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.
40-857: The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a minor-league baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba , Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Professional Baseball , which they joined in 2011. Previously, the Goldeyes were members of the Northern League from 1994 until 2010. The Goldeyes were champions of the Northern League in 1994. They are also three-time champions of the American Association; having won in 2012, and back-to-back in 2016 and 2017. The team
80-717: A Canadian football stadium retrofitted for baseball. The team moved into CanWest Global Park (now Blue Cross Park ), their own baseball-only facility, prior to the 1999 season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Goldeyes played its 2020 season home games at Newman Outdoor Field , and April–July home games in the 2021 season at The Ballpark at Jackson . Pitchers Catchers Infielders Outfielders Manager Coaches [REDACTED] Disabled list ‡ Inactive list § Suspended list Roster updated August 10, 2024 Transactions Minor-league The minor league concept
120-515: A game five. The Goldeyes would seal back-to-back championships with an 18–2 victory over Wichita at home in Winnipeg. In 2020, the league announced that the Goldeyes would compete as one of six teams in a condensed 60-game season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . However, they would not play games at Shaw Park , and were instead based at Newman Outdoor Field (thus sharing a home field with
160-564: 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. Blue Cross Park Blue Cross Park (formerly Shaw Park )
200-478: A reserve team in 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
240-477: Is a baseball stadium in Winnipeg , Manitoba , Canada . It is located adjacent to The Forks , near the city's downtown , and is home to the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the American Association . Blue Cross Park has a seating capacity of 7,481, as well as 30 luxury skysuites, a picnic area, and an open patio overlooking the field from the right field corner. An Indian cuisine restaurant is located on
280-656: 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
320-507: Is a manifestation of the franchise system used in North American sports , whereby 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
360-422: Is named after the goldeye , a fish usually served as a smoked delicacy and commonly called Winnipeg goldeye . There have been two separate and distinct baseball teams based out of Winnipeg to use the Goldeyes name, each playing in different incarnations of the Northern League. They first played in the original Northern League from 1954 until 1964. During that time, the Goldeyes were a minor league affiliate of
400-567: Is standard for sports in both countries , the formal promotion and relegation system 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
440-556: 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
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#1732787323648480-677: The Arena Football League in the mid-2000s, prior to its bankruptcy and restructuring. Arena football 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
520-548: 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
560-679: The National Football League (NFL). The NFL and its teams have had working relationships with several independent leagues in 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
600-584: The Rogers Communications acquisition of Shaw Communications, the Winnipeg Goldeyes announced a new 10-year naming rights partnership with Manitoba Blue Cross on November 8, 2023, with the ballpark being renamed Blue Cross Park. The ballpark served as the main baseball venue for the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg. The host Canadian squad captured the bronze medal, which was their best finish ever, up to that point. Cuba won
640-550: The St. Louis Cardinals and they won the league championship three times (1957, 1959, and 1960). The Goldeyes returned to the Short Season-A Northern League for one season, 1969, as an affiliate of the expansion Kansas City Royals , but they did not return in 1970, and the entire league shut down after the 1971 season. The Goldeyes name was resurrected in 1994 when the independent league Rochester Aces of
680-689: 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)
720-429: The top-flight level as part of the football pyramid . In other parts of 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
760-467: 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
800-743: The Fargo Moorhead RedHawks). Due to continued border restrictions, the Goldeyes announced plans to initially play home games during the 2021 season out of The Ballpark at Jackson in Jackson, Tennessee , the former home of the Jackson Generals . However, Jackson Mayor Scott Conger notified the teams that the Generals lost their authority to manage the city-owned ballpark when they lost their affiliation with Minor League Baseball and that they were issued an eviction notice to leave
840-625: The NFL for talent, plays a visibly different game than the American game, and 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,
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#1732787323648880-509: 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
920-450: The addition of the skysuites and concession space. The right field stands, patio, and restaurant were completed as part of the final phase in 2003. As part of the final expansion, the City of Winnipeg was required to reroute Pioneer and Water Avenues . A record attendance of 8,668 occurred on August 29 during the 2005 season. Winnipeg-based CanWest Global purchased the naming rights to
960-458: 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,
1000-453: The ballpark when it opened in 1999. CanWest Global Park later became Canwest Park after the media company's name change in 2008. Shaw Communications acquired the ballpark's naming rights when it acquired Canwest's broadcasting assets from bankruptcy court in 2010. The ballpark was renamed Shaw Park prior to the 2011 season. The Shaw Park name was retained even though Shaw sold its media division to Corus Entertainment in 2016. Following
1040-606: The breakaway American Association in 2005; however, the team would jump to the American Association after the 2010 season. The Goldeyes captured their first American Association championship in 2012, sweeping the Wichita Wingnuts in the finals. The Goldeyes fueled their rivalry with Wichita in 2016, when they defeated the Wingnuts in game five in Wichita for their second American Association championship. Next season,
1080-618: 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,
1120-460: The distance beyond the outfield fence. The Red River flows northward beyond the left field fence, on the far side of Waterfront Drive. Trains can be frequently seen and heard passing the ballpark, as it is built inside a curve of the main CN Rail line running through downtown Winnipeg. Blue Cross Park, originally named CanWest Global Park, opened on May 24, 1999, replacing Winnipeg Stadium as
1160-404: The home of the Goldeyes and the city's premier baseball facility. It was built in three phases. The first phase saw the stands completed along the third base side to the left field wall and halfway along the first base side, giving the stadium a seating capacity of 6,140. The second phase, completed in 2000, saw the first base stands partially extended, increasing seating capacity to 6,300, and
1200-498: 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
1240-475: 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
Winnipeg Goldeyes - Misplaced Pages Continue
1280-422: The new Northern League relocated to Winnipeg. It was decided the team would take on the name of the former Winnipeg team in honor of the past. In their inaugural season in Winnipeg, the new Goldeyes captured the Northern League championship. The Goldeyes became the longest tenured franchise in the Northern League following the departure of the St. Paul Saints , Sioux City Explorers , and Sioux Falls Canaries to
1320-564: 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
1360-564: The same level as USL League Two. In 2013 Major League Soccer announced 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
1400-415: The stadium after May 30, nine days after the Goldeyes' May 21 home opener. On June 1, the Goldeyes entered into a new license agreement with the city to continue use of the facility. On July 22, the Goldeyes were granted permission from the federal and provincial governments to return to Shaw Park for games beginning on August 3. From 1994 to 1998, the Goldeyes played their homes games at Winnipeg Stadium ,
1440-608: The still extant but non-paying The Spring League ), have explicit minor league and developmental aspirations. Others, such as 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
1480-408: The teams would meet again; this matchup looked as if the Wingnuts won the series in game four after a ground-out won the game and the team began celebrating on the mound. However, the umpire had called a balk and the strike was re-thrown; the Goldeyes tied the game later in the at-bat and forced a marathon 17-inning game. This was the longest game in American Association history, which they won to play
1520-452: The third floor. A Goldeyes retail store and the baseball club's offices are also located within the ballpark. The playing field has a natural grass surface and a traditional dirt infield. The outfield dimensions are symmetrical, with distances of 325 feet (99 m) from home plate to each foul pole and 400 feet (120 m) to straightaway centerfield. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights and Esplanade Riel bridge are visible in
1560-531: 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
1600-514: Was recognized and accepted as the second tier of professional football behind 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
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