Major Indoor Soccer League I


The Major Indoor Soccer League I was the first attempt to create an indoor professional soccer league in the United States. For many years it was also the most successful, with some teams averaging close to 10,000 fans a season. However, the league engaged in a costly bidding war with the North American Soccer League, which ultimately helped lead to the NASL's demise, and weakened the MISL. Later, it engaged in a fraternal bidding war with the AISA (later the NPSL) for indoor soccer fans, which brought both of the leagues to the brink of bankruptcy. The MISL was far worse off by 1991 with franchises folding in alarming numbers. Finally, the league folded with a few of the remaining teams joining the NPSL. In 2001, the NPSL even took their name, becoming the new Major Indoor Soccer League. Sources for this information include old newspaper articles, the Information Please Almanac, as well as Soccer Digest Magazine and Mark Pollak (mpollak@counsel.com) for some of the playoff scores.


Final Team Standings and Playoff Results



                         1978-79

                            G   W   L   GF  GA   GB    %   
Houston Summit Soccer      24  18   6  175 114   --  .750
New York Arrows            24  16   8  176 136    2  .667
Cincinnati Kids            24  16   8  154 129    2  .667
Philadelphia Fever         24  11  13  141 154    7  .458
Pittsburgh Spirit          24   6  18  123 171   12  .250
Cleveland Force            24   5  19   94 159   13  .208

Playoffs:      New York defeated Cincinnati 9-4.  
               Philadelphia defeated Houston 6-3.
CHAMPIONSHIP:  New York defeated Philadelphia 14-7, 9-5.

After the season, Cincinnati folded.


                          1979-80

Before the season, Buffalo, Hartford, Wichita, Detroit and St. 
Louis were added.

                            G   W   L   GF  GA   GB    %   
     	Atlantic Division
New York Arrows            32  27   5  296 175   --  .844
Pittsburgh Spirit          32  18  14  188 191    9  .563
Buffalo Stallions          32  17  15  172 197   10  .531
Philadelphia Fever         32  17  15  201 197   10  .531
Hartford Hellions          32   6  26  151 240   21  .188

     	Central Division
Houston Summit Soccer      32  20  12  181 160   --  .625
Wichita Wings              32  16  16  187 173    4  .500
Detroit Lightning          32  15  17  192 201    5  .469
St. Louis Steamer          32  12  20  177 184    8  .375
Cleveland Force            32  12  20  152 179    8  .375

1st Round:     Wichita defeated Detroit 6-5.  
               Pittsburgh def. Buffalo 5-3.
Semi-Finals:   New York defeated Pittsburgh 5-3, 11-3.  
               Houston defeated Wichita 5-4(OT), 4-3.
CHAMPIONSHIP:  New York defeated Houston 7-4.

After the season, Pittsburgh suspended operations for one year.


                               1980-81

Before the season, Houston moved to Baltimore and Detroit moved to
 San Francisco.  Chicago, Denver and Phoenix were added.  Pittsburgh
 was inactive this season.

                            G   W   L   GF  GA  GB    %   
     	Atlantic Division
New York Arrows            40  35   5   285 176 --  .875
Baltimore Blast            40  21  19   182 190 14  .525
Philadelphia Fever         40  18  22   212 245 17  .450
Hartford Hellions          40  13  27   165 192 22  .325

     	Central Division
St. Louis Steamer          40  25  15   222 196 --  .625
Cleveland Force            40  21  19   209 214  4  .525
Chicago Horizon            40  20  20   216 187  5  .500
Buffalo Stallions          40  20  20   246 210  5  .500

     	Western Division
Wichita Wings              40  23  17   228 181 --  .575
Phoenix Inferno            40  17  23   210 254  6  .425
Denver Avalanche           40  16  24   174 217  7  .400
San Francisco Fog          40  11  29   175 271 12  .275

1st Round:      Baltimore defeated Cleveland 6-5(OT), 1-7, 5-2.  
                Wichita defeated Chicago 3-4, 6-4, 8-6.  
                St. Louis defeated Buffalo 6-4, 6-5.  
                New York defeated Phoenix 6-10, 10-6, 6-5.
Semi-Finals:    New York defeated Baltimore 10-1.  
                St. Louis defeated Wichita 8-7(SO).
CHAMPIONSHIP:   New York defeated St. Louis 6-5.

After the season, Chicago folded.


                          1981-82

Before the season, New Jersey was added.  Hartford moved to Memphis 
and San Francisco moved to Kansas City.  Pittsburgh resumed operations.

