USL First Division

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Current sport event For current news on this topic see:
United Soccer Leagues 2007
USL First Division
USL First Division
Sport Soccer
Founded 1997
No. of teams 13
Country Flag of United States United States
Flag of Canada Canada
Flag of Puerto Rico Puerto Rico
Current champions Vancouver Whitecaps

The United Soccer Leagues First Division (often referred to as simply, USL-1) is a professional men's soccer league in North America. It is the second division of soccer in the United States and Canada league pyramid behind Major League Soccer. It is managed by the United Soccer Leagues (USL). It was known as the A-League until 2004. Based on past results in friendly matches vs. Football League clubs, the USL-1 is around the same level as League One in England.

Unlike most other nations, there is currently no system of promotion and relegation in American soccer; it has repeatedly been suggested to introduce it, but many feel that such a system is contrary to the way Americans think about sports and, more importantly, it is not currently practical given the financial state of American soccer, in addition to geographic considerations (The US is much larger than most other nations with major soccer leagues, thus, travel could become a burden). Opponents note that other professional leagues travel with great frequency and shouldn't have a problem using air transport, especially considering that association football leagues play far fewer matches on average than three of the four major sports in the US.

Contents

[edit] History

In 1996, the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues established the new Select League consisting of its strongest teams from its professional FIFA Division 3 sanctioned Pro League and its amateur Premier League in hopes of gaining FIFA Division 2 sanctioning. The next season, the Select League and the independent Division 2 A-League merged to form a new A-League under the USISL umbrella. In 1999 the umbrella USISL changed its name to the United Soccer Leagues and in 2005 the league took its current name as the USL First Division.

As announced on February 22, 2007, the USL-1 will now be doing live Videocasts through a partnership with Turner Broadcasting. The matches, which cannot be found on traditional broadcast or cable television distribution, will be available on the new broadband channel USL Live at www.USLLive.com, launching early April 2007.

[edit] Expansion and contraction

In 1998, the A-League consisted of 28 teams. By 2006, only 12 remained in the USL First Division. For the most part, the teams that left dropped down to lower classifications, such as the USL Second Division and Premier Development League, to rid themselves of the high costs of travel and player payrolls.

There is some speculation that several First Division clubs are waiting for the top-tier Major League Soccer to expand, in hopes that they will move up. The First Division does not have the promotion/relegation system common in most countries' football pyramids, although teams theoretically could move up if they meet MLS' criteria for expansion franchises. The costs of moving to a higher division are usually not recouped with higher attendance at the First Division level. The Rochester Rhinos have often been regarded as being closest to gaining promotion because of their purpose-built stadium, but the team has not indicated any interest in going much further.

On January 26, 2006, the USL announced that it was expanding USL First Division in 2007 to include a new team in Cary, North Carolina. The Cary franchise, since named the Carolina RailHawks, hosted an exhibition schedule in 2006 in advance of its first full league schedule in 2007. On May 16, 2006, it was also announced that the USL would place a team in Northern California under the ownership of Dmitry Piterman, chairman of Spanish team Deportivo Alavés. Other possible cities mentioned for future campaigns include Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Syracuse, New York. Syracuse had had a highly-attended team from 2002–2004, but it folded due to stadium issues, having ground-shared with the local baseball team. Ft. Lauderdale also has a history of teams from the NASL, ASL, and USL First Division. There is also discussion that Argentinian team River Plate is interested in putting a second USL team in Puerto Rico.

On March 30, 2007 the Virginia Beach Mariners team folded just prior to the start of the 2007 season due to an ownership dispute which left the team without financing. USL may place a team in the area in 2008, if local ownership can be found.

[edit] 2007 teams

Club Founded Colors Stadium Territory Logo
Atlanta Silverbacks 1993 Red, Black, White Silverbacks Park Greater Atlanta, GA
California Victory 2006 Blue, White Kezar Stadium Bay Area
Carolina RailHawks 2006 Blue, Orange SAS Soccer Park Research Triangle, NC
Charleston Battery 1993 Yellow, Black Blackbaud Stadium South Carolina Low Country
Miami FC 2005 Blue, Orange Tropical Park Stadium South Florida
Minnesota Thunder 1990 Blue, Gold James Griffin Stadium
National Sports Center (alt.)
Minneapolis-St.Paul
Montreal Impact 1993 Blue, White, Black Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard Québec (whole)
Portland Timbers 2001 Green, White, Yellow PGE Park Portland, OR
Puerto Rico Islanders 2003 Orange, Navy Blue, White Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel Puerto Rico (whole)
Rochester Raging Rhinos 1996 Green, Black, Gold PAETEC Park Western New York
Seattle Sounders 1994 Light blue, White, Green Qwest Field
Starfire Sports Complex (alt.)
Greater Seattle, WA
Vancouver Whitecaps 1986 White, Blue Swangard Stadium Greater Vancouver, BC

[edit] League Derbies

*Stars indicate derby titles won*


Cascadia Cup

Vancouver Whitecaps **

Seattle Sounders *

Portland Timbers


Southern Derby

Atlanta Silverbacks ****

Charleston Battery **

Carolina Railhawks


Voyageurs Cup

Vancouver Whitecaps

Montreal Impact *****

[edit] Complete team list

[edit] 1996 USISL Select League

[edit] Notable players

[edit] Past Regular Season Champions (Commissioner’s Cup Winners)

Season Winner Record (W-L-T) Points Playoff Results (W-L-T) Runners-Up
2006 USL D-1 Montreal Impact 14-5-9 51 Lost in semifinal series 0-1-1 Rochester Raging Rhinos
2005 USL D-1 Montreal Impact 18-3-7 61 Lost in semifinal series 0-1-1 Rochester Raging Rhinos
2004 A-League Portland Timbers 18-7-3 57 Lost in conference semifinal series overtime 1-1 Montreal Impact
2003 A-League Milwaukee Wave United 18-10-0 54 Lost in division final series overtime 1-1 Montreal Impact
2002 A-League Seattle Sounders 23-4-1 107 Lost in conference semifinal series 0-2 Charleston Battery
2001 A-League Richmond Kickers 16-7-3 76 Lost in quarterfinal series 0-2 Hershey Wildcats
2000 A-League Minnesota Thunder 20-4-4 99 Lost in final 4-2 Milwaukee Rampage
1999 A-League Rochester Raging Rhinos 22-6 92 Lost in final 5-3 San Diego Flash
1998 A-League Rochester Raging Rhinos 24-4 70 Won Championship 6-0 San Diego Flash
1997 A-League Montreal Impact 21-7 61 Lost in conference final series 3-2-0 Hershey Wildcats
1996 APSL Montreal Impact 21-6 55 Lost in semifinal 0-1 Colorado Foxes
1995 APSL Montreal Impact 17-7 51 Lost in semifinal series 1-2 Seattle Sounders
1994 APSL Seattle Sounders 14-6 121 Lost in semifinal series 1-2 Los Angeles Salsa
1993 APSL Vancouver 86ers 15-9 126 Lost in semifinals in shootout 0-1-0 Colorado Foxes
1992 APSL Colorado Foxes 11-5 89 Won Championship 2-0-0 Tampa Bay Rowdies
1991 APSL Maryland Bays 19-2 158 Lost in semifinal series 1-2 Fort Lauderdale Strikers
1990 APSL Different point systems used in each conference
1985 - 1989  : Two independent leagues

[edit] Past Playoff Champions / Top Goal Scorer

Season Winner Score Runner-up Top Goalscorer Team Goals
2006 USL D-1 Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0 Rochester Raging Rhinos Romário De Souza-Faria and William "Cam" Weaver Miami FC and Seattle Sounders 18
2005 USL D-1 Seattle Sounders 1-1 (PK) Richmond Kickers Jason Jordan Vancouver Whitecaps 17
2004 A-League Montreal Impact 2-0 Seattle Sounders Alan Gordon and Dante Washington Portland Timbers and Virginia Beach Mariners 17
2003 A-League Charleston Battery 3-0 Minnesota Thunder Thiago Martins Pittsburgh Riverhounds 22
2002 A-League Milwaukee Rampage 2-1 (2OT) Richmond Kickers Fadi Afash, Eduardo Sebrango, and McKinley Tennyson Portland Timbers, Montreal Impact, and Portland Timbers 18
2001 A-League Rochester Raging Rhinos 2-0 Hershey Wildcats Paul Conway Charleston Battery 22
2000 A-League Rochester Raging Rhinos 3-1 Minnesota Thunder Paul Conway, Greg Howes, and Johnny Menyongar Charleston Battery, Seattle Sounders, and Minnesota Thunder 17
1999 A-League Minnesota Thunder 2-1 Rochester Raging Rhinos Mark Baena and Niall Thompson Seattle Sounders and Vancouver 86ers 20
1998 A-League Rochester Raging Rhinos 3-1 Minnesota Thunder Mark Baena Seattle Sounders 24
1997 A-League Milwaukee Rampage 1-1 (SO) Carolina Dynamo Doug Miller Rochester Raging Rhinos 23
  • Rochester Raging Rhinos (5 app, 3-2);
  • Minnesota Thunder (4 app, 1-3);
  • Milwaukee Rampage (2 app, 2-0);
  • Seattle Sounders (2 app, 1-1);
  • Richmond Kickers (2 app, 0-2);
  • Charleston Battery (1 app, 1-0);
  • Montreal Impact (1 app, 1-0);
  • Vancouver Whitecaps (1 app, 1-0);
  • Carolina Dynamo (1 app, 0-1);
  • Hershey Wildcats (1 app, 0-1)

[edit] 1996 USISL Select League

[edit] League average attendance

  • Regular season / playoffs
  • 2006: 4,667 /
  • 2005: 4,527 / 12,498
  • 2004: 3,879 / 9,402
  • 2003: 3,335 / 9,672
  • 2002: 3,034 / 8,902
  • 2001: 2,954 / 9,193
  • 2000: 2,684 / 7,562
  • 1999: 2,374 / 5,309
  • 1998: 2,531 / 6,091
  • 1997: 2,690 / 5,092

[edit] See also


[edit] External links

 v  d  e 
United Soccer Leagues First Division

Atlanta Silverbacks | California Victory | Carolina RailHawks FC | Charleston Battery | Miami FC | Minnesota Thunder | Montreal Impact | Portland Timbers | Puerto Rico Islanders | Rochester Raging Rhinos | Seattle Sounders | Vancouver Whitecaps |

 v  d  e 
United Soccer Leagues Seasons

2006 | 2007

National federation National Team: M, W Venues, (cap) List of clubs
League system SSS Champions History
Competitions in American Soccer
MLS USL First Division USL Second Division PDL
Super-20 MISL NPSL/WPSL PCSL
Open Cup W-League College Soccer Y-League
Soccer in Canada
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National Association National Team: M, W List of coaches List of clubs
Hall of Fame SSS List of venues Pyramid
Competitions in Canadian Soccer
MLS USL First Division USL Second Division PDL Super-20
CSL Rogers Cup PCSL CMISL
Open Cup W-League C-NA ST Y-League
Current Stadiums in the USL First Division
Silverbacks Park | Kezar Stadium | SAS Soccer Park | Blackbaud Stadium | Tropical Park Stadium | James Griffin Stadium | Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard | PGE Park | Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium | PAETEC Park | Qwest Field | Swangard Stadium | Virginia Beach Sportsplex
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