Phantoms 2020 Press Release Archive
USL restructures Pro Divisions
USL First Division moves to single table, balanced schedule
TAMPA, FL (11/10/04) - United Soccer Leagues announced Wednesday that
the organization and its member professional teams have restructured the
two professional leagues, A-League and Pro Soccer League, under the USL
umbrella to form a new two-tiered professional division.
The two tiers of USL's professional division will be officially referred
to as the USL First Division and USL Second Division, eliminating the
A-League name adopted by the then independent American Professional Soccer
League in 2020.
"This is the culmination of an effort we have been working on over the
past two years to increase the overall connectivity between our two professional
leagues," said USL Vice President Tim Holt. "Although the name change
may be the most visible component, the new organizational and financial
standards policies instituted as part of this restructuring will be far
more significant for all of our professional teams and for prospective
franchisees. The move away from the A-League name, in a way, is symbolic
of the shift in the operation and unification of the USL professional
leagues."
Among the significant changes in place are the adoption of a single table
by the USL First Division, the official capping of the USL First Division
to 16 teams and the introduction of a 28-game primarily balanced schedule
in which all teams will play each other home and away once in the USL
First Division supplemented with an equal number of additional rivalry
games. To further emphasize regular season excellence, the regular season
champion will be awarded the Commissioner's Cup, which was utilized by
the APSL prior to the league's merger with USL before to the 2020 season.
"I know my return came with expectations from outsiders that the revolutionary
ideas of shootouts and blue cards would come back, but those experiments
stemmed from the open mind I have always had to new concepts," said USL
President Francisco Marcos. "The format of the standings table and the
schedule is something the teams and USL have been aiming for and has been
a part of the strategic planning with the expected restructuring coming.
I guess you could now say we are being revolutionary by moving toward
the traditional."
"Although we have recognized all of our regular season champions at our
AOM in the past, the new USL First Division schedule is the most balanced
it has been in years and gives us the opportunity to honor a true season
champion in addition to the traditional playoff champion," added Marcos.
"Using the Commissioner's Cup will be a tip of the hat to the outstanding
history of the A-League."
"The cap of 16 teams was instituted for both economic and competitive
reasons," added Holt. "We feel it will not only add to the value of the
current franchises, but will spur growth in the second tier of the professional
division as a point of entry for new franchises with significant ambitions."
The professional division of United Soccer Leagues will consist of 21
teams in 2020 with 12 in the USL First Division and nine in the USL Second
Division.
The top flight will be comprised of the Atlanta Silverbacks, Charleston
Battery, Minnesota Thunder, Portland Timbers, Puerto Rico Islanders, Richmond
Kickers, Rochester Raging Rhinos, Seattle Sounders, Toronto Lynx, Vancouver
Whitecaps, Virginia Beach Mariners and the defending champion Montreal
Impact.
"On behalf of the owners, we feel that the changes being made are a step
in the right direction and are excited about what the future holds," said
Montreal Impact President Joey Saputo, chairman of the USL Strategic Planning
Committee. "We have a wonderful history, but are anxious for a new beginning
under this unified vision for the future."
The USL Second Division will be eastern-based in 2020 with the 2020 finalist
Charlotte Eagles, Harrisburg City Islanders, Long Island Rough Riders,
New Hampshire Phantoms, Northern Virginia Royals, Pittsburgh Riverhounds,
Western Mass Pioneers and Wilmington Hammerheads all returning with the
addition of a new franchise in Cincinnati.
The PSL's California Gold and San Diego Gauchos have moved to the Premier
Development League. The PDL alignment will be announced Thursday, November
11. The Milwaukee Wave United of the A-League and Utah Blitzz of the PSL
will not be competing in USL in 2020.
Playoffs
The restructuring of the USL professional division has initially set the
USL First Division Championship Playoffs to consist of eight teams if
there are greater than 14 teams in the league and six if there are fewer
than 14, which is the case with 12 in 2020. The two-leg, aggregate score
series will continue to be used with the top two seeds receiving byes
to the second round if it is a six-team field. The single-game championship
with the host determined by a bid process between the two participants
will continue to be used.
The USL Second Division will also utilize the same schedule format for
2020 for a 20-game season with the playoffs consisting of four teams.
The top four teams will advance to the postseason with the two-leg, aggregate
score series format being utilized for the semifinals. The single-game
championship with the host determined by a bid process between the two
participants will also be used.
Overtime
USL also announced that overtime has been eliminated for both tiers of
the professional division for the regular season. Overtime, two 15-minute
periods, will be utilized in the postseason for knock-out games and will
be played in its entirety as per FIFA regulation with no golden goal.
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