                            G   W   L   GF  GA  GB    %   
     	Eastern Division
New York Arrows            44  36   8   302 199 --  .818
Pittsburgh Spirits         44  31  13   254 208  5  .705
Baltimore Blast            44  27  17   223 207  9  .614
Buffalo Stallions          44  24  20   276 244 12  .545
New Jersey Rockets         44  17  27   195 230 19  .386
Cleveland Force            44  15  29   205 250 21  .341
Philadelphia Fever         44  11  33   175 250 25  .250

     	Western Division
St. Louis Steamer          44  28  16   228 182 --  .636
Wichita Wings              44  27  17   235 200  1  .614
Memphis Americans          44  20  24   250 271  8  .455
Denver Avalanche           44  19  25   182 203  9  .432
Phoenix Inferno            44  17  27   222 254 11  .386
Kansas City Comets         44  14  30   174 223 14  .318

1st round:     Baltimore defeated Pittsburgh 1-3, 6-5(OT), 6-2.  
               New York defeated Buffalo 7-9, 5-4 (OT), 10-6.  
               St. Louis defeated Denver 4-2, 7-6.  
               Wichita defeated Memphis 3-5, 6-3, 12-3.
Semi-Finals:   New York defeated Baltimore 6-5 (OT), 6-2.  
               St. Louis defeated Wichita 10-5, 6-7 (OT), 4-1.
CHAMPIONSHIP:  New York def. St. Louis 2-3(OT), 5-3, 9-8 (OT), 4-6, 8-6.

After the season, Philadelphia folded; New Jersey and Denver suspended 
operations.

                         1982-83

Before the season, Los Angeles was added. Chicago,  San Diego, 
and Golden Bay (formerly San Jose) from the NASL participated 
in the MISL this year.

                            G   W   L   GF  GA  GB    %   
     	Eastern Division
Baltimore Blast            48  30  18   249 224 --  .625
Cleveland Force            48  29  19   285 267  1  .604
Chicago Sting              48  28  20   285 239  2  .583
New York Arrows            48  24  24   225 219  6  .500
Pittsburgh Spirit          48  24  24   250 247  6  .500
Buffalo Stallions          48  22  26   270 274  8  .458
Memphis Americans          48  19  29   239 274 11  .396

     	Western Division
San Diego Sockers          48  32  16   289 230 --  .667
Wichita Wings              48  27  21   273 249  5  .563
Kansas City Comets         48  26  22   219 210  6  .542
St. Louis Steamer          48  26  22   234 234  6  .542
Phoenix Inferno            48  24  24   249 255  8  .500
Golden Bay Earthquakes     48  17  31   240 290 15  .354
Los Angeles Lazers         48   8  40   191 286 24  .167

1st Round:     Baltimore defeated New York 11-4, 6-7, 8-3.  
               Cleveland defeated Chicago 5-9, 5-4, 7-5.  
               San Diego defeated Kansas City 6-2, 9-4/.  
               Wichita defeated St. Louis 6-5(OT), 2-8, 9-7.
Semi-Finals:   Baltimore defeated Cleveland 6-7, 10-5, 7-3, 3-6, 8-6.  
               San Diego defeated Wichita  8-5, 5-2, 4-3.
CHAMPIONSHIP:  San Diego def. Baltimore  6-0, 7-0, 3-4, 6-7(OT), 3-1.

After the season, Chicago, San Diego & Golden Bay returned to the NASL.


                                 1983-84

Before the season, Denver was reactivated and moved to Tacoma.  Phoenix 
changed their name to the Pride.

                            G   W   L   GF  GA  GB    %   
     	Eastern Division
Baltimore Blast            48  34  14   280 203 --  .708
Pittsburgh Spirit          48  32  16   245 204  2  .667
Cleveland Force            48  31  17   269 229  3  .646
New York Arrows            48  20  28   232 280 14  .417
Memphis Americans          48  18  30   216 284 16  .375
Buffalo Stallions          48  15  33   226 279 19  .313

     	Western Division
St. Louis Steamers         48  26  22   220 202 --  .542
Wichita Wings              48  25  23   237 228  1  .521
Los Angeles Lazers         48  24  24   223 239  2  .500
Kansas City Comets         48  23  25   232 246  4  .500
Tacoma Stars               48  22  26   226 232  4  .375
Phoenix Pride              48  18  30   221 249  8  .375

