The Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the United States that played matches from fall 1978 to spring 1992.

History The MISL was founded by businessmen Ed Tepper and Earl Foreman in October 1977.

The league fielded six teams for its inaugural 1978–79 season. Before folding after 14 seasons of competition, at the conclusion of the 1991–92 season, a total of 24 franchises – under 31 team names (seven teams changed city/name) – had played in the MISL.

Over its life, MISL teams were based in 27 different cities – with two different teams, at different times, playing in Cleveland, Ohio; East Rutherford, New Jersey; St. Louis, Missouri; and Uniondale, New York.

The Houston Summit (1978–80)/Baltimore Blast (1980–92) franchise was the only one to compete for the entire 14 seasons of the MISL's existence. The next longest-lived franchise, and the longest in a single city, was the Wichita Wings team, which played for 13 seasons and missed only the inaugural 1978–79 season. The third longest-lived franchise was the Detroit Lightning (1979–80)/San Francisco Fog (1980–81)/Kansas City Comets (1981–91) franchise, which played for 12 seasons, missing only the first and last seasons.

The San Diego Sockers was the most successful franchise, winning eight of the MISL's 14 overall championships during the team's nine seasons in the league. The New York Arrows won the MISL's first four championships, then folded after the league's sixth season.

The most successful player in the MISL is arguably Steve Zungul, a Yugoslav American striker who was MISL Most Valuable Player six times, was the Scoring Champion six times, the Pass Master (most assists) four times, played on eight championship-winning teams (and one runner-up), and won Championship Series Most Valuable Player four times. Zungul is the MISL's all-time leader in goals (652, nearly 200 ahead of the second highest scorer), assists (471, nearly 100 ahead of second) and points (1,123, nearly 300 ahead of second).

Despite ongoing financial hardships, the MISL had some success.MISL History @ MISL A Look Back The league averaged a respectable 7,644 fans per game over its 14 regular seasons, and averaged 9,049 fