocated Anaheim Arsenal franchise from 2008-09. The league has announced that the Houston Rockets of the NBA have adopted the league's new single-affiliate partnership model by taking control of the day-to-day basketball operations of the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The D-League has announced the NBA affiliations for its 16 teams in the 2009-10 season.

Premier Basketball League: The Battle Creek Knights ownership has announced the team is no longer part of the PBL and will not play in 2010. If the team were to return in the future, it would be as part of the International Basketball League. The Knights started as an IBL franchise in 2005 and left after four seasons (2005-08) to join the PBL for its 2009 season. The Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry, formerly of the Continental Basketball Association, have until July 31 to notify the PBL if they will be joining the league.

American Basketball Association: The ABA has announced seven new teams that will be part of the league's Pacific Northwest division-the Everett (WA) Longshoremen, Portland Stumpers, Seattle Zhen Gan (Tremors), Spokane Sunz, Vancouver (WA) Explorers, Walla Walla (WA) Aggies and Yakima Hoppers. The division will also include two current ABA teams, the Washington Raptors and Seattle Mountaineers. After playing five seasons (2005-09) in the International Basketball League, the Grand Rapids (MI) Flight has joined the ABA for the 2009-10 season as part of the North Central Division. The Inland Empire 5 Linx of the Southern Cal Division and the Modesto Bearcats of the Northern Cal Division are now listed as 2010-11 expansion teams. International Basketball League: The Holland Blast and the Grand Rapids Flight have decided to leave the IBL. The Blast has been part of the IBL for four seasons (2006-09) and now wants to form a new basketball league with other cities in the Midwest. The Flight was part of the IBL for all five of the league's seasons (2005-09) and will be part of the 2009-10 American Basketball Association season.

FOOTBALL

Canadian Football League: The CFL has started its 2009 season with the same eight teams it has had since the Ottawa Renegades folded after the 2005 season. The East Division includes the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Montreal Alouettes, Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, while the West Division has the British Columbia Lions, Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Eskimos and Saskatchewan Roughriders. A group in Ottawa was granted another CFL franchise last year under the condition it works out a deal for a home stadium. Groups in Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces would like to be home to a possible tenth CFL franchise, but finding a suitable stadium in these locations has been an issue.

United Football League: Before it has even started its inaugural season, the UFL is talking about expansion both overseas and in the United States over the next two years. The league plans to expand by at least two to four teams for its 2010 season with a possible team in Mexico. Locations like Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, London, Barcelona, Madrid and Italy have been mentioned as overseas possibilities.

Indoor Football League: The IFL recently announced a group in Richmond (VA) was in the process of building a new indoor facility that could become home to a 2011 expansion team. Talks are now ongoing about placing the Richmond expansion team in a temporary location for a 2010 start.

American Indoor Football Association: The AIFA is moving forward with a planned expansion team in Richmond (VA) starting in 2010, despite efforts by the Indoor Football League to add a franchise in the city. The AIFA has announced a name-the-team contest and plans to find local ownership for the franchise.

Arena Football League: With little being heard about the AFL's proposed restart in 2010, it has been suggested the league might be better off waiting until 2011.

HOCKEY

ECHL: The ECHL announced it will have 20 teams for the upcoming 2009-10 season, down from the 23 that started the 2008-09 season. The 12-team American Conference will have 4-team East, North and South divisions, while the 8-team National Conference will have 4-team Pacific and West divisions. The August Lynx and Fresno Falcons dropped from the league during the 2008-09 season, while the Dayton Bombers, Phoenix Roadrunners and Mississippi Sea Wolves dropped out after the season and returned their memberships to the league. The ECHL has added the Kalamazoo Kings and Toledo Walleye as new franchises for 2009-10. The league has two inactive markets in Reno (NV) and Columbia (SC). The Columbia Inferno plan to return in 2010-11, as construction is scheduled to begin this summer on a new arena. A previously inactive Myrtle Beach franchise, formerly the Pee Dee Pride of Florence (SC), has also returned its membership to the league.

Central Hockey League: The CHL announced that the New Mexico Scorpions and the Oklahoma City Blazers will not be part of the 2009-10 season, so the league will operate with 15 teams. Oklahoma City is apparently moving forward to eventually establish a Triple-A American Hockey League franchise for the 2010-11 season. The Blazers were an original member of the CHL when it started play in the 1992-93 season. New Mexico is reportedly trying to find new ownership for the franchise. The Scorpions joined the CHL in the 2001-02 season after playing five seasons (1996-2001) in the defunct Western Professional Hockey League. The Scorpions sat out the 2005-06 season while waiting for completion of a new arena in Rio Rancho. Ownership of the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs has been transferred and the franchise will be part of the 2009-10 season.

International Hockey League: The IHL has announced the addition of the Quad City Mallards, based in Moline (IL), for its upcoming 2009-10 season. A team by the same name played in the market from 1995 to 2006 as part of the United Hockey League. An American Hockey League franchise called the Quad City Flames has been in the market the past two seasons (2007-09), but recently moved to Abbotsford (British Columbia). The Quad Cities include the Illinois cities of Moline and Rock Island, along with the Iowa cities of Bettendorf and Davenport.

North American Hockey League: After playing one season as the Motor City Machine, the NAHL team was sold last month and will change its nickname to the Metal Jackets. The team is based in Wyandotte (MI) since moving from southern Minnesota after the 2007-08 season.

SOCCER

Xtreme Soccer League: After completing its inaugural 2008-09 season, the four-team XSL has announced it will take a one-year hiatus from league competition as it tries to strengthen its current markets and finalize possible additions for a 2010-11 season. The XSL began with four teams-the Chicago Storm, Detroit Ignition, Milwaukee Wave and New Jersey Ironmen-from the former Major Indoor Soccer League, which folded after the 2007-08 season.

Mexican Primera Division: The 18-team Primera Division (First Division) of the Federacion Mexicana de Futbol Association (FMF) recently completed the second part (Clausura) of its 2008-09 Apertura/Clausura schedule. As a result, the Necaxa Los Rayos club has been relegated to the second division and the Queretaro Gallos Blancos club has been promoted to the Primera Division for the 2009-10 Apertura/Clausura schedule. The three six-team groups have been realigned for the next season and the first part (Apertura) of the 2009-10 schedule will run from July 24 to December 6, 2009.

Mexican Primera A Division: The 27-team second division of the Federacion Mexicana de Futbol Association (FMF) known as the Primera A Division has been restructured into a new 17-team second division league called the Liga de Ascenso. The first part (Apertura) of the league's 2009-10 Apertura/Clausura schedule runs from July 31 to December 13, 2009.

OTHER

National Lacrosse League: The Portland LumberJax franchise will be idle for the upcoming 2010 NLL season and a dispersal draft is to be held next week. The franchise owner is said to be in negotiations with a potential buyer. The city of Abbotsford in the Vancouver area is reportedly a possible destination for the team.

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 2008-09 version can be found at http://www.lulu.com/content/6218580. Dan can be contacted at dankrieger@leaguesteamsnicknames.com.

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United League Baseball Stories from July 6, 2009


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.


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