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59-680: The Missouri River Otters were a minor professional ice hockey team based in St. Charles, Missouri . They played in the United Hockey League from 1999 to 2006. They played their home games at the St. Charles Family Arena , which also opened in October 1999. The River Otters were launched in the United Hockey League (UHL) for the 1999–2000 season owned by New York-based United Sports Ventures, an organization that operated several teams in

118-544: 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. Practice squad In gridiron football ,

177-449: A maximum of two "global" players on their practice squad who do not count against the team's normal practice squad size limit. Each "global" player designated is paid the CFL minimum salary and a portion of their salary may be sent back to the leagues they were taken from, depending on partnership arrangements; players taken from Mexico , for example, currently have 10% of their salaries sent to

236-556: 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

295-411: A player plays through one entire season as a redshirt, that season does not count toward their limit of four years of eligibility to play college football; in rare circumstances, usually stemming from major injuries, a player may be granted a second redshirt year. Before the 2018 season, a player lost redshirt status with his first game appearance in that season; since then, redshirt status is lost only if

354-404: A way to develop inexperienced players for promotion to the main roster. This is particularly important for professional gridiron football teams, which do not have formal minor league farm team affiliates to train players. In addition, it provides replacement players for the main roster when players are needed as the result of injuries or other roster moves, such as bereavement leave. During

413-656: 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

472-453: Is normally limited to 10 players on their practice squads (2 of which must be national players) and their salaries count against their teams' salary caps. A CFL practice squad roster may further be expanded to 12 with "global" players (see "international players" below). Due to the CFL seasons starting before the NFL's and its position as a smaller sister-league to the NFL, each team's practice squad

531-553: 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

590-585: 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

649-468: Is still in effect as of the 2023 season. Additional protocols were in place for activation of large numbers of practice squad players in the event of an outbreak. In the 1993 collective bargaining agreement, practice squads were limited to five players. The practice squad expanded to eight players on April 1, 2004, following a vote from NFL owners. In August 2014, the practice squad expanded to 10 players. The 2020 collective bargaining agreement increased

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708-615: Is temporary expanded to 15 players (17 when counting "global" players) following the NFL's roster cuts at the beginning of the NFL season; the extra 5 players do not count against a team's salary cap. During the abbreviated 2020 debut season of the second incarnation of the XFL , the league operated a centralized "Team 9" that acted as both a practice squad and farm team for the entire league in lieu of individual teams having their own practice squads. This team had its own coaches and staff but did not play any on-record games. Team 9 players were paid

767-556: 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

826-548: 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

885-540: The Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional , Mexico's top level American football league. In the National Hockey League , the term "taxi squad" was used for the 2020–21 season to describe a group of players who traveled with but did not play for their respective teams until called upon to do so in the event that a positive COVID-19 case on the team forced the club to make a call-up immediately. The concept

944-574: The New England Patriots paid third-year player Billy Yates the full $ 425,000 he would have earned as a member of the team's active roster. The Canadian Football League (CFL) follows similar rules to the NFL with regards to practice squad players, but has unique rules due to its nationality-based player designation and roster ratio system , where Canadian citizens are considered "national" players and non-Canadians are considered either "international" or "global" players. Each CFL team

1003-559: 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

1062-465: The United States or Canada , where gridiron football is not a popular sport, as an attempt to foster international interest. In the CFL, players from outside Canada are designated "international" players, which is usually used in reference to American players, but a subset of "international" players known as "global" players was implemented in 2019 to refer to players originating from outside

1121-689: 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)

1180-408: The practice squad , also called the taxi squad or practice roster , is a group of players signed by a team but not part of their main roster. They serve as extra players during the team's practices, often as part of the scout team by emulating an upcoming opponent's play style. Because the players on the practice squad are familiar with the team's plays and formations, the practice squad serves as

1239-467: 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

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1298-460: The 1940s, Cleveland Browns coach Paul Brown invented the "taxi squad", a group of promising scouted players who did not make the roster but were kept on reserve. To avoid All-America Football Conference payroll rules, team owner Arthur "Mickey" McBride , put them instead on the payroll of his taxicab company, Yellow Cab of Cleveland , though those players never performed any work for Yellow Cab, much less drove taxicabs. The name stuck, and

