2013 USL Media gUide - United Soccer Leagues

USL pro, mLS enTer inTo groUnDBreaking parTnerShip
Major League Soccer and USL PRO announced
a groundbreaking, multi-year partnership in
early 2013 that will enhance the development of
professional players in North America, strengthen
the competition in both leagues, and establish a
solid foundation for future collaboration.
For 2013, the partnership will include interleague
play between USL PRO and MLS Reserve League
teams, and the establishment of several exclusive
team affiliations. The first MLS-USL PRO
affiliations will see direct working relationships
between D.C. United and the Richmond Kickers,
the New England Revolution and the Rochester
Rhinos, the Philadelphia Union and Harrisburg
City Islanders, and Sporting Kansas City and
Orlando City.
These initial programs will immediately improve
professional player development in the United
States and Canada. Additional technical and
commercial initiatives between the two leagues
will be announced as they are finalized in the
coming months.
“This partnership represents the first step in a
long-term alliance between MLS and USL PRO
to connect domestic professional soccer through
a system that benefits player development,
competition and the overall business of our
sport,” MLS Executive Vice President of Player
Relations & Competition Todd Durbin said.
“Over the past several years, USL PRO has
made great strides in restructuring in a manner
that serves to complement the objectives of
MLS. This is a win-win for all involved and it
demonstrates our strong commitment to growing
North American professional soccer at all levels.”
Each club affiliation will be customized to meet
the needs of the respective teams, but all will
include at least four players on long-term loan
from the MLS parent club to its USL PRO affiliate.
Those MLS teams with formal USL PRO affiliates
will not participate in the 2013 MLS Reserve
League. Neither MLS nor USL PRO clubs are
required to enter into an affiliation, and specific
affiliations will be announced in the coming days.
Each of the 13 USL PRO teams will compete
in two interleague games against MLS Reserve
teams. With the exception of Antigua, which will
play both of its games at MLS Reserve teams,
USL PRO teams have been paired with a single
MLS team to play a home and home series. All
interleague games will count in both the official
USL PRO and MLS Reserve League standings.
Details of the fixtures will be announced in
conjunction with the forthcoming release of the
official 2013 USL PRO schedule.
USLsoccer.com
“USL PRO has for the past several years
been the most sophisticated and competitive
professional soccer league under MLS,” USL
CEO Alec Papadakis said. “This new partnership
with MLS will elevate and strengthen the
level of competition for domestic professional
soccer while simultaneously creating a more
sustainable financial model for team owners. As
a result, we expect this partnership will forge a
seamless system for the development of players
and coaches, and promote the expansion of
professional soccer into new North American
markets.”
2013 USL MEDIA GUIDE - 37