USL Pro rebrands as USL, looking for D2 status, gets hip, new logo

We'll no longer be talking about USL Pro starting today, as the organization has changed names on us: They'll just be known as USL, and they might just be looking to secure second-division status.

Second-division status would kick off a renewed conflict between NASL, the current USSF Division 2-sanctioned league, and the combined forces of USL and MLS. It's difficult to say whether they'll find much success, but the significant and sustained growth they've experienced following tighter partnerships with MLS.

The name change is an interesting one: The "Pro" moniker acted as a differentiator from the league's other properties, like the Premier Development League and the W-League, a women's league. One might hope that those aspects don't fade in priority.

Whatever the case, a new war of words in American soccer is sure to kick off starting today. We'll look at the implications of Division 2 status in the coming days, and we'll see how NASL reacts to the news.

In line with the logo change and recent MLS logo changes, a club-branded version is around — that's below.