1357-564: The Missouri River Otters hosted the 2006 United Hockey League All Star Classic, which included events such as an UHL alumni vs. St. Louis Blues alumni pre-game show to raise money for St. Louis Children's Hospital . In late April 2006, team owner and president Mike Shanahan Jr. decided to fold the team due to lack of attendance, issues with the lease at the Family Arena , and a steep workers' compensation bill. The staff

1416-511: The NFL through spending time on teams practice squads without having initially been part of these programs, such as Efe Obada , Moritz Böhringer , and Jarryd Hayne . In the CFL, the "global" player designation was started in 2019 as part of an international partnership with amateur and semi-pro leagues in Mexico and Europe . In addition to the requirement of each CFL team to have one "global" player on their active rosters, each team may have

1475-562: The NFL's rulebook and teams attempted to use the rule even after the demise of the program. For example, in 2013 the Detroit Lions attempted to use it to add Norwegian kicker Håvard Rugland to their practice squad, but were rejected by the NFL, which stated that the rule was meant to be used for players from NFL Europe , which folded after the 2007 season. A new program, the International Player Pathway ,

1534-524: 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

1593-509: 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

1652-411: 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

1711-621: The United States and Canada. This section, for both the NFL and CFL, refers to players that would be eligible for the CFL's "global" designation. The NFL has operated programs in which selected international players were assigned to teams' practice squads as an extra member who did not count towards a team's maximum practice squad size. The first, called the International Practice Squad Program, began operation in 2004. In 2005, Rolando Cantu of Mexico

1770-458: 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,

1829-618: 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,

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1888-434: 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

1947-498: 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

2006-489: The league minimum salary for inactive players, $ 1,040 per week. Team 9 did not return when the XFL resumed play in 2023. A similar system was reportedly used by the now-defunct NFL Europe , the NFL's European developmental league. In college football , players who are on a team's roster and practice with the team but do not play are known as redshirts . Redshirts consist mostly of freshmen and of transfer students who are not eligible to play in games due to NCAA rules. If

2065-413: The league, such as James Harrison , Adrian Phillips , Jason Peters , Danny Amendola , Danny Woodhead , Arian Foster , and Kyle Cook . The practice squad is only in effect during the regular season and postseason. Once a team's season finishes, practice squad players are typically signed to reserve/futures contracts by their teams, enabling them to be members of the team's 90-man offseason roster at

2124-679: The league. The team's first head coach was former St. Louis Blues ' player Mark Reeds and they had their home opener on October 23, 1999, with a sellout attendance for a 6–2 win over the Asheville Smoke . Lonnie Loach , who wore #33, played for the team from 1999 to 2003 and is the only person to have his number retired by the team. The team was sold in December 2001 to local ownership group River City Hockey LLC. consisting of Kevin Fitzpatrick, Dan O'Donnell, and David Black. The team

2183-475: 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

2242-440: The next few seasons, the NFL gradually limited the allowable number of inactive players to seven, and regulations were established in relation to injured reserve and waiver practices. In 1974, the NFL eliminated the taxi squad altogether, moving the seven inactive spots into an expanded 47-man active roster. Beginning in 1977, a more limited inactive system was introduced (often consisting of either two or four players, depending on

2301-501: 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

2360-653: 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

2419-472: The player appears in more than four games during that season. Prior to 1972, the NCAA prohibited freshmen from participating in varsity games, though they could practice with the varsity team and compete on separate freshmen teams, similar to junior varsity teams in high school football . The practice squad has also been used by professional teams and leagues as a way to bring in and train players from outside

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2478-475: The practice of retaining a squad of ready reserves spread throughout professional football. However, the National Football League (NFL) did not officially recognize the existence of taxi squads until February 18, 1965. On that date, the NFL team owners formally adopted a 40-man active roster supplemented by a taxi squad of unregulated size, which was officially termed the "future list." Over

2537-461: The practice squad are paid 18 weeks a year for the regular season, like active players, however unlike the latter there are no signing bonuses nor guaranteed salaries. Practice squad players earn considerably less than active squad players: in 2020, the minimum salary for a practice squad player was $ 8,400 per week ($ 142,800 for 17 weeks), and the minimum rookie salary was $ 610,000. Some practice squad players are paid considerably more, however. In 2006,

