As previously reported, United Soccer Leagues announced Wednesday the launch of Indoor Professional Soccer, or I-League, at a news conference in Rochester, NY, which was officially awarded the first franchise.
The I-League will begin play in November 2011 with teams in five planned regional divisions -- Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Mid-South, Midwest and Southeast -- with a championship game to be played in either February or March of 2012.
The Rochester franchise, to be majority-owned by local restauranteur and former Rochester Rhinos executive Salvatore "Soccer Sal" Fantauzzo and former Monroe County (NY) legislator and Rhinos minority owner Chris Wilmot, could be called the Rochester Lancers, the name of the city's franchise in the outdoor American Soccer League (1967-69) and the original North American Soccer League (1970-80), as Fantauzzo owns the rights to the name.
USL officials also said future franchises could be announced for Syracuse, NY and Hampton Roads, VA.
In 1986, USL began as the Southwest Indoor Soccer League, but changed its name later that year to the Southwest Independent Soccer League, then changed it again in 1990 (Sunbelt Independent Soccer League) and in 1991 (United States Interregional Soccer League), but operated both indoor and outdoor leagues, with the indoor league being renamed the I-League in 1996 and lasting until the 1997-98 season.
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