TAMPA, FLA — USL PRO announced its 2012 regular season alignment and schedule Wednesday, with the 132-game regular season slated to kick off on Friday, April 6. The Dayton Dutch Lions FC open April 13 with an away game against the Charlotte Eagles. They travel to Pittsburgh Riverhounds on April 21 before opening at home April 28 against the Rochester Rhinos.
President Mike Mossel is happy with the current schedule: "Compared to last year we have a very balanced schedule regarding playing at home and away. I am also very excited that we were able to set up four doubleheaders with the Women's team. Last year we had one doubleheader and that was a success with 2400 people attending." The full schedule for the Dayton Dutch Lions FC is:
April
Dayton @ Charlotte, Friday, April 13, 2012
Dayton @ Pittsburgh, Saturday, April 21, 2012
Dayton vs Rochester, Saturday, April 28, 2012
May
Dayton vs Richmond, Saturday, May 05, 2012
Dayton vs LA, Friday, May 11, 2012
Dayton @ Rochester, Friday, May 18, 2012
Dayton @ Harrisburg, Saturday, May 19, 2012
Dayton vs Rochester, Saturday, May 26, 2012
June
Dayton vs Charleston, Saturday, June 02, 2012
Doubleheader Women
Dayton vs Pittsburgh, Saturday, June 09, 2012
Doubleheader Women
Dayton @ LA, Friday, June 15, 2012
Dayton @ LA, Sunday, June 17, 2012
Dayton vs Wilmington, Saturday, June 23, 2012
Doubleheader Women
Dayton vs Orlando, Friday, June 29, 2012
Doubleheader Women
July
Dayton vs Pittsburgh, Wednesday, July 04, 2012
Dayton @ Rochester, Saturday July 7, 2012
Dayton @ Harrisburg, Friday, July 13, 2012
Dayton vs Harrisburg, Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Dayton @ Wilmington, Friday, July 20, 2012
Dayton @ Richmond, Saturday, July 21, 2012
Dayton vs Antigua, Sunday July 29, 2012
August
Dayton vs Charlotte, Saturday, August 11, 2012
Dayton @ Orlando, Friday, August 17, 2012
Dayton @ Charleston, Saturday, August 18, 2012
Rounding out USL PRO’s opening-weekend action is a heavyweight matchup between the Richmond Kickers and Charleston Battery on Saturday at City Stadium in Richmond, followed by a second meeting between Pittsburgh and Antigua at Sticky Wicket on Sunday.
USL PRO, which enjoyed a tremendous amount of success both on and off the pitch in 2011, will feature 11 returning teams playing in a single-table format in 2012. F.C. New York is no longer a member of USL PRO.
2012 USL PRO Table
Antigua Barracuda FC
Charleston Battery
Charlotte Eagles
Dayton Dutch Lions
Harrisburg City Islanders
Los Angeles Blues
Orlando City Lions
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Richmond Kickers
Rochester Rhinos
Wilmington Hammerheads
The strongest, best operated and most experienced North American men’s professional soccer league below MLS, both on and off the field, USL PRO will once again feature a national television broadcast package on FOX Soccer, as well as an extensive online broadcast package vis USL Live. USL PRO’s national broadcast schedule on FOX Soccer will be announced at a later date. Focused on franchise stability and longevity, USL PRO features six teams with more than a decade of operational experience, and more than 100 years of combined operational experience.
“Coming off a fantastic 2011 season that featured crowds of 10,000-plus and one of the most memorable championship games in history, we’re excited about the potential for league and team growth the 2012 season offers,” USL PRO Senior Director Chris Economides said. “USL PRO gives fans an exciting and entertaining product to enjoy, and they have responded by embracing their teams at levels that have exceeded our expectations.”
Teams will once again play 24 games in the 2012 season with a maximum of four games played against any single opponent. The 2012 USL PRO Playoffs will include the top six finishers in the table, with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receiving a first-round bye the weekend of August 24-26. The semifinals featuring the four remaining teams will be played the following weekend, with the 2012 USL PRO Championship set for the weekend of September 7-9. All playoff rounds feature a single-game knockout format.
The final weekend of the regular season is set for Friday-Sunday August 17-19, with all 11 teams in action as the race for playoff spots winds down.
Click here to view the 2012 USL PRO Schedule