minor league

n. Sport) A league of professional sports teams less proficient than a major leagues. Players in the minor leagues generally are paid less than those in the major leagues, and their games attract less atention. Certain minor league sports teams are often owned by those owning a major league club, and the minor league clubs are used to provide practise and opportunity for evaluation for candidates who wish to play in the major leagues.
Syn. -- minor league. [ WordNet 1.5 ]