11/03/2006
Expansion Teams: 2007
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by League Commissioner: IM Greg Shahade
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The US Chess League was a huge success in it's first year
of existence and after welcoming Seattle and Tennessee for the second
season, the action was even more exciting! The USCL plans to expand by
2 more teams for the 2007 season.
PLEASE read all of the below very
carefully when applying for your team.
What
are we Looking for?
1. Fan Interest and Organization:
The two most important things that the league is searching for is
enthusiasm and organization. We want an area that is going to make
their USCL matches some of the most important chess events in the
community. We want fans who are willing to help and we want players who
are excited to play. On the other hand we need to have reliable
organizers at the helm of each team. This worked out
fantastically this
season as all ten managers were reliable and enthuasiastic and although
there were a few issues here and there, they were resolved in a
reasonable and timely fashion. In order for the league to remain
successful, it's
important that this remains the case, and thus only those that have a
very solid organizational foundation will be considered. It is
mandatory that your team not only have a manager, but also an assistant
manager, who is as easy to contact as the mananger.
2. Strength of Players: We
are of course looking for areas that have the most exciting teams to
field. If you have a Grandmaster who is ready to play on board 1, then
this will surely help your chances. However even if other teams are
stronger than your team, we may still choose yours if we feel that
there is a possibility of strong fan interest, sponsorship and media
coverage coming from your city.
3. Playing Site + TD: We
would of course hope that each team has a playing site that can be
accessed by the public and has a reliable TD that the entire league
would trust to ensure a fair match. The opportunity for the public to
watch the games is very important as this helps to ensure fairness.
It's also very important that your site has an appropriate number of
computers to conduct the match. It is possible for a site to have less
than 4 computers and use a relayer for the players who don't have a
computer, however it's highly suggested that you have 4 computers
present if at all possible. It is also mandatory that each team has not
only one Internet connection, but a backup connection as well, that
should be ready to go at the start of the match.
4. Team Writer: We are
looking for an enthusiastic team writer for every USCL team this
season. This writer would be expected to write up an article on their
team's match on the day after the match (or even sooner if possible!).
5. Sponsorship: Any team
that joins the USCL will not receive benefits from the league until
after they have been part of the league for 2 full seasons. For this
reason it would be looked upon as extremely favorable if your team has
your own sponsorship and will use it to pay your players.
6. Longevity: Don't forget
that once you are accepted into the league, your team is a member of
the USCL for good. That means that as long as you continue to show
interest, have proper organization and can field a halfway competitive
team (avg rating above 2250+),
your city will be part of the USCL. We are looking for teams that are
in this for the long haul and excited to become part of the USCL for
years to come.
(VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ
BELOW!)
7. Deadlines: We
need to receive all new team applications by February 1st, although it
is preferable if we receive your application earlier. There is no
set time in which we will announce the two new expansion teams, however
the announcement will be made sometime between February 1st and March
1st. Anyone who applies
after the February 1st deadline will not be considered, so it's best
not
to delay. It is highly recommended
that you apply or at least that you express interest by January 1st
2007 (and then submit your full application shortly thereafter). If a
team applies at the very last minute, it generally shows a lack of
responsibility and promptness that we are looking to avoid in the USCL.
8. Team Logo + Nickname: Your
team logo and nickname must be approved by the league. We have artists
who are capable of creating a logo, although if you have a specific
idea of how the logo
should look or have an artist who wishes to do the design, this will be
allowed provided the logo is acceptable to the league. Do not suggest a
team nickname that is shared by any major professional or college
sports team in the
area.
9. Flexibility of Playing Time: If
you are on the West Coast, it's especially important that you are
flexible about when the league matches will start. The matches are
played on Wed evenings, and the season will likely begin in late
August.
If this is not possible for your team it's very unlikely you will be
accepted into the league. On the West Coast, it's important that
you are ready to begin your games at a latest time of 6 pm PT (Although
5:30
pm or earlier is preferable), as its not possible for many East Coast
teams to
start late on a work night.
10. Internet Connection: If
you are a new team, do not attempt to join the league with only one
Internet connection. It is mandatory that you have some kind of backup
Internet in case your first Internet should go down. With many months
until the season begins, it should be no problem for any interested
city to take care of this.
11. Entry Fee: There is no
entry fee to join the league.
12. Forming a Team: To apply
for a team, you must have FOUR players rated above 2200 whom have
already agreed to be
part of the team, and you must have a large pool of players to select
your team's remaining four roster spots. Your roster will consist of
eight players, but only
commitments from four of those will be necessary before the application
deadline. It's possible to start forming your team today, as the
October 2006 Rating supplement can be used, along with any other
supplement from October 2006 until August 2007. The only caveat is that
you must use the same rating list for all 8 of your team members.
The rule about the maximum team average rating remains the same,
as all teams must have their four active boards for a match fall under
a 2400 USCF rating. There will be a 10 point bonus to your average if
you use a female in your lineup, and anyone rated above 2580 will count
as only 2580 towards your team average. Two years ago the above number
was
2600, but we are going to lower it to 2550, at the rate of 10 points
per year, thus rewarding the highest rated "superstars". Please contact
me if you are inquiring about a prospective team member who is unrated
or provisional USCF.
13. Final Notes: Based on
the success and excitement that the USCL showed in 2005 and 2006,
combined with the interest that the league has already received, it's
likely that the
competition will be fierce for the two new league spots. Do not take it
personally if your team is not chosen, as based on what I've heard,
it's very possible that there will be many overly qualified teams. We
are trying to build this league slowly and aren't ready to rush
things by adding many teams at once. I would love to involve as
many cities as possible as soon as possible however this just isn't
feasible from an organizational standpoint. Please be aware that we
plan to add two new teams every year for the unforeseeable future, thus
if your city doesn't join the league this year, there is always next
year and the year after and so on. Teams that have previously applied
yet haven't been accepted will be seen in a positive light as it will
be clear to the league how devoted your city is towards forming a team.
Don't forget to send your application to admin@uschessleague.com before
the February 1st deadline and those teams that send their applications
early will be looked upon favorably!
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