A Brief timeline of USL First Division History

1985 - In the ashes of the NASL, the Western Alliance Challenge Series is formed

1986 - League changes it's name to Western Soccer Alliance

1988 - The third incarnation of the American Soccer League is formed, with 10 teams

1989 - Ft. Lauderdale defeats San Diego 3-1 to crown a national champion between the

       ASL and WSL winners

1990 - ASL and WSL merge, forming the American Professional Soccer League

1991 - APSL shrinks from 22 to 8 teams

       League terminates the Salt Lake Sting in July, due to ownership trouble

1992 - APSL drops to an all-time low 5 teams

1993 - League adds Vancouver and Montreal, from the disbanded Canadian Soccer League.

       First Canadian clubs since Edmonton played in the WSA in 1986.

1994 - League terminates the Houston Force franchise after just one game, due to

       ownership problems

1995 - Name Change: A-League from APSL

1997 - A-League and USISL Select League announce merger. League grows from 7 teams

       to 24

1998 - U.S. Pro-40 joins the league. Comprised of developmental MLS players, the

       team plays every match on the road

1999 - League membership grows to an all-time high of 30 clubs.

       Sacramento becomes the only team in league history to go winless for an entire

       season (0-28)

       Rochester Raging Rhinos become first A-League club to win the U.S. Open Cup

2004 - With the addition of the Puerto Rico Islanders, the A-League featured teams in

       three different FIFA-sanctioned countries (U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico)

2005 - Name Change: USL First Division from A-League

2007 - The Puerto Rico Islanders enter qualifying for the 2007 CONCACAF

       Champions Cup, the first USL-1 club to enter the competition since the

       Seattle Sounders in 1996

2008 - Montreal and Puerto Rico advance to the Quarterfinals of the CONCACAF

       Champions League, while only one of the four MLS entrants make the final eight

       The Charleston Battery become second USL-1 club to reach the Lamar Hunt

       U.S. Open Cup Final, falling to D.C. United 2-1

2010 - Several clubs leave the USL-1 to form the North American Soccer League.

       As lawsuits from both sides threaten the 2010 season, the two groups agree

       to play under the banner of the USSF D2 Pro League, which each league's

       teams comprising separate conferences with an interlocking schedule.

       After the 2010 regular season, the USL announced plans for a USL PRO league,

       combining their USSF D2 teams with teams from the USL Second Division that

       choose to participate. NASL formally submits a bid to become a sanctioned

       Division 2 league with US Soccer with eight teams in it's fold.