 | |
| Founded | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 2014 |
| Country | United States, Mexico |
| Last champions | Missouri Comets |
| Most championships | Milwaukee Wave (2) Baltimore Blast (2) |
| Website | http://misl.uslsoccer.com |
TheMajor Indoor Soccer League (MISL), originally known as theNational Indoor Soccer League, was a professionalindoor soccer league which began play in 2008.[1][2] It was the third league to be known as the Major Indoor Soccer League after theMISL I andMISL II. The MISL name is arguably the most recognizable name in indoor soccer due to its history dating back to 1978.[3] The league name and assets are currently owned by theUnited Soccer Leagues. The departure of six teams which joined the Professional Arena Soccer League (now theMajor Arena Soccer League) after the2013–14 season effectively ended the MISL.
The NISL was one of three leagues that organized in late 2008 after the demise of the second MISL; the other two being thePASL-Pro (an offshoot of thePremier Arena Soccer League) and theXtreme Soccer League. The NISL and theXSL were more closely related, with both leagues first announcing four former MISL teams respectively and using the same game rules as the MISL.
Originally, five teams had been announced to play in the inaugural season; four who were in the previous MISL (Baltimore, Monterrey, Orlando Sharks, and Philadelphia) and one formerly in theAmerican Indoor Soccer League (Rockford).[4] However, theOrlando Sharks were forced to go inactive because of scheduling conflicts withAmway Arena. Later, a second former AISL franchise, theMassachusetts Twisters, were brought in to take the place of the Sharks.
In July 2009, the XSL announced they were going on a one-year hiatus due to a lack of monetary backing during theGreat Recession. The NISL attempted to attract the former MISL teams from the folded XSL to join for the 2009–10 season, and succeeded in acquiring theMilwaukee Wave as a result. The other XSL franchises, minus theChicago Storm, folded along with the XSL. Shortly after the Wave joined the NISL, the Massachusetts Twisters folded, leaving the 2009–10 season with only five teams again.
Shortly before the league launched its 2009–10 season, the opportunity arose to purchase the rights to the "Major Indoor Soccer League" name; the league successfully acquired the rights and immediately rebranded itself as the newest MISL.[5]
The MISL expanded into Missouri (Kansas City area) and Omaha starting with the 2010–11 season.
For the 2010–11 season, the league consisted of only five teams, with the Rockford Rampage and Monterrey La Raza no longer active league members.[6] On October 15, 2010, theMilwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported the exodus of the Philadelphia KiXX and the addition of a Chicago franchise.[7]
In October 2010, theUnited Soccer Leagues (USL), which also oversees the men'sUSL Pro andUSL Premier Development Leagues proposed a new league which was to begin play in the fall of 2011, the 'USL I-League.[8] However, in May 2011, the USL, struggling to sign teams for the new league, agreed instead to take over operation of the MISL.[9] Three teams from the proposed league were added: theNorfolk SharX,Rochester Lancers andSyracuse Silver Knights.
In June 2012, the MISL announced that a new Chicago franchise was awarded to Armando Gamboa and Dave Mokry for the 2012–13 season. The club was subsequently named the Chicago Soul, with the club making its home at theSears Centre.[10]Meanwhile, the Norfolk SharX announced that the team would cease operations effective immediately because of financial difficulties.
A new incarnation of theSt. Louis Ambush were announced as an expansion team in June 2013. This was St. Louis' first professional indoor soccer team since theSt. Louis Steamers folded in 2006.[11][12]
One day after the 2013–14 MISL Championship game, USL President Tim Holt released a video stating that the USL was reevaluating the MISL to create a more "sustainable" league that features the highest level of professional indoor soccer. He noted that the process would take "more than a few months" and that the possibility of not having a 2014–15 playing season existed.[3][13][14]
In the following months, six of the seven teams from the final MISL season joined the Professional Arena Soccer League, which was renamed theMajor Arena Soccer League. This was the effective end of MISL III.
| Name | Years |
|---|---|
| David Grimaldi | 2008–2011 |
| Chris Economides | 2011–2014 |
† Never played an NISL/MISL game
| Season | Date(s) | Champion | Series | Runner-up | Score(s) | Host | Playoffs MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | April 11, 2009 | Baltimore Blast | 1–0 | Rockford Rampage | 13–10 | Baltimore | Sagu |
| 2009–10 | April 4, 2010 | Monterrey La Raza | 1–0 | Milwaukee Wave | 12–6 | Milwaukee | Carlos Farias |
| 2010–11 | March 25, 2011 | Milwaukee Wave | 1–0 | Baltimore Blast | 16–7 | Baltimore | Marcel Feenstra |
| 2011–12 | March 16, 2012; March 18, 2012 | Milwaukee Wave | 2–0 | Baltimore Blast | 14–2, 12–10 (OT) | Baltimore/Milwaukee | Marcio Leite |
| 2012–13 | March 14, 2013; March 16, 2013 | Baltimore Blast | 2–0 | Missouri Comets | 21–12, 8–6 | Missouri/Baltimore | William Vanzela |
| 2013–14 | March 14, 2014; March 16, 2014 | Missouri Comets | 2–1 | Baltimore Blast | 15–8, 4–19, 6–4 | Missouri/Baltimore | Brian Harris |
| Year | Games | Total | Average | Playoffs | Games | Total | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | 41 | 170,696 | 4,163 | 2009 | 3# | 16,311 | 5,437 |
| 2009–10 | 50 | 188,005 | 3,760 | 2010 | 3 | 14,415 | 4,805 |
| 2010–11 | 50 | 199,123 | 3,982 | 2011 | 3# | 17,219 | 5,740 |
| 2011–12 | 84 | 336,478 | 4,005 | 2012 | 6 | 30,820 | 5,136 |
| 2012–13 | 91 | 377,027 | 4,143 | 2013 | 6# | 30,698 | 6,140 |
| 2013–14 | 70 | 326,123 | 4,658 | 2014 | 6# | 27,794 | 4,633 |
| Seasons | Games | Total | Average | Seasons | Games | Total | Average |
| 6 | 386 | 1,597,452 | 4,138 | 6 | 26 | 137,257 | 5,280 |
# A third "mini-game" had to decide the winner after one or more series were tied at 1 game a piece.