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United Soccer Leagues (1986-Present)

Milestones

Formed: 1986
Status: Active

First Game:

Seasons: 33 and counting
Franchises: Seriously, don’t ask
States & Provinces: 

Leadership

Trophy Case

 

Background

Alright. Full disclosure: I used to work in the United Soccer Leagues and even with that credential, I’ve still been wrestling for years with the question of how to elegantly organize the insane web of league names, mergers, re-brandings, divisional accreditations and pro/amateur designations that have characterized the leagues’ 35-odd years of existence. I’ve decided there is no good solution.

I’ve settled on the following rule of thumb and format.  I realize not all soccer nerds will find this satisfactory.  But I’ve decided to track the franchises by league name which parallels the organization of the rest of the FWiL site. This also means that many clubs appear in multiple league tables below, both because the USL re-brands its league so often and because USL clubs frequently self-relegate or promote themselves across the various leagues based on their financial resources.

I’ve added extra columns to the typical FWiL tables here to indicate how a club entered or exited each league to help make sense of it all.

Finally, there were several leagues that operated independently of the USL during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s that ultimately merged or otherwise fed clubs into USL leagues.  I’ve treated the following leagues separately and you can find their pages at the following links:

Let me have it in the comments if you don’t like it…

 

USISL Select League (1996)

Franchise Years Active A-League Champions Arrived Departed
California Jaguars 1996 1996 Joined from USISL Pro League Joined USISL A-League
Cape Cod Crusaders 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Joined D3 Pro League
Carolina Dynamo 1996 None Were Greensboro Dynamo/Joined from USISL Pro League Joined USISL A-League
Chicago Stingers 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Joined D3 Pro League
Connecticut Wolves 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Joined USISL A-League
Delaware Wizards 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Joined D3 Pro League
El Paso Patriots 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Joined USISL A-League
Hampton Roads Mariners 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Joined USISL A-League (1998)
Long Island Rough Riders 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Joined USISL A-League
Milwaukee Rampage 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Joined USISL A-League
Minnesota Thunder 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Joined USISL A-League
New Mexico Chiles 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Folded
New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Joined USISL A-League
New York/New Jersey Stallions 1996 None Expansion Team Became New Jersey Stallions/Joined D3 Pro League
Ohio Xoggz 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Folded
Raleigh Flyers 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Joined USISL A-League
Reno Rattlers 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Joined D3 Pro League
Richmond Kickers 1996 None Joined from USISL Premier League Joined USISL A-League
Sacramento Scorpions 1996 None Expansion Team Joined D3 Pro League
South Carolina Shamrocks 1996 None Expansion Team Joined D3 Pro League
Tampa Bay Cyclones 1996 None Joined from USISL Pro League Became Jacksonville Cyclones/Joined USISL A-League


USISL/USL A-League Franchises (1997-2004)

Franchise Years Active A-League Champions Arrived Departed
Albuquerque Geckos 1998 None Elevated from D3 Pro League Moved to Sacramento (Geckos)
Atlanta Ruckus 1997-1998 None Admitted from A-League 1997 Became Atlanta Silverbacks 1999
Atlanta Silverbacks 1999-2004 None Formerly Atlanta Ruckus Joined USL First Division
Bay Area Seals 2000 None Were San Francisco Bay Seals Folded
Boston Bulldogs 1999-2000 None Were Worcester Wildfire Dropped to D3 Pro League
Calgary Mustangs 2004 None ? Folded
Calgary Storm 2002-2003 None Elevated from Premier Development League Became Team Calgary
California Jaguars 1997-1998 None Joined from USISL Select League Dropped to D3 Pro League
Carolina Dynamo 1997 None Joined from USISL Select League Dropped to D3 Pro League (1999)
Charleston Battery 1997-2004 2003 Joined from USISL Pro League Joined USL First Division
Charlotte Eagles 2001-2003 None Elevated from D3 Pro League Dropped to USL Pro Soccer League
Cincinnati Riverhawks 1998-2003 None Elevated from Premier Development League Folded
Colorado Foxes 1997 None Admitted from A-League 1997 Moved to San Diego (Flash)
Connecticut Wolves 1997-2001 None Joined from USISL Select League Dropped to D3 Pro League
El Paso Patriots 1997-2003 None Joined from USISL Select League Dropped to Premier Development League
Hampton Roads Mariners 1998-2000 & 2002 None Joined from USISL Select League (1996) Became Virginia Beach Mariners
Hershey Wildcats 1997-2001 None Expansion Team Folded
Indiana Blast 1999-2003 None Elevated from D3 Pro League Dropped to Premier Development League
Jacksonville Cyclones 1997-1999 None Joined from USISL Select League Folded
Lehigh Valley Steam 1999 None Expansion Team Folded
Long Island Rough Riders 1997-2001 None Joined from USISL Select League Dropped to D3 Pro League
Maryland Mania 1999 None Expansion Team Folded
Milwaukee Rampage 1997-2002 1997-2002 Joined from USISL Select League Folded
Milwaukee Wave United 2003-2004 None Expansion Team Folded
Minnesota Thunder 1997-2004 1999 Joined from USISL Select League Joined USL First Division
Montreal Impact 1997-2004 2004 Admitted from A-League 1997 Joined USL First Division
Nashville Metros 1997-1998 & 2001 None Joined from USISL Premier League Dropped to Premier Development League
New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers 1997 None Joined from USISL Select League Became New Orleans Storm
New Orleans Storm 1998-1999 None Were New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers Folded
Orange County Waves 2000 None Were Orange County Zodiac Folded
Orange County Zodiac 1997-1999 None Expansion Team Became Orange County Waves
Orlando Sundogs 1997 None Expansion Team Folded
Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1999-2003 None Expansion Team Dropped to USL Pro Soccer League
Portland Timbers 2001-2004 None Expansion Team Joined USL First Division
Puerto Rico Islanders 2004 None Expansion Team Joined USL First Division
Raleigh Capital Express 1999-2000 None Were Raleigh Flyers Folded
Raleigh Flyers 1997-1998 None Joined from USISL Select League Became Raleigh Capital Express
Richmond Kickers 1997-2004 None Joined from USISL Select League Joined USL First Division
Rochester Raging Rhinos 1997-2004 1998-2000-2001 Admitted from A-League Joined USL First Division
Sacramento Geckos 1999 None Were Albuquerque Geckos Became Team Sacramento
San Diego Flash 1998-2001 None Moved from Colorado (Foxes) Folded
San Francisco Bay Seals 1998-1999 None Elevated from D3 Pro League Became Bay Area Seals
Seattle Sounders 1997-2004 None Admitted from A-League Joined USL First Division
Staten Island Vipers 1998-1999 None Expansion Team Folded
Syracuse Salty Dogs 2003-2004 None Expansion Team Folded
Team Calgary 2003 None Were Calgary Storm Folded/Became Calgary Mustangs (?)
Team Sacramento 1999 None Were Sacramento Geckos Folded
Tennessee Rhythm 1999-2000 None Depends who you ask1USL media guides alternately refer to the Tennessee Rhythm as a new franchise or a continuation of the original Nashville Metros franchise Became Nashville Metros
Toronto Lynx 1997-2004 None Expansion Team Joined USL First Division
U.S. Pro 40 1998-2000 None Expansion Team Folded
Vancouver 86ers 1997-2000 None Admitted from A-League Became Vancouver Whitecaps
Virginia Beach Mariners 2003-2004 None Were Hampton Beach Mariners Joined USL First Division
Worcester Wildfire 1997-1998 None Joined from USISL Pro League Moved to Boston (Bulldogs)