2596-401: The practice squad for up to two seasons. One practice squad season was defined in 1998 as having been on the squad for at least three games in a season, with bye weeks counting as a game. In 2006, a third practice squad season for a player became possible as long as the team had 53 players on their active roster for the duration of the player's time on the practice squad that season. The player

2655-480: The practice squad without having to clear waivers . Players were allowed to be elevated to active rosters for up to two weeks in a regular season starting in 2020, and up to three weeks starting in 2022. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning in 2020, teams were able to designate up to four practice squad player protections, which prevented other teams from signing those players to their active rosters. This rule

2714-455: The season), and these players were sometimes referred to as taxi squad members. Players may be signed to a practice squad for several reasons: for lack of space on the team, due to injury, or because they require more development. Practice squad players can be signed to any team's 53-man active roster, without compensation to their former team, at any time during the season. Many NFL players spent time on practice squads before finding success in

2773-542: The size of practice squads to 12 players starting in 2020 and 14 players beginning in 2022, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the NFL increased the practice squad size to 16 for the 2020 season. This size increase was made permanent effective with the 2022 season. In 1998, eligibility limits were imposed to allow only players without an accrued season or players who had one accrued season but were active for fewer than nine games that season. Players could only be members of

2832-420: The squad under the previous rules, though these players may have no more than two accrued seasons in the league. Starting with the 2016 season, up to four veteran players were allowed to be on the practice squad. Beginning in 2022, up to six veteran players with two or more accrued seasons were allowed on a team's practice squad at a time. The minimum weekly salary for practice squad players was: Those on

2891-488: The start of the new league year in March. Typical practice squad contracts automatically terminate one week after the team's final regular season or postseason game of the season. The 2020 collective bargaining agreement allowed for teams to elevate up to two players per week to the active roster from the practice squad. Such promotions must be made the day before the team's game, and allow the player to automatically revert to

2950-569: 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

3009-480: 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

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3068-531: 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

3127-425: Was considered to have served a third season as a practice squad member if they were on the squad for at least one game that season. Until the 2011 season, games in which a player is listed as the third-string quarterback (using the third quarterback rule ) did not count as being on the active list. Former quarterback Mike Quinn , who was listed as the third-string quarterback for several teams throughout his career,

3186-494: Was created in 2017. This new initiative started as a trial involving only NFC South teams. Each team in the division was allowed to sign one international player to its practice squad who would not count against the normal 10-player limit, but would not be eligible to be activated during the season after being signed. The pathway was expanded to eight teams (NFC South and AFC North ) for the 2018 season. Additionally, several international players have tried to find their starts in

3245-407: Was practice squad eligible during his eighth NFL season. In August 2014, eligibility was expanded by increasing the number of games in a season a player must be on the squad in order for that season to count as one of the player's three seasons of eligibility from three games to six games. Finally, each practice squad could include two players who have accrued too much playing time to be eligible for

3304-588: Was promoted to the Arizona Cardinals ' active roster after spending the previous season on the practice squad as a member of the program. Players from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Japan, and Russia also participated. In 2008, the program sponsored sixteen players, the largest number ever. The program was discontinued for 2009. The rule allowing for an extra practice squad player of international origin, however, remained in

3363-507: Was purchased by Mike Shanahan Jr. in 2004. During the National Hockey League (NHL) lockout in 2004–05, NHL defenseman Barret Jackman decided to stay in St. Louis and play hockey for the River Otters during the lockout, along with center Ryan Johnson , defenseman Bryce Salvador and right winger Jamal Mayers . The team also signed former NHL players such as Jim Montgomery and Dennis Vial during this season. On January 25, 2006,

3422-504: Was then let go as the announcement was made that the team would not play in the upcoming 2006–07 UHL season . While leaving open the possibility of a sale, Shanahan said that the competition for the sports dollar in the greater St. Louis area meant that the team would likely fold instead of being sold. Minor league The minor league concept is a manifestation of the franchise system used in North American sports , whereby

3481-399: Was used exclusively for that season; league deputy commissioner Bill Daly said it would likely not be used in future seasons as it was devised solely to circumvent the difficulties in summoning back-up players that were presented by the COVID-19 pandemic . On December 26, 2021, after a large number of disruptions to the 2021–22 season schedule due to COVID-19 issues within teams (including

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