USL Pro
The United Soccer Leagues Professional Division is a professional men's soccer league in the United States. It involves teams from the United States and Antigua and Barbuda.
The league was founded in 2010 and started its operation in 2011 league. The USL Pro is part of the United Soccer Leagues organization and is operated by this also. In their previous league USL First Division and USL Second Division are summarized. This is also due to the dispute between USL and NASL, from the for the 2010 season, the temporary USSF Division 2 Professional League emerged.
Through the creation of the new league, the USL wants to achieve a better position in the U.S. soccer landscape. The economic stability should thus be better covered.
In the U.S. soccer pyramid, the USL Pro was awarded the 3rd place after the NASL and Major League Soccer.
History
On 8 September, the USL in a press release announced the formation of the Professional Division. Already on 11 August 2010 gave the Dayton Dutch Lions FC announced at the new " USL Pro Division Championship " to want (formerly USL -2) participate. Until then, this was the unofficial name of the league. With this declaration, the first team for the 2011 season was fixed. The Richmond Kickers gave to want little known to participate in the league later. To want to participate in the new NASL With the departure of the Portland Timbers in the direction of Major League Soccer and the declaration of the Puerto Rico Islanders, the Austin Aztex were the only team of the USL First Division, which had opted for the USL Pro. The Aztex were later renamed Orlando City.
On September 22, 2010, a press conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico took place in the known the two clubs Sevilla FC Puerto Rico and Club Atlético River Plate Puerto Rico gave participate in the USL Pro. Antigua Barracuda will also make his entry as a new team in the league.
In the coming weeks, more and more teams followed in the USL Professional Division. On 9 December 2010 came with Puerto Rico United added the last team.
On 10 May 2011 the USL announced that will not take longer at play mode, the three teams from Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico United, River Plate Puerto Rico and Sevilla Puerto Rico. So that the agreement was " reformed " by the Puerto Rico Soccer League. The three RPSL clubs were no longer permitted for economic reasons. The other two teams in the International Division were distributed to the other divisions.
After hosting the first season it was announced that the FC New York will no longer participate in the game mode. The result is that there is no division into two divisions, but a unity table is formed.
Championships
Mode
The 13 teams pass in the regular season 26 games each. The top eight teams qualify for the playoffs. Each duel is played in a game. Home right always has the team that was better in the regular season.