1st Round:     Baltimore defeated New York 11-5, 8-9(OT), 4-3, 14-5.
               Cleveland defeated Pittsburgh 6-4, 1-4, 6-5(OT), 5-3.  
               Wichita defeated Los Angeles 10-7, 4-6, 5-4, 6-5.  
               St. Louis defeated Kansas City 6-4, 7-6, 1-2, 3-5, 6-5.
Semi-Finals:   Baltimore defeated Cleveland 5-4, 6-5, 7-2
               St. Louis defeated Wichita 4-3, 7-6, 5-4(OT)
CHAMPIONSHIP:  Baltimore defeated St. Louis 3-7, 5-3, 5-2, 5-4(OT), 10-3

After the season, Buffalo and Phoenix folded.  New York went bankrupt.


                        1984-85

Before the season, Dallas was added; San Diego, Chicago, New York, and 
Minnesota rejoined the league from the NASL.  Memphis moved to Las 
Vegas.

                            G   W   L   GF  GA   %   GB
     	Eastern Division
Baltimore Blast            48  32  16  252 190 .681  --
Chicago Sting              48  28  20  261 223.583   4
Cleveland Force            48  27  21  239 228 .553   5
Minnesota Strikers         48  24  24  224 226 .500   8
St. Louis Steamers         48  24  24  211 207 .500   8
Pittsburgh Spirit          48  19  29  217 256 .396  13
New York Cosmos            48  11  22  137 185 .333  13.5

     	Western Division
San Diego Sockers          48  37  11  302 201 .771  --
Las Vegas Americans        48  30  18  269 214 .625   7
Los Angeles Lazers         48  24  24  232 230 .500  13
Kansas City Comets         48  22  26  216 221 .458  15
Wichita Wings              48  21  26  202 233 .437  15.5
Tacoma Stars               48  17  31  207 263 .354  20
Dallas Sidekicks           48  12  36  194 286 .250  25

Wild-Cards:     Kansas City Defeated St. Louis, 5-4(OT), 4-3(OT).
                Minnesota defeated Wichita (2-1, 3-8, 3-2(OT).
Quarterfinals:  Cleveland defeated Chicago 5-4(OT), 4-8, 6-1, 5-4(OT).
                San Diego defeated Kansas City, 4-3(OT), 11-7, 3-2.
                Baltimore defeated Los Angeles, 4-3, 12-3, 5-4.
                Minnesota defeated Las Vegas, 6-5, 4-6, 3-2, 4-1.
Semifinals:     San Diego def. Minnesota, 8-1, 6-5(OT), 5-8, 3-4(SO),8-0
                Baltimore defeated Cleveland, 6-5, 3-5, 4-3, 7-6, 7-4.
CHAMPIONSHIP:   San Diego defeated Baltimore, 5-4, 7-3, 6-10, 14-2, 5-3.

Cosmos withdrew after 33 games (Folded after playing several exhibition 
games).  After the season, Las Vegas folded.


                              1985-1986

                            G   W   L   GF  GA   %   GB
     	Eastern Division
Cleveland Force            48  27  21  252 212 .563  --
Minnesota Strikers         48  26  22  232 242 .542   1
Dallas Sidekicks           48  25  23  220 231 .521   2
Baltimore Blast            48  24  24  211 201 .500   3
Chicago Sting              48  23  25  196 196 .479   4
Pittsburgh Spirit          48  23  25  221 237 .479   4

     	Western Division
San Diego Sockers          48  36  12  308 195 .750  --
Wichita Wings              48  27  21  258 226 .563   9
Tacoma Stars               48  23  25  208 232 .479  13
St. Louis Steamers         48  23  25  223 233 .479  13
Kansas City Comets         48  18  30  217 268 .375  18
Los Angeles Lazers         48  13  35  197 270 .271  23

Quarterfinals:  Cleveland def. Baltimore, 7-2, 3-8, 6-8, 4-3(OT), 5-1
                Minnesota defeated Dallas, 5-3, 7-2, 1-4, 7-4
                San Diego defeated St. Louis, 7-6(OT), 5-3, 7-8, 10-4
                Tacoma defeated Wichita, 5-6, 5-4, 5-4(OT), 3-2
Semifinals:     Minnesota defeated Cleveland, 2-5, 6-2, 5-4(OT), 7-3
                San Diego defeated Tacoma, 10-4, 7-2, 3-4, 8-5
CHAMPIONSHIP:   San Diego def. Minnesota, 7-2, 1-6, 2-7, 3-4, 7-4, 6-3, 5-3

After the season, Pittsburgh folded.