 

USL First Division

Franchise Years Active USL First Division Champions Arrived Departed
Atlanta Silverbacks 2005-2008 None Joined from USL A-League Departed for NASL (2011)
Austin Aztex 2009 None Expansion Team Joined USSF Division 2 Professional League
California Victory 2007 None Expansion Team Folded
Carolina Railhawks 2007-2009 None Expansion Team Joined USSF Division 2 Professional League
Charleston Battery 2005-2009 None Joined from USL A-League Dropped to USL Second Division
Cleveland City Stars 2009 None Elevated from USL Second Division Folded
Miami FC 2006-2009 None Expansion Team Joined USSF Division 2 Professional League
Minnesota Thunder 2005-2009 None Joined from USL A-League Folded
Montreal Impact 2005-2009 2009 Joined from USL A-League Joined USSF Division 2 Professional League
Portland Timbers 2005-2009 None Joined from USL A-League Joined USSF Division 2 Professional League
Puerto Rico Islanders 2005-2009 None Joined from USL A-League Joined USSF Division 2 Professional League
Richmond Kickers 2005 None Joined from USL A-League Dropped to USL Second Division
Rochester Raging Rhinos 2005-2007 None Joined from USL A-League Became Rochester Rhinos
Rochester Rhinos 2008-2009 None Were Rochester Raging Rhinos Joined USSF Division 2 Professional League
Seattle Sounders 2005-2008 2005-2007 Joined from USL A-League Replace by MLS Expansion Team
Toronto Lynx 2005-2006 None Joined from USL A-League Dropped to Premier Development League
Vancouver Whitecaps 2005-2009 2006-2008 Joined from USL A-League Joined USSF Division 2 Professional League
Virginia Beach Mariners 2005-2006 None Joined from USL A-League Folded

 

USSF Division 2 Professional League (2010)

 

USISL/USL D3 Pro League Franchises (1997-2002)

Franchise Years Active D3 Pro League Champions Arrived Departed
Albuquerque Geckos 1997 1997 Expansion Team Elevated to USISL A-League
Boston Bulldogs 2001 None Joined from USL A-League Folded
Chicago Stingers 1997-1998 1998 Joined from USISL Select League Became Chicago Shockers/Dropped to Premier Development League
Chico Rooks 1997-2001 None Joined from USISL Pro League Dropped to Premier Development League
Cleveland Caps 1997-1998 Expansion Team Folded
Connecticut Wolves 2002 None Joined from USL A-League Folded
Indiana Blast 1997-1998 Expansion Team Elevated to USISL A-League
Long Island Rough Riders 2002 2002 Joined from USL A-League Joined USL Pro Soccer League
New Jersey Stallions 1997-2002 None Joined USL Pro Soccer League
Rockford Raptors
Sacramento Scorpions 1997 None Joined from USISL Select League Folded
San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles 1997-1998 None Joined from USISL Pro League Unclear
San Francisco Bay Seals 1997 None Joined from USISL Premier League Elevated to USISL A-League
South Carolina Shamrocks 1997-1999 None Joined from USISL Select League Folded
Utah Blitzz 2000-2002 2001 Expansion Team Joined USL Pro Soccer League

 

USL Pro (2011-2014)


United Soccer League (2015-Present)

 

 

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Comments

2 Responses

  1. You gotta fill this out, the USL is a treasure trove of teams that have gone to that special sports complex in the sky. From having 3 teams in Puerto Rico which played for two leagues at the same time to a team in Antigua and even a team in Tampa that competed directly against the Tampa Bay Rowdies 2.0 and lost in a year even though they were a branch of major English soccer organization VisionPro Sports Institute.

    This league has plenty of stories to tell especially following 2011 and the “USL pro” days

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