[darkcloud4579]

What many people probably don't realize is, despite being able to move up, Township teams aren't really organized under the conception of someday being Premier League or First Division clubs.

The fact is, the game starts to cost a lot more money once you leave the township and a ton more once you leave the 2nd Division and most team owners -- or in the case of teams owned by communities -- don't want to expend that sort of cash.

"Township teams have their place in the Neloxian baseball hierarchy and they like where they are for the most part," said Danny Brickell, a baseball writer for the Dominion News-Observer in North Bay.

The clubs in the league don't pay their players a ton and players usually leave the league when they get any sort of experience, in search of greener pastures and simply, more money.

Dominion Elite, with their GM who spent years as the Asst. GM for Seminary in the Premier League, has defied odds to a degree since taking over the former Parkvonta Packers franchise.

"He's investing a lot of money into that club and that's not something you see in this league." Free agents from the top two leagues are not allowed to sign with 2nd and NTA clubs, but that doesn't stop teams from seeking out transfers or loan agreements with teams who have players on their reserve rosters or simply, working hard to seek out young talent.

"A team would much rather have a kid play and see whether he's worth the investment down the road, rather than have him on the reserve roster for 3 years and not see much of him at all because he's just too young. That's a big dilemma for clubs at the higher levels," said Brickell.

Despite that, the talent levels are so close in the township, that the edge really only comes in the playoffs. "Because of the way that league is setup, if you make the playoffs, that's when you get to make your mark. But its a tough road to make it all the way to win the Township Series."

But that's exactly what Dark Cloud and the Dominion Elite are going to try to do.