                          1986-1987

Before the season, New York was reactivated and changed its name to 
Express.

                            G   W   L   GF  GA   %   GB
     	Eastern Division
Cleveland Force            52  34  18  252 218 .654  --
Baltimore Blast            52  33  19  239 201 .635   1
Dallas Sidekicks           52  28  24  209 197 .538   6
Minnesota Strikers         52  26  26  205 198 .500   8
Chicago Sting              52  23  29  263 265 .442  11
New York Express           26   3  23   97 159 .115  --

     	Western Division
Tacoma Stars               52  35  17  249 211 .673  --
Kansas City Comets         52  28  24  271 253 .538   7
San Diego Sockers          52  27  25  214 200 .519   8
Wichita Wings              52  27  25  268 265 .519   8
St. Louis Steamers         52  19  33  195 224 .365  16
Los Angeles Lazers         52  16  36  183 254 .308  19

Div. Semi-finals:  Cleveland def. Minnesota, 4-5(OT), 7-6, 6-5(OT),
                   4-5,7-3
                   Dallas def. Baltimore, 2-3, 7-6, 2-3(OT), 4-3(OT),7-4
                   San Diego defeated. Kansas City, 5-4(OT), 1-5, 7-9,
                   5-2, 9-5
                   Tacoma defeated Wichita, 9-7, 9-1, 3-10, 2-6, 4-2
Semifinals:        Dallas defeated Cleveland, 3-5, 9-6, 5-2, 9-4
                   Tacoma defeated San Diego, 5-6, 7-2, 3-2, 2-6, 5-6,
                   4-3, 8-5
CHAMPIONSHIP:      Dallas defeated Tacoma, 4-10, 4-7, 5-3, 6-5, 3-5,
                   5-4(2 OT), 4-3(OT)

During the season, New York folded.


                              1987-88

                            G   W   L   GF  GA   %   GB
     	Eastern Division
Minnesota Strikers         56  31  25  274 252 .554  --
Cleveland Force            56  30  26  242 219 .536   1
Dallas Sidekicks           56  28  28  200 204 .500   3
Baltimore Blast            56  25  31  235 249 .446   6
Chicago Sting              56  24  32  227 247 .429   7

     	Western Division
San Diego Sockers          56  42  14  277 189 .750  --
Los Angeles Lazers         56  31  25  291 266 .554  11
Kansas City Comets         56  29  27  294 290 .518  13
Tacoma Stars               56  27  29  259 285 .482  15
Wichita Wings              56  23  23  232 261 .411  19
St. Louis Steamers         56  18  38  214 280 .321  24

Div. Semi-finals:  Minnesota defeated Baltimore, 5-3, 4-2, 1-5, 9-4
                   Cleveland defeated Dallas, 3-2, 3-6, 5-4 (2OT), 5-2
                   Kansas City defeated Los Angeles, 9-6, 4-2, 7-5
                   San Diego defeated Tacoma, 6-2, 3-4 (OT), 7-2, 7-6
Div. finals:       Cleveland defeated Minnesota, 7-3, 0-7, 5-4, 5-2, 7-2
                   San Diego defeated Kansas City, 4-5, 5-4, 6-7(OT)
                   3-7, 7-1, 6-1, 8-5
CHAMPIONSHIP:      San Diego defeated Cleveland, 6-5(OT), 6-1, 3-2, 7-4.

After the season, Chicago, Tacoma, Cleveland, St. Louis and Minnesota 
folded.


                         1988-89

A new team was added in Tacoma.

                            G   W   L   GF  GA   %   GB
Baltimore Blast            48  29  19  215 208 .604  --
San Diego Sockers          48  27  21  218 168 .563   2
Dallas Sidekicks           48  24  24  185 206 .500   5
Tacoma Stars               48  23  25  208 207 .479   6
Wichita Wings              48  23  25  213 208 .479   6
Los Angeles Lazers         48  21  27  218 222 .438   8
Kansas City Comets         48  21  27  194 233 .438   8

Wild Card Series:  Wichita defeated Tacoma, 4-1, 7-4, 4-5, 6-2
Semifinals:        San Diego defeated Dallas, 7-4, 4-5, 5-4(OT), 3-7,
                   1-4, 7-2, 1-0
                   Baltimore defeated Wichita, 5-4(OT), 6-4, 6-4, 3-6,
                   5-7, 11-1
CHAMPIONSHIP:      San Diego defeated Baltimore, 3-4(OT), 5-4(OT), 5-2,
                   4-3, 3-6, 0-7, 6-5.

