After setting the divisions and format for 2015 and looking toward the next step, a surprising development transpired with the Baltimore Kingfishers, our very first Championship Team, deciding that they would be unable to compete in the 2015 Season.
As one of the eight core teams which started the League in 2005, it is certainly disappointing to the League to lose a team which had become such a mainstay to the USCL. Unfortunately, circumstances like this do develop as fielding a team week after week for ten weeks is anything but easy, with their management ultimately deciding that they would be unable to participate this season. Just like the Los Angeles franchise, being in an area with a tremendous amount of chess activity, with many strong players, we hope with them as well that this departure is only temporary and that they will return in the near future when they are better equipped to do so.
In their place, completing what has turned out to be a huge Western expansion, the Las Vegas Desert Rats will join the USCL. As a city which is known much more for his gambling heritage than for its chess, it has always been hard for them to field an appropriate team despite there having been much interest in the past. Fortunately that time has passed as the Desert Rats will definitely not be pushovers as they will sport a roster consisting of several time USCL player GM Timur Gareev as well as GM Atanas Kolev. Las Vegas will also be managed by former Los Angeles Vibe player, NM Mike Zaloznyy, and with him and Gareev leading things, the lack of experience that might trouble some new USCL teams will certainly not be an issue for them.
With this change, the divisional configuration has returned to what might be considered “normal”, with Boston moving back to the East, taking Baltimore’s place while Las Vegas will join the West. As a result, all the teams in the Eastern Time Zone will now be in the Eastern Division with all others in the Western Division - as nice a geographical distribution of teams that one could really hope for. The scheduling (in terms of whom will play whom) will remain the same as will the playoff format, both of which were outlined here.
Stay turned for more announcements as we approach the Opening Day of the season in just about a month!