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Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report

by Dan Krieger
July 14, 2014 - North American Soccer League (NASL)


BASEBALL

Southern League: The lowest bid to build the new ballpark in Biloxi (MS) for the relocated Huntsville (AL) Stars of the Double-A Southern League was well over budget. The Stars were expected to move to Biloxi for the start of the 2015 season, but if Biloxi needs to come up with more money it could delay the team's start in Biloxi until the 2016 season. A former owner of the Huntsville Stars stated there are serious talks underway about bringing a new minor league team to Huntsville. It is not certain if this would be another Southern League team, but the city would most likely need a new ballpark to attract a team.

Midwest League: A proposed development in Dubuque (IA) shows a new ballpark, so there is speculation a team in the low Class-A Midwest League or the summer-collegiate Northwoods League could move to the city. Back in 2003 and 2004, the Midwest League's former Battle Creek Yankees were considering a move to Dubuque, but plans for a ballpark fell through. The Midwest League's Beloit Snappers and Clinton LumberKings have been mentioned as possible relocation candidates due to their outdated ballparks.

Eastern League: A proposed public financing plan to build a new downtown baseball stadium in Hartford for the New Britain (CT) Rock Cats of the Double-A Eastern League has been dropped due to opposition from city residents. The city will now try to cover the stadium costs through private investments.

Valley Baseball League: The summer-collegiate VBL, which is one of eight leagues that gets some support from Major League Baseball as a member of the National Alliance of Collegiate Summer Baseball, plans to add a team in Charlottesville (VA) for the 2015 season.

BASKETBALL

Tobacco Road Basketball League: Although the TRBL lost several teams to the proposed new East Coast Basketball League (ECBL), the league announced two new teams called the Orange County (NC) Revolt and the All American Ballers (Fayetteville, NC) will be part of the 2014-15 season starting in November. The All American Ballers will replace the TRBL's Fayetteville Crossover team, which was recently added to the 2015 lineup of the ECBL. Although not yet officially announced, the TRBL lists another team called the Burlington (NC) Legends that is expected to be part of the 2014-15 season.

Bikini Basketball Association: The women's BBA started its second season last month with the returning Miami Spice, Houston Inferno and Illinois Heart (Chicago), along with a new Atlanta Storm team that replaced last season's Las Vegas Fantasy. Each team will play an eight-game schedule from June 21 to August 30, 2014. The league plans to add a team in New York for the 2015 season.

FOOTBALL

Arena Football League: The AFL's Orlando Predators team, which has been without an owner for the past two months, appears close to landing a new owner-its third in the past year. Attendance suffered this season when the team lost its lease and moved home games to the University of Central Florida.

X-League Indoor Football : The new owner of the X-League's Savannah Steam has confirmed the team will be part of the 2015 X-League season and the league plans to add two or three more teams. The Steam started the 2014 season as the Reading-based Pennsylvania Steam, but was sold and moved to Savannah after playing one game. The Steam forfeited the remainder of its scheduled 2014 games.

Sugar N Spice Football League: The women's indoor full-contact football league known as the SSFL is nearing the end of the schedule for its third season. Of the six Texas-based teams from last season, the Houston Venus did not return, but the league added new teams called the El Paso Envy, Oklahoma City Rayn and the Valley Vixens (Harlingen, TX). Other teams include the Austin Angels, Corpus Christi Mermaids, Laredo Roses, RGV McAllen Mystics and the San Antonio Texas Cowgirls. Two expansion teams called the Dallas Dynasty and New Orleans Oracles plan to start play in 2015.

HOCKEY

American Hockey League: The AHL announced a new team alignment for the upcoming 2014-15 season and it will again feature all 30 teams having a one-to-one affiliation with an National Hockey League team. The 15-team Eastern Conference with have five-team Atlantic, East and Northeast divisions, while the 15-team Western Conference will have five-team North, Midwest and West Divisions. The Adirondack Phantoms moved from Glens Falls (NY) to Allentown (PA) as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Lehigh Valley was placed in the East Division, while the Syracuse Crunch was moved from the East to the Northeast Division. With the Abbotsford Heat moving from British Columbia to Glens Falls as the Adirondack Flames, Adirondack was moved to the North Division, the Lake Erie Monsters were moved from the North to the Midwest, and the Iowa Wild was moved from the Midwest to the West Division to take the place of Abbotsford.

United States Hockey League: The Midwest-based Tier-I USHL, which is USA Hockey's top junior hockey league, announced its schedule and league alignment for the upcoming 2014-15 season. The league grew from 16 to 17 teams with a nine-team Eastern Conference and an eight-team Western Conference. Of the eight teams in last season's Eastern Conference, the Indiana Ice did not return but the league added expansion teams called the Bloomington (IL) Thunder and Madison (WI) Capitols. The eight-team Western Conference remains the same as last season.

Major League Roller Hockey - Super League: The MLRH has added a three-team West Division of teams called the Breakaway Bullies, Anaheim Bullfrogs and Hollywood Dream. Due to player commitments to various tournaments, the West Division will play a compacted eight-game schedule in August. The East Division started its schedule late last month and now lists four teams called the Pittsburgh Steel, Philadelphia Demons, Ohio Monsters and DC Filibusters. A team called the Chicago Carnage is no longer listed.

SOCCER

North American Soccer League: The Division-II NASL has started its 2014 Fall Season with the same ten teams as the 2014 Spring Season. All ten teams are aligned in a single table for the standings. The NASL commissioner stated the new Jacksonville Armada FC and a yet-to-be-named Oklahoma City team will start play in the 2015 season. The start of the expansion Virginia Cavalry (Ashburn) team, which originally planned to start in 2014 before delaying until 2015, will be pushed back again until the 2016 season due to an ownership reorganization and issues with construction of its home field. The Jacksonville Armada recently announced the team will share the ballpark used by the Jacksonville Suns of the Double-A Southern League. The NASL hopes to have 18 to 20 teams by the 2018 season and stated the San Francisco and Los Angeles area are among two of the expansion possibilities.

OTHER

World TeamTennis: The WTT started its month-long 2014 season last weekend with seven teams. A three-team Eastern Conference features the Boston Lobsters, Philadelphia Freedoms and Washington (DC) Kastles, while the four-team Western Conference has the Austin Aces, San Diego Aviators, Springfield (MO) Lasers and Texas Wild (Irving). After the 2013 season, the Orange County (CA) Breakers were sold and moved to become the Austin Aces; the New York Sportimes were sold and relocated to become the San Diego Aviators; and the owner of the Sacramento Capitals moved the team to Las Vegas as the Las Vegas Neon. The Springfield Lasers were moved to the Eastern Conference to replace the relocated New York Sportimes and to keep four teams in each conference. After the WTT terminated the Las Vegas Neon franchise due to legal and financial issues surrounding the team's owner, the league was down to only seven teams and moved Springfield back to the Western Conference.

National Lacrosse League: The Philadelphia Wings of the nine-team indoor NLL announced plans to relocate the franchise for the 2015 season. The Philadelphia Wings have been part of the 28 seasons (1987-2014) of the current NLL, which evolved from the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League (1987-88) and the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (1989-97).

Dan Krieger is the creator of the "The Leagueology Almanac 2012-13", which tracks the changes in league alignments, franchise movements and team nicknames in today's sports world. The publication is currently available at www.amazon.com.

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North American Soccer League Stories from July 14, 2014


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