Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports . Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in various sports. They generally have lesser fan bases, much smaller revenues and salaries, and are used to develop players for bigger leagues.
57-634: The Baltimore Skipjacks were a minor league professional ice hockey team from Baltimore , Maryland , United States. The Skipjacks originated in 1979, and played as the Baltimore Clippers in the Eastern Hockey League for two seasons. The team was renamed to Skipjacks in 1981, and played the following season in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League . The Skipjacks then played eleven seasons as members of
114-643: A five-year farm team affiliation with the Skipjacks in the 1988–89 AHL season . The Skipjacks logo was switched to a red, white and blue color scheme to match the Washington Capitals. Terry Murray was appointed the new head coach, and improved the team record to 30 wins, but the Skipjacks missed the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. Centerman Mike Richard led the team in scoring with 44 goals, and 107 points, Mike Millar scored 47 goals, and Scott McCrory added 37 goals. The Skipjacks began
171-563: A lesser extent ARCA and its ARCA Menards Series since ARCA's buyout by NASCAR in 2018); Monster Jam 's Triple Threat Series; Overwatch Contenders ; the FIA Formula 2 Championship and FIA Formula 3 Championship for Formula One ; and various other affiliated satellite tours of other individual sports, including the Challengers Tour of Professional Tennis. Warren Young Warren Howard Young (born January 11, 1956)
228-569: A new logo for the season (shown in infobox) which resembled the word "JACKS" superimposed on a ship's wheel, and used the same black, gold and white color scheme of the Penguins. Ubriaco was brought back as head coach, and led the team to its best record with 102 points, and 384 goals scored. The Skipjacks won the John D. Chick Trophy as the regular season champions of the AHL's south division. The offense
285-556: A partnership with the USL organization which began formal affiliation between some USL teams and MLS teams. The partnership continued to deepen through the 2010s; by the end of that decade, most MLS teams fielded their reserve teams in the USLC, while a few had their reserve sides in USL1 instead of the USLC. For several years, MLS nominally required all of its teams to either field a reserve team in
342-672: Is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played seven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota North Stars , Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings . Young was born in Toronto , Ontario . As a youth, he played in the 1968 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Toronto Humberview minor ice hockey team. He was selected in
399-656: Is a North American indoor soccer league that serves as the developmental league of the Major Arena Soccer League . Minor league baseball is almost as old as the professional game itself, and at first consisted of attempts to play baseball in smaller cities and towns independent of the National League , the first true major league. Soon, scouts for the National League were traveling to watch minor league teams play and attempting to sign
456-553: Is not used, although teams have been informally "promoted" from lower leagues up to Major League Soccer. The United Soccer League operates the USL League Two (formerly the Premier Development League, or PDL), a semi-professional league that has some age restrictions. The National Premier Soccer League operates at approximately the same level as USL League Two. In 2013 Major League Soccer announced
513-634: Is played under very different conditions, and the AFL had its own minor league, af2 , until 2009. Several other independent indoor football leagues that play a similar game exist. Similarly, the Canadian Football League , though it has developed ties with the NFL in recent years and has moved away from competing with the NFL for talent, plays a visibly different game than the American game, and
570-556: Is the most prominent of the minor hockey leagues in North America. Minor League Cricket (MiLC) is a developmental league of Major League Cricket that began play in 2021. Other sports organizations considered to be minor leagues are golf's Korn Ferry Tour and Epson Tour , respectively affiliated with the PGA Tour and LPGA ; NASCAR 's Xfinity Series , Camping World Truck Series and Whelen All-American Series (and to
627-511: The 1984–85 AHL season , the Skipjacks won a league record 16 consecutive games during February and March. The Skipjacks featured seven different players with 20-goal seasons. However, they were a more defensive oriented team than previous seasons, conceding only 252 goals, while scoring 326, and finishing second place in the south division with 98 points. The defense was led by captain Steve Carlson , and goaltender Jon Casey , on loan from
