USL Professional Division
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Other club(s) from | Canada |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Founded | September 8, 2010 |
| Conferences |
Eastern Conference Western Conference |
| Number of teams | 30 |
| Level on pyramid |
II (US) II (CAN) |
| Domestic cup(s) |
U.S. Open Cup Canadian Championship |
| Current champions | New York Red Bulls II (2016) |
| Current Regular Season Title | New York Red Bulls II (2016) |
| Most championships | Orlando City (2 titles) |
| Most Regular Season Titles | Orlando City (3 titles) |
| TV partners | ESPN; YouTube |
| Website | uslsoccer |
 2017 USL season
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The United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as USL Pro, is a professional men's soccer league in the United States and Canada that began its inaugural season in 2011. USL is sanctioned as a Division II Professional League by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer), placing it under Major League Soccer (Division I) and equal to the North American Soccer League (also Division II) in the hierarchy.
The league is owned and operated by United Soccer Leagues (USL) and was formed as result of the organization's merger of the old USL First and Second Divisions, following the controversial 2010 season which saw neither the USL First Division nor the North American Soccer League (NASL) receive sanctioning from the USSF, resulting in the temporary USSF Division 2 Pro League. The merger is meant to consolidate USL's position within the American professional soccer landscape and focus on stability, commercial growth and the professional development of soccer in four main regions throughout the United States and Canada.
In January 2013, USL and MLS reached an agreement to integrate USL Pro league competition with the MLS Reserve League, primarily to improve player development in North America, strengthen league competition and build ties between divisions in the American soccer pyramid. This multi-year deal encourages MLS and USL Pro team affiliations and player loans, aiming to have more games for teams and developing players. As of October 2016, 20 USL teams are affiliated to MLS teams.
On September 8, 2010, the United Soccer Leagues formally announced the creation of USL Pro in a press release. Prior to the official announcement of the new league, on August 11, 2010, the Dayton Dutch Lions FC revealed they would be joining the "USL-Pro Championship Division (former USL-2)" at a press conference, revealing the name of the new league before its official announcement. With this disclosure, the Dutch Lions were the first confirmed team in USL Pro for its inaugural 2011 season. Alongside the announcement of the new league, the Richmond Kickers revealed they would be moving to USL Pro for 2011. With the departure of the Portland Timbers to MLS in 2011 and the defection of the Puerto Rico Islanders to the NASL from the USL First Division, the Austin Aztex were the lone First Division team left to fold into USL Pro.
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