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SL1 Southern League

Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report

by Dan Krieger
September 13, 2010 - Southern League (SL1)


BASEBALL

Atlantic Baseball League: The proposed new ABL franchise planned for Sugar Land (TX) has released the three possible team nicknames: the Sugar Land King Canes, Sugar Land Lizard Kings, and Sugar Land Skeeters. The team plans to start play in the 2012 season.

Southern League: The West Tenn Diamond Jaxx of the Double-A Southern League announced that the team has changed its named to the Jackson (TN) Generals for next season. The Diamond Jaxx came into the league when the city of Memphis moved up to the Triple-A Pacific Coast League and the Double-A Memphis Chicks franchise relocated to Jackson for the 1998 season. The league's Huntsville (AL) Stars have not made much progress with the city in building a new ballpark. The Florida cities of Pensacola and Panama City have been mentioned as being interested in attracting an affiliated baseball franchise.

Appalachian League: With the announcement last week that the Baltimore Orioles will not operate its Bluefield (WV) Orioles team next season in the Rookie-Level Appalachian League, the Toronto Blue Jays have decided to place a 2011 affiliate in the city called the Bluefield Blue Jays. Toronto recently had the Pulaski (VA) Blue Jays affiliate in the league for four seasons (2003-06).

New York-Penn League: An engineering study is underway on the ballpark of the Vermont Lake Monsters in the short-season Class-A NY-Penn League. The study will determine if the ballpark can be renovated or a new ballpark will have to be built to keep the franchise in the city of Burlington.

Southwestern Baseball League: The proposed SWL reports that a recent meeting was held in Cananea, Sonora (Mexico) to discuss a new professional independent league to be based in Mexico. A league name will be announced soon. The SWL had been looking to place teams in Sonora and Baja California, but decided not to start up as planned in 2011. Instead, the league was looking to operate a team that could play against teams in California, Arizona, and Mexico in 2011.

Pecos League: The proposed independent Pecos League now reports that its Desert Valley Mountain Lions team could wind up in one of four New Mexico cities: Artesia, Carlsbad, Clovis, and Hobbs. Proposed team names that have been listed for three of the cities are the Artesia NuMexers, Carlsbad Cavelions, and Clovis Lions. One of the league's newly listed "proposed teams" is the El Paso Suns.

BASKETBALL

American Basketball Association: The ABA has announced it will add a 2011 expansion team in Rockford (IL). The ABA had a Rockford-based team called the Rock River Fury that planned to split its 2007-08 home schedule between Rockford and Sauk Valley (IL), but the franchise left the ABA before the season to join the Premier Basketball League for its inaugural 2008 season.

Premier Basketball League: The PBL plans to add an eighth team for the upcoming 2011 season and it is speculated the team will be based in Dayton (OH).

Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional: The LNBP, Mexico's top professional basketball league, has started its 2010-11 season with 18 teams grouped into one table. The league lost seven teams from last season, but added five new teams. The 36-game regular season runs from September 2 to December 29, 2010.

FOOTBALL

Indoor Football League: The Wenatchee Valley (WA) Venom franchise of the American Indoor Football Association reported the franchise has been accepted into the IFL for its 2011 season. It is has been speculated that the AIFA's Yakima Valley (WA) Warriors could follow the Venom to the IFL. There are rumors that the IFL's Arkansas Diamonds will move to Allen (TX), the Austin Turfcats will move to San Antonio, and the IFL will add a new team in Grand Island (NE) .

American Indoor Football Association: The Morristown-based New Jersey Revolution franchise in the AIFA has ceased operations. The Revolution started play in 2006 when the New York/New Jersey Revolution joined the Great Lakes Indoor Football League as a travel team for the league's inaugural 2006 season. The team found a home in Morristown for the 2007 GLIFL season. In 2008, the team became the New Jersey Revolution and the GLIFL became the Continental Indoor Football League. The Revolution sat out the 2009 CIFL season and moved to the AIFA for its 2010 season.

Arena Football League: The AFL is reportedly ready to approve deals to relocate the Bossier-Shreveport (LA) BattleWings to New Orleans and the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz to Seattle for next season. The league's Milwaukee Iron franchise might shut down operations due to financial issues.

Independent Indoor Football Alliance: A team called the San Antonio Lobos is now listed as part of the IIFA and will start play in the 2011 season.

United States Football League: The proposed springtime USFL is considering Memphis, Orlando, Ohio, Nevada, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles for six of its franchises. Several other locations are also under consideration for two to six additional teams. By the end of the month, the league will know whether it will start in 2011 with 6 to 8 teams or in 2012 with 8 to 12 teams

National Developmental Football League: The proposed NDFL has announced an agreement with the Belgian Football League to become its national scouting department. The BFL is a 14-team professional league for American football in Belgium.

HOCKEY

All American Hockey League: The new AAHL expansion franchise based in Lapeer (MI) will be called the Lapeer Loggers when the team starts play in the 2010-11 season.

Western Women's Hockey League: The WWHL will have five participating teams for its 2010-11 season: the Calgary X-treme, Edmonton Chimos, Manitoba Maple Leafs, Minnesota Whitecaps, and Strathmore (Alberta) Rockies. The league has been around since the 2004-05 season.

Canadian Women's Hockey League: The CWHL will have five teams in 2010-11, one less than last season. The Vaughn Flames, Ottawa Senators, and Mississauga Chiefs will not return and have been replaced by new teams in Toronto and Boston.

Continental Junior Hockey League: The proposed Johnstown (PA) Wings of the new CJHL will postpone its first season until the 2011-12 season. The CJHL will have five teams for its inaugural season.

Major League Roller Hockey: The MLRH has announced its teams for the 2010-11 season. The MLRH West will include the LA United, Huntington Beach Villians, Hollywood Dream, Orange County Jam, and Nakhon Dragons; the MLRH Central will include the Michigan Thunder, Chicago RollerSnakes, Detroit Revolution, and Great Lakes Waves; and the MLRH East will feature the NY/NJ Rockers, Pennsylvania Blackout, D.C. Filibusters, Maryland Crush, and Virginia Wings.

National Hockey League: The province of Quebec has committed funds for a proposed new arena in Quebec City that could lead to the return of an NHL franchise to the city.

SOCCER

United Soccer Leagues: The USL announced it has merged its First Division (Division II) and Second Division (Division III) into a single league that will be called the USL PRO in 2011. The USL PRO will have as many as four geographic regions and teams will be announced in the coming weeks. The USL did not clarify if the USL PRO will be Division II or Division III, but it claims the new league will be the highest level of competition in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean outside of Major League Soccer. Three USL First Division (Division II) members were part of the United States Soccer Federation Division-2 Pro League in 2010, while the USL Second Division (Division III) consisted of six eastern teams in 2010.

North American Soccer League: The Puerto Rico Islanders, formerly affiliated with the United Soccer Leagues Second Division, have officially joined the NASL. The Islanders are part of the United States Soccer Federation D-2 Pro League this season along with other members of the NASL. The NASL plans to submit an application to the USSF to become a sanctioned Division II league in 2011.

Women's Professional Soccer: The WPS and the Buffalo Flash of the United Soccer Leagues W-League are reportedly having ongoing discussions about a Buffalo-based expansion team for 2011. The expansion team could split home games between Rochester (NY) and Buffalo.

Dan Krieger is the creator of the Leagueology™ almanac known as "Leagues, Teams & Nicknames", which tracks the changes in league alignments, franchise movements and team nicknames in today's sports world. The latest 2009-10 edition is available at http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/leagues-teams-nicknames-2009-10/6534940. Dan can be contacted at dankrieger@leaguesteamsnicknames.com.

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