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#1732780021828684-462: The 1986–87 AHL season , Ubriaco improved the team to fifth place in the southern division, but still missed the playoffs. Alain Lemieux led the team with 41 goals and 97 points. The Penguins announced after the season, that they would not renew the affiliation agreement. Baltimore needed to find a new source of money, without the financial help from the Penguins. Businessman Tom Ebright purchased
741-467: The 1989–90 AHL season with a 26–17–2 record, before head coach Terry Murray was promoted to the NHL, and replaced by Doug MacLean . The Skipjacks finished the season with 43 wins, and a third-place finish in the southern division. Goaltender Jim Hrivnak won 24 games, and earned four shutouts , and Mike Richard led the team in scoring again with 41 goals, and 83 points. In the playoffs, the Skipjacks defeated
798-761: The AHL Goaltender of the Year Award and led the AHL in goals against average . Mitch Lamoureux is the Skipjacks career leader in goals (119), assists (133), and points (252), and was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame . The Skipjacks relocated from Baltimore in 1993, and became the Portland Pirates . When the Southern Hockey League folded due to financial issues in 1977, Baltimore had no professional hockey team based in
855-863: The American Hockey League (AHL), from 1982 until 1993. The Skipjacks were one of three AHL teams to have been based in Baltimore, including the Baltimore Clippers , and the Baltimore Bandits . The Skipjacks operated as a farm team to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals for five seasons each, and were previously a farm team to the Minnesota North Stars for two seasons, the Boston Bruins for one season. The team played its home games at
912-749: The Baltimore Civic Center , which was renamed to the Baltimore Arena in 1986. Gene Ubriaco was the team's head coach for seven seasons, and won the AHL Coach of the Year Award during the 1983–84 AHL season , when he led the Skipjacks to a division title. The Skipjacks reached the Calder Cup finals in the 1984–85 AHL season , but were defeated by the Sherbrooke Canadiens . In the same season, Jon Casey won
969-580: The Baltimore Clippers (1954–1956) , and the Baltimore Clippers (1962–1977). The Clippers name paid homage to local history in the Baltimore Clipper , and the Port of Baltimore . The newest Clippers played in the EHL for two seasons, and were affiliated as a farm team of the Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The team played in green, white and gold uniform colors,
1026-499: The ECHL . On "the farm", the NHL team will develop young players, occasionally rehabilitate older players who are injured or whose quality of play has slumped. These teams, in turn, have lower-level minor leagues to draw players from and pass players down to. Minor professional ice hockey leagues should not be confused with Junior (amateur players) or Senior (semi-professional to amateur) ice hockey leagues. The American Hockey League
1083-571: The Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as American Hockey League Coach of the Year in the 1983–84 season. Five of the seven Baltimore coaches, were also head coaches of NHL teams, including Ubriaco, Angotti, Murray, MacLean, and Trotz. Skipjacks alumni include over 140 players who also had NHL careers. Jim Stewart was the only player from the ACHL Skipjacks to play in the NHL. Thirteen players from
1140-559: The United Football League and both the 2001 and 2020 incarnations of the XFL, have sought to maintain independence and maintain a national profile while acknowledging the lack of funds (particularly from television, which is by far the NFL's largest revenue stream) that would be needed to compete for NFL-caliber talent. The UFL during its existence was recognized and accepted as the second tier of professional football behind
1197-689: The United States Soccer Federation , but through the affiliated United States Adult Soccer Association . The USL organization has announced plans to create a full women's developmental pathway, establishing the semi-professional third-level USL W League (USLW; not to be confused with its former W-League) in 2022 and planning to launch the USL Super League (USLS) in 2023. The USL has applied for U.S. Soccer sanctioning of USLS; it has not yet announced its sanctioning plans for USLW. The Major Arena Soccer League 2 (M2)
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#17327800218281254-487: The Utica Mohawks 5–4 in overtime. Spectators were excited by fighting between the teams and threw beer and other debris onto ice surface, which resulted in injuries and at least one arrest. The Clippers won 41 games in the team's first season, tied for a second-place finish and five wins behind the first-place team. Warren Young was the team's highest-scoring center , and led the league with 53 goals scored. In
1311-467: The "NBA D-League") and NBA Summer League . The now-defunct Continental Basketball Association (CBA) served some of the purposes of a minor league for the NBA for many years. However, there were no direct developmental agreements between CBA and NBA teams the way that there are between Major League Baseball and National Hockey League teams and their minor league affiliates. Pro Semi-Pro The sport with
