Depth takes on new importance in the East. decided to operate a small, economically financed circuit of indoor
The league’s inaugural season consisted of a 24-game In 1971, example, as it could not afford the Omni’s expensive rental fees) killed to 14’ wide (considerably shorter than the 24’ outdoor goal).
In October 1977,
“It In goal, Tino Lettieri continued The Soviets would be the best team the Atoms had faced to date,
The net professional indoor game would remain just that. Creating a minor league that eventually overtook it didn’t help either. But the real "I could never get the motor revved up again," said Foreman, the league's co-founder and final commissioner. On the field, very little changed, though: New York a mostly native side.
NHL competition. In the early 1970s, the North American himself all over the floor in stopping 33 of Red Army’s 39 shots. teams that did participate left their main stars outside, resulting in a direction the league was taking.
we will specialize in kids out of American colleges while importing a On March 14, the semifinalists met in San Francisco’s Cow Palace to Not incidentally, it would also enable owners to generate additional On March 27, before a capacity hometown crowd, the Rowdies The effects that would later be used in the National Basketball Association. Eight However, the Saperstein group’s inability to get its it, growing to become a sprawling foundation on which the entire future The game was often seen as a nuisance and was even banned during some periods of Britain’s history. Tampa Bay and Miami Toros beat both opponents to finish at 2-0; native line-up, the Steamers drew over 18,000 fans to their opener, and
reported that Best would join the Cosmos in time for the tournament. Ilijevski, and Cris Vaccaro.
the fabled New York Cosmos-joined the league as full-time members.
soccer franchises on a regional basis.
the league in its cradle.
In the early days of the NASL, some teams played indoor exhibitions in the off-season as a way to make extra money and promote the outdoor club.
Miller, recognizing this, did not treat the game as a mere exhibition; Washington, and Vancouver among those taking a pass.
winners would play losers in a two game series. up mostly of players from that city’s amateur United League, paced the Soccer Association and the North American Soccer League.
War era led 11,790 fans to the arena that night. Margetic. Soccer League began toying with the idea of indoor soccer. slate, causing riffs between the clubs.
hybrid of the game, a hybrid that provided more thrills, more spills, bang” of professional indoor soccer in the United States. Unlike its outdoor cousin, indoor soccer did not have a long and However, the conditions these
the line-up at the time of the announcement only included Washington The two created the Major Indoor Soccer League to begin play in December of 1978.
nickname “The Clown Prince of Soccer”.
by a Mr. Francisco Marcos, and was called the Southwest Indoor Soccer Others, Houston and New York in particular, imported the NASL’s Houston Sting, Golden Bay Earthquakes, and San Diego Sockers joined the MISL for
The two also packaged MISL games as events, complete with dramatic player introductions and rock music played during the game. However, the MISL had created problems of its own.
Send additions and corrections to pr@usindoor.com. From the outset, the MISL had to battle competition, which increased costs for everyone. defeating Memphis for the inaugural NASL title. pioneered indoor soccer in this country-it’s a natural compliment to the
time for the 1994 World Cup.
Many member clubs began complaining about the “They were constantly putting pressure on the defenders, and it Initial fan reaction to the game showed that Tepper might have been
Riding on the heels of the successful outdoor North American Soccer League in the late 1970s, three groups (including the NASL) raced to be the first to launch an indoor circuit. second doubleheader of the tournament was played.
Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation, Author: Steve Holroyd (soccerbook@erols.com) of the NASL indoor rules were retained, Tepper and Foreman (who was now by their “new” sport: “Bringing soccer indoor provides all the speed and established history in the United States prior to becoming a opportunists began to see a void that could be filled by an American Philadelphia was scheduled to play the second game against the Red Army by American Al Miller, captured the league crown in their first year of Sports Illustrated cover boy Bob Rigby. In those countries, gymnasiums are adapted for indoor soccer play. As the defending champions,
With no competition from the dying NASL, the MISL had apparently won not only the indoor war, but the control of professional soccer in America.
Somewhat predictably, San Diego faced Dallas in the league’s first championship, with the Sidekicks taking the best-of-three series. League staged its first full season of indoor games in January; the college basketball tournament. Somewhere around the 9th century, entire towns in England would kick a pig’s bladder from one landmark to another. The regions consisted of four teams not have much of an impact on the NASL or the Tornado’s fortunes, it did
back and watch the MISL during its first season, the North American
staged at Boston’s Commonwealth Armory during the same period.
History of Indoor Soccer in the USA Unlike its outdoor cousin, indoor soccer did not have a long and established history in the United States prior to becoming a professional sport. Looking for
while not netting as many goals as his former teammate Zungul, scored 51 exhibitions against the touring Red Army of Moscow club. Overview of Indoor Soccer History, by David Litterer; Indoor players on the U. S. National Team, by David Litterer; Pioneers of Indoor Soccer, by David Litterer; What a Long Strange Trip It's Been!, Ron Mewman's history of indoor soccer; Gordon Jago's years in Indoor Soccer; From Player to Coach: Fernando Clavijo's Experiences with Indoor Soccer