After the end of the season, Los Angeles folded.

                                1989-90

New teams in St. Louis and Cleveland were added.

                            G   W   L   GF  GA   %   GB
     	Eastern Division
Baltimore Blast            52  32  20  231 191 .615  --
Kansas City Comets         52  30  22  208 205 .577   2
Wichita Wings              52  26  26  210 229 .490   6.5
Cleveland Crunch           52  20  32  201 237 .392  11.5

     	Western Division
Dallas Sidekicks           52  31  21  217 190 .596  --
San Diego Sockers          52  25  27  217 204 .481   6
St. Louis Storm            52  24  28  202 205 .462   7
Tacoma Stars               52  20  32  191 217 .385  11

Div. Semi-finals:  Kansas City defeated Wichita 5-4, 4-3, 3-4, 5-4
                   San Diego defeated St. Louis 3-2, 3-4 (OT), 4-1, 5-4
Div. Finals:       San Diego defeated Dallas 4-2, 1-6, 1-4, 4-2, 4-0,3-1
                   Baltimore defeated Kansas City 6-4, 4-2, 2-1(OT),
                   2-3(OT), 2-3(OT), 7-2
CHAMPIONSHIP:      San Diego def. Baltimore 4-7, 4-3, 5-2, 4-1, 2-3,6-4.


                                1990-91

The league changed its name to Major Soccer League in 1990.
1990-91

                            G   W   L  GF  GA    %   GB
     	Eastern Division
Cleveland Crunch           52  29  23  322 280 .558  --
Kansas City Comets         52  26  26  263 283 .500   3
Baltimore Blast            52  21  31  298 315 .404   8
Wichita Wings              52  21  31  257 308 .404   8.9

     	Western Division
San Diego Sockers          52  34  18  302 250 .654  --
St. Louis Storm            52  32  20  320 288 .615   2
Tacoma Stars               52  25  27  254 259 .481   9
Dallas Sidekicks           52  20  32  257 294 .385  14

Div. Semi-finals: St. Louis defeated Tacoma 9-2, 3-4(OT), 9-2
                  Kansas City defeated Wichita 6-0, 9-8
Div. Finals:      San Diego def. St. Louis 9-6, 5-4(OT), 4-5, 11-4, 7-4
                  Cleveland defeated Kansas City 7-2, 7-5, 6-7(OT), 5-4,
                  4-5(OT), 6-8, 7-6
CHAMPIONSHIP:     San Diego def. Cleveland, 8-4, 3-4, 6-5, 5-7, 6-1, 8-6.

After the season, Kansas City folded.


                               1991-92

                            G   W   L  GF  GA    %   GB
San Diego Sockers          40  26  14  243 186 .650  --
Dallas Sidekicks           40  22  18  231 229 .550   4
Cleveland Crunch           40  20  20  249 229 .500   4
Baltimore Blast            40  19  21  213 230 .475   7
Wichita Wings              40  18  22  198 236 .450   8
Tacoma Stars               40  18  22  228 242 .450   8
St. Louis Storm            40  17  23  241 251 .425   9

Semifinals:    San Diego defeated Baltimore 5-4, 6-7, 5-4(OT), 6-3, 4-3.
               Dallas defeated Cleveland, 6-3, 7-6(OT), 6-7(OT),
               8-7(OT), 7-8(OT), 8-4.
CHAMPIONSHIP:  San Diego defeated Dallas 7-3, 9-7, 5-4(OT), 6-10, 2-4,
               8-2.

After the season, the league folded, along with all teams except 
Cleveland and Wichita, which joined the NPSL, and San Diego and Dallas, 
which joined the CISL.


=======================================================================
                       THE SUPER SOCCER LEAGUE (Indoor)

The MISL was not the only indoor league to announce formation in 1978.  
The other league, the Super-Soccer League never got off the ground to 
play a single game, but it had established the following franchises, and 
was prepared to draft the first professional female soccer player.

This league folded before the first season.  the following divisional 
alignment had been established prior to folding:

           East Division                     West Division
             Atlanta                           Birmingham Bandits
             New England                       Los Angeles
             New Jersey                        Louisiana
             New York Spirit                   San Francisco
             Toronto                           Seattle
             Washington Fever                  Southern Florida




About this document

Prepared and maintained by David A. Litterer for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Author: David A. Litterer (spectrum@sover.net)
Last updated: 2 Sep 2010

(C) Copyright David A. Litterer and RSSSF 1995/2010
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.