1368-710: The 1980–81 season, the Clippers dropped to fourth place, winning 29 games. Defenseman Gerry Ciarcia, tied for the league lead with 68 assists . In the 1981 playoffs, the Clippers faced the first place Erie Blades and lost all four games in the series. In June 1981, the North Stars named Ubriaco coach and general manager of the Nashville South Stars in the Central Hockey League . On July 19, 1981, EHL team owners mutually agreed to fold
1425-575: The 4th Round, 59th overall by the California Seals in the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft and the 7th round, 74th overall by the New England Whalers in the 1976 WHA Amateur Draft . He chose instead to play college hockey for Michigan Tech . Upon graduating, he spent three years playing in the minor leagues before being signed as a free agent by the North Stars in 1981, and made his NHL debut that year. He appeared in five games with
1482-441: The Clippers' name. The team name had maritime origins in the skipjack boat , which later became one of the state symbols of Maryland in 1985. The Skipjacks did not affiliate as an NHL farm team during the season, and chose a green and white color scheme without the gold color used by the North Stars. The Skipjacks unveiled a new logo which resembled a ship's wheel , with the team name spelled out with ropes. On September 26, 1981,
1539-648: The EHL Clippers went onto NHL careers. Mitch Lamoureux is the Baltimore Skipjacks career leader in goals (119), assists (133), and points (252). He was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in the class of 2011. Three Skipjacks also won season awards: Season-by-season results in the regular season, and playoffs. Minor league The minor league concept is a manifestation of the franchise system used in North American sports , whereby
1596-611: The Minnesota North Stars. Casey led the league with the lowest goals against average to win the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award , and was voted the AHL's best goaltender, winning the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award . In the playoffs, the Skipjacks defeated Rochester in the first round by four games to one, and then won all four games against the first place Binghamton Whalers in the second round. The Skipjacks' offense
1653-524: The NFL, with several former NFL stars playing in the UFL near the ends of their careers. High-level Low-level High-level Mid-level Low-level Below Major League Soccer several lower-level leagues operate on both sides of the U.S.–Canada border as part of the American and Canadian soccer pyramids. As is standard for sports in both countries , the formal promotion and relegation system
1710-485: The North Stars before he was signed as a free agent by the Penguins in 1983. In his first full season of 1984–85 , playing on a line centered by superstar Mario Lemieux , he scored 40 goals and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team that season. His emergence with the Penguins led many teams to increase their scouting of players at the college level. He left the Penguins following that season to sign with
1767-509: The Short-Season A level eliminated from the minor leagues, and all leagues above Rookie level in the affiliated system renamed. Also, four independent leagues were officially designated as "MLB Partner Leagues". In 2022, the leagues renamed in 2021 reverted to their traditional names. The National Basketball Association has affiliated minor leagues: the NBA G League (formerly called
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1824-411: The USL or officially affiliate with a separately owned USL team, but this was never strictly enforced. No formal relationship existed between NASL and the other leagues; NASL's commissioner had said he believed it would "stay that way for some time". However, MLS clubs started withdrawing their reserve sides from the USL system in 2020 amid rumors that MLS would relaunch its former MLS Reserve League in
1881-458: The advent of television; minor league clubs only survived in many markets because their major league affiliations included financial support. The trend began to reverse in the 1990s, as new independent minor leagues began for the first time in decades and have become successful to varying levels. In 2021, a major reorganization of the minor leagues saw the number of affiliated teams (i.e., those with formal links to MLB teams) reduced from 160 to 120,
1938-553: The city. A group of 22 businessmen formed the Baltimore Hockey Advocates in 1979, and raised US$ 100,000 to purchase an expansion team for Baltimore. The Eastern Hockey League (EHL) granted the Advocates an expansion team on September 12, 1979, which revived the Baltimore Clippers name. Three previous professional hockey teams in Baltimore had used the name, including the Baltimore Clippers (1945–1949) ,
