Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report

by Dan Krieger
August 18, 2014 - United League Baseball (ULB)

BASEBALL

Eastern League: The city of Hartford (CT) recently approved a land purchase for a development that could include a new baseball stadium for the New Britain Rock Cats of the Double-A Eastern League. Amid opposition, the city has received four proposals for the downtown development.

South Atlantic League (SALLY): The group trying to move the Hagerstown (MD) Suns of the low Class-A SALLY to a new baseball stadium in Fredericksburg (VA) has yet to close on the stadium land purchase and is about $18 million short in funding for the project. The group is hoping to have Fredericksburg provide additional financial aid for the project before it moves forward.

United League Baseball: The San Angelo (TX) Colts of the independent ULB ended its 2014 home schedule early and was planning to switch those eight remaining games to road games at other ULB ballparks. The Colts have been operating under bankruptcy protection since July 1 and the team's future is uncertain. The ULB has only four teams participating in the 2014 season.

Florida State League: The ownership of the Brevard County Manatees in the high Class-A FSL, has ended negotiations for a new ballpark that was to be built at a development in Winter Park (FL). The Manatees, who are currently based in the Viera/Melbourne area about 60 miles to the southeast of Winter Park, also lost out on a recent plan to rebuild the ballpark on the campus of Rollins College in Winter Park for the Manatees and the college team.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball League of Canada: The NBL-Canada announced its schedule for the 2014-15 season that will feature eight teams in four-team Atlantic and Central divisions. All teams from last season, except the Ottawa SkyHawks, will return for the league's fourth season.

National Basketball Association Development League (D-League): The NBA's Toronto Raptors recently discussed a possible affiliation with the Rochester RazorSharks of the Premier Basketball League, whereby the RazorSharks would become the D-League affiliate of the Raptors, possibly starting with the 2015-16 season.

Central Basketball Development League: The CBDL, which ended its 2014 season early, announced plans to add the New Mexico Thunder team to the league and has found new ownership for the league's Fort Pierce (FL) team. The league currently lists proposed markets in a five-team Southeast Conference, a four-team South Central Conference and a four-team Northeast Conference.

East Coast Basketball League: The proposed new spring-summer ECBL, which had consisted of five teams that recently left the Tobacco Road Basketball League, announced the addition of four more teams for the inaugural 2015 season. These new additions include the High Point (NC) Hawks, Richmond (VA) Redhawks, Fort Gordon (GA) Eagles and Columbia (SC) Crusaders.

Independent Basketball Association: The IBA's team list now includes newly added teams called the Augusta Drive, Binghamton Pioneers, Gwinnett Majic, Lake Houston Xperience, Topeka Aviators and Toronto 3D. The IBA plays both a fall-winter season and a spring season.

FOOTBALL

Arena Football League - China: The AFL plans to start the China American Football League in 2015 with six to eight teams in major Chinese cities. The CAFL will play by AFL rules and have American and Chinese players. Current AFL players are expected to play in the CAFL, which will start play in the fall after the AFL season ends.

Lone Star Football League: The indoor LSFL and the Champions Professional Indoor Football League have finalized a merger of the two leagues for the 2015 season. The four LSFL markets of Amarillo (TX), Odessa (TX), San Angelo (TX) and Rio Rancho (NM) and the seven CPIFL markets of Tulsa, Dodge City (KS), Salina (KS), Lincoln (NE), Omaha, Sioux City (IA) and Bloomington (IL) are currently part of the new league that will receive a new name. The new league is also considering additional expansion teams in Indiana, Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma.

HOCKEY

Western States Hockey League: The junior-level WSHL, which is a member of the Amateur Athletic Union and not affiliated with USA Hockey, could lose the Dallas Icejets and a proposed new team called the Texas Attack for the 2014-15 season due to the closing of both team's home arena in the Dallas area.

SOCCER

Western Indoor Soccer League: The proposed elite-level WISL, which plans to start play this fall with teams based in the state of Washington, announced its fifth team will be called the Snohomish Bigfoot. Other previously announced teams include the Arlington Aviators, Tacoma Stars, Wenatchee Fire and

WSA Rapids (Bellingham).

Major League Soccer: Although the Division-III Sacramento Republic FC of the United Soccer Leagues PRO league wants to build a new downtown soccer-specific stadium for an MLS franchise, Sacramento officials said it is unlikely the city can provide public funds for the stadium.

United Soccer Leagues - PRO League: The FC Dallas Major League Soccer team is looking to create a USL PRO team affiliation for the 2015 season, possibly with either the Tulsa or Austin USL PRO expansion teams to be added next season. That affiliation might not last long, since FC Dallas has been planning to develop its own USL PRO team by 2016 at the earliest. The Colorado Rapids MLS team wants to create its own USL PRO team that would play at the Rapids' home field in Denver, but that is not an option for 2015. The Rapids could consider an affiliation with the USL PRO's new Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC that is set to start in 2015.

OTHER

World Series of Boxing: The new Venezuela-based team in the WSB, a team-based international boxing league, will be called the Caciques de Venezuela. The 16-team league will be starting its fourth season this fall and includes teams called the USA Knockouts and Mexico Guerreros.

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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