DODGE CITY- Western Kansas' first professional sports franchise will compete in the Southern Division against two geographical rivals and two teams in Florida during their inaugural season in the United States Basketball League.

Dodge City will join the Kansas Cagerz, a soon to be named team in Enid, Oklahoma, the Florida Sea Dragons and the Gulf Coast Sun Dogs in the five team division. The Cagerz were the Southern Division champions in 1999.

The Florida franchise is located in Fort Myers; the Gulf Coast franchise is in Sarasota, Florida. Dodge City and Enid are expansion franchises in 2000.

Six teams make up the Northern Division of the USBL, including three-time USBL champion Atlantic City (New Jersey) Seagulls, the Brooklyn (New York) Kings, the Long Island (Oyster Bay, New York) Surf, the New Jersey (Asbury Park) Shorecats, the Pennsylvania (Bethlehem) ValleyDawgs, and the Washington D.C. Congressionals.

The Dodge City franchise is tentatively scheduled to play their first game on Tuesday, April 25 against the Florida Sea Dragons at the Dodge City Civic Center.