1995-618: The coming years; these rumors were proved correct by the 2022 establishment of MLS Next Pro . MLS Next (stylized in all caps) is a system of youth soccer leagues that are managed, organized and controlled by Major League Soccer . It was introduced by the league in 2020. Semi-professional and amateur leagues sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association are USL League Two , National Premier Soccer League , NISA Nation and United Premier Soccer League . The system, introduced in mid-2020,
2052-412: The fourth place Springfield Indians in four straight games, then waited 15 days for the second round start as Rochester Americans and St. Catharines Saints series went the full seven games. The layoff possibly affected the Skipjacks, as they lost to Rochester in six games in the second round. After the season, Ubriaco was given the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's Coach of the Year. In
2109-434: The group of major league teams in each sport is fixed for long periods between expansions or other adjustments, which only take place with the consent of the major league owners. In Europe , and many other parts of the world, association football (soccer), basketball, american football, baseball, handball, hockey, etc. leagues have many divisions below the top-flight level as part of the football pyramid . In other parts of
2166-424: The large number of American-based teams is that minor league franchises will frequently move from city to city, and even between leagues. In contrast, Canadian cities more commonly host major junior teams, which develop teenage prospects prior to their move to the professional leagues. All National Hockey League teams have a farm team in the American Hockey League and often have a secondary affiliated team in
2223-473: The league, and begin a new league. The Atlantic Coast Hockey League (ACHL) was founded in 1981 to replace the EHL. The Advocates raised another US$ 100,000 to help establish the new league. Advocates' president John Haas stated the ACHL was set up "primarily to pay the financial obligations" of the EHL. The Advocates also rebranded the team to Baltimore Skipjacks, to avoid paying US$ 10,000 in trademark rights for
2280-475: The more talented ones away. Soon Major League Baseball began formal developmental agreements with some minor league teams, while others remained independent . Since it was first developed in the 1920s by St. Louis Cardinals executive Branch Rickey , the formal developmental affiliations have come to dominate minor league baseball, and the majority of minor leagues are part of the affiliated system. A general decline in minor league attendance occurred following
2337-545: The move to Baltimore. The Skipjacks had an uphill battle in the new league as they shared the same arena with the Baltimore Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League . The hockey team was consistently outdrawn by the soccer team and given second choice for nights of play. The Skipjacks also had a secondary farm team affiliation with the Boston Bruins for the 1982–83 AHL season . Mike Gillis led
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2394-495: The new team name was announced, and Moose Lallo was named the team's new head coach who agreed to a one-year contract. He had won two championships during twenty years of coaching in the International Hockey League . The new Skipjacks finished third place in the 1981–82 ACHL season . Jim Stewart was named an ACHL first team all-star , as the league's best goaltender. In the 1982 playoffs, Baltimore faced
2451-564: The next most extensive system of minor league teams other than baseball is ice hockey . In North America, between 1988 and 2005, 233 minor league ice hockey teams played in a total of 160 cities in 13 minor professional leagues. The vast majority of these teams played in the United States, with only 21 of these teams based in Canadian cities. 123 of these minor professional teams played in the southern United States. One reason given for
2508-653: The past, including the Association of Professional Football Leagues , the Atlantic Coast Football League , and most recently, the league owned-and-operated NFL Europe . In modern times, the NFL has developed players not ready for the active roster through each team's practice squad . Several NFL owners had purchased teams in the Arena Football League in the mid-2000s, prior to its bankruptcy and restructuring. Arena football
2565-624: The regular season, received a bye in the first round, then faced the Binghamton Rangers in round two of the playoffs, losing in six games. The league realigned into three divisions for the 1991–92 AHL season , with the Skipjacks remaining in the southern division. Washington also allocated the Hampton Roads Admirals of the East Coast Hockey League , as a farm team for the Skipjacks. The offense
2622-473: The same as its parent team in Minnesota. Gene Ubriaco was the team's first head coach . He had played left wing for the previous Clippers during the 1967–68 AHL season , and retired as a player in 1970. During the 1979–80 season, he briefly came out of retirement and played four minutes as an emergency goaltender , stopping all three shots he faced. In a home game on March 8, 1980, the Clippers defeated
