Top 11 Sports Leagues Nobody Cares About

They're out there, the small-scale and obscure sports leagues that few truly care about.

They either represent wacky twists on classic sports, like arena football, or they just haven't managed to get out from underneath the larger leagues in their sport.

Whether they are on a smaller scale or offer a new way to play, one thing is for certain: No one cares about these sports leagues.

Here is a list of 11 of those uncared-about leagues.

The UFL

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ORLANDO, FL - OCTOBER 22: UFL signage during the game between the California Redwoods and the Florida Tuskers at the Florida Citrus Bowl on October 22, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

The United Football League officially had its first season in the fall of 2009.

According to the official website, the UFL was established in response to NFL teams leaving cities with good markets for football teams. The UFL seems to be working to fill those markets with their new teams.

So far there are only five active teams in the UFL, with a sixth in the works for the 2011 season.

So far, no one really cares about this sports league because of its small size and the fact that it is composed mostly of players who were not quite good enough to make it in the NFL.

The AFL

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KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 13: Quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers is sacked during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs on September 13, 2010 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The Arena Football League presents the game of football with a twist on the location and the time of year the game is played.

Most football games, such as those of the NFL, are played on a much bigger field in the fall and winter. AFL games are played in the spring and summer on a smaller field than the traditional football field.

This league has faced financial troubles in the last several years, but even before that, the AFL was never really a popular league.

The differences in the style of the game and the fact that it is overshadowed by the NFL make the AFL another uncared-about sports league.

The American Association of Independent Professional Baseball

This is a league that has come and gone several times since its creation in 1902. Its most recent revival began in 2005 and now the league has a total of 10 teams.

The teams playing in this league are AAA teams with no affiliation to an MLB team. They are independent minor league teams, according to the official website.

While it's commendable to give independent teams a league to play in, this league is overshadowed by the major talent in MLB and many times forgotten about by fans who tune in to and attend major league games instead.

Photo courtesy of American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.

The ABA

The new version of the American Basketball Association was founded in 2000.

This season the ABA will reportedly have more than 60 teams in the league, making it even larger than the NBA.

While this may be a large and far-reaching basketball league, it still falls under the shadow of the most popular basketball league in the nation, the NBA.

Since the ABA still pales in comparison to the NBA in terms of popularity and exposure, it is another sports league that no one cares about.

Photo courtesy of The American Basketball Association.

The East Coast Hockey League

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SAN ANTONIO - DECEMBER 9: Jakub Koreis #29 of the Utah Grizzlies skates with the puck in the neutral zone against Lou Dickenson #39 of the San Antonio Rampage at SBC Center on December 9, 2004 in San Antonio, Texas. The Rampage won 5-0. (Photo by Darre

The East Coast Hockey League was established in 1988. Since the league's establishment, the number of teams has grown and shrank several times, as some teams failed and the league adopted teams from other now-defunct minor league hockey associations.

The new season for the ECHL will begin in October with a total of 19 teams.

This is yet another sports league that not many people care about because it is overshadowed by more talented and well-known leagues, such as the NHL and the AHL.

Premier Basketball League

The Premier Basketball League was founded in 2007. This league was created as a spin-off of the ABA after reported disagreements between board members.

Since the PBL's creation in 2007, the number of teams in the league has changed every season. The league is currently made up of nine competing teams from the United States and Canada.

Not many people are aware that the PBL exists, let alone care about the teams or players in this league. Thanks to its small size and the fact that it is overshadowed by the NBA, this league is not one of the top sports leagues to watch in many peoples' books.

Photo courtesy of The Premier Basketball League.

American National Rugby League

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GLENDALE, CO - JUNE 6: England Saxons teammates sing the country's national anthem arm in arm as they prepare to play the Argentina Jaguars during the first half of their Churchill Cup match at Infinity Park on June 6, 2009 in Glendale, Colorado. The Engl

The American National Rugby League was founded in 1998. Since that time, the league has grown to 11 teams.

The sport of rugby not as widely followed as football and basketball in the United States. While the appreciation for this sport may be on the rise, this league is yet another that no one cares about. 

The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball

The Can-Am league was established in 2004, and as of this season, has a total of six teams in the league.

Another independent baseball league that has faded in and out of existence over the years, the Can-Am league was originally founded in 1936, but the most recent incarnation began in 2004.

With such a small number of teams and less exposure than the MLB, this is one baseball league few people care about.

Photo courtesy of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball.

Major Indoor Soccer League

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1986: View of a Major Indoor Soccer League game in progress. Mandatory Credit: Allsport /Allsport

Founded in 2008 as the National Indoor Soccer League, the league changed its name in early 2010 to the Major Indoor Soccer League.

The MISL currently boasts seven teams.

While the demand for soccer is growing in the U.S, the fan base is not large enough to support more teams in more cities.

The combination of a small fan base and competition from the more popular MLS make this league one that not many people care about.

Southern Professional Hockey League

The Southern Professional Hockey League was founded in 2004 and consists of eight teams from around the southern U.S.

The league hasn't existed long and has fewer teams as the NHL, but the number of teams has held steady unlike other leagues whose numbers drop and raise sporadically.

While this league seems to be doing well, it is still small and it has less outstanding talent than larger hockey leagues such as the NHL, which is why few people care about this league.

Photo courtesy of the Southern Professional Hockey League.

American Professional Football League

The American Professional Football League is an indoor football league that was founded in 2003. It consists of both professional and semi-professional teams. As of right now their are five teams in the league.

In all seven years that the league has been around, there have only been two teams to win its championship; the Kansas Koyotes and the Iowa Blackhawks.

The five teams that make up this league come from only three states; Iowa, Kansas and Missouri.

With such a small number of teams from such a small area, there is not much of a following for this football league, which makes it yet another sports league no one cares about.

Photo courtesy http://www.apflfootball.com/