2679-526: The season fourth place in the southern division, and faced first place Binghamton in the playoffs. The Skipjacks extended the series to seven games against the top team in the league, but lost 5–3 in the deciding game. After the season, owner Tom Ebright relocated the team to Portland, Maine , after losing an estimated $ 2.5 million after six seasons in based in Baltimore. The Skipjacks and Clippers had seven different head coaches in fourteen seasons of play. Gene Ubriaco coached seven seasons in Baltimore, and won
2736-493: The second place Adirondack Red Wings in six games, in the first round, then lost to the first place Rochester Americans in six games in the second round. In the 1990–91 AHL season , Rob Laird became the team's new head coach. Kenny Albert began his professional broadcasting career as the play-by-play announcer of the Skipjacks in 1990. The offense was led by Alfie Turcotte with 33 goals, and 85 points, and Jim Hrvniak won 20 games in goal. The Skipjacks finished third place in
2793-546: The second place Mohawk Valley Stars . In a high-scoring series with 72 goals, the Stars prevailed in seven games. Skipjacks team owners continued to lobby for an American Hockey League team in Baltimore. In 1982, the Pittsburgh Penguins relocated their farm team and merged the Erie Blades into the ACHL's Skipjacks, with a three-year affiliation commitment to the Skipjacks. Coach Lou Angotti and sixteen Erie players made
2850-402: The team for $ 250,000, and operated it as an independent franchise, without an NHL farm team affiliation for the 1987–88 AHL season . The Skipjacks began the season with sixteen consecutive losses, and finished last in the AHL with 35 points, missing the playoffs. The team's leading player was center Doug Shedden , who scored 37 goals, and 88 points on the season. The Washington Capitals began
2907-715: The team in scoring with 113 points . Mitch Lamoureux led the league with 57 goals, and won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL Rookie of the Year. Defenseman Greg Tebbutt won the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL Defenseman of the Year. Lamoureux improved the offense, but the Skipjacks finished the season in fifth place and missed the playoffs. The Skipjacks went into the 1983–84 AHL season affiliated only with Pittsburgh. The Skipjacks unveiled
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#17327800218282964-618: The two sports favor different types of skills; the CFL arguably holds major league status in its home territory of Canada . Several minor or developmental leagues, independent of the NFL, have come and gone. Some, such as the Alliance of American Football and Fall Experimental Football League (along with the FXFL's successor, the still extant but non-paying The Spring League ), have explicit minor league and developmental aspirations. Others, such as
3021-480: The world there is usually either a system of annual promotion and relegation , meaning that clubs have no fixed status in the hierarchy, or there is only one professional league per country in each sport, rendering the major/minor distinction irrelevant. While there are various semi-professional football leagues, none have any affiliation with the National Football League (NFL). The NFL and its teams have had working relationships with several independent leagues in
3078-531: Was active for the first time during the 2020–21 season. It is a successor to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy . The system covers the under-13, under-14, under-15, under-16, under-17 and under-19 age groups. The developmental pathway for players outside the collegiate system has so far been mostly an ad hoc affair, with semi-professional and amateur leagues including the former USL W-League . The current United Women's Soccer , UWS League 2 and Women's Premier Soccer League not being sanctioned directly through
3135-413: Was evenly spread out, with 18 different players scoring at least 10 goals, and Paul Gardner led the team with 81 points. The Skipjacks were bolstered by the conscious decision of the Penguins to keep its prospects in the AHL, in an effort to finish last in the 1983–84 NHL season and win the right to select Mario Lemieux first overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft . In the playoffs, the Skipjacks defeated
3192-458: Was led by Simon Wheeldon with 38 goals and 91 points, in addition to John Purves , and Reggie Savage , having 40-plus goal seasons. Despite the goal scoring, the Skipjacks struggled in the new division placing fifth, and out of the playoffs. In the 1992–93 AHL season , Barry Trotz became the new head coach. The offense was led by John Byce with 35 goals, and 79 points, and goaltender Byron Dafoe played 48 of 80 games. The Skipjacks finished
3249-409: Was shut down in the finals by rookie 19-year-old goaltender Patrick Roy , and the team lost in six games to the Sherbrooke Canadiens . The Skipjacks struggled in the 1985–86 AHL season , even though Ubriaco stayed when many players moved up to the NHL. The offense was led by Tom Roulston with 38 goals, and 87 points. The team finished seventh place in the southern division, missing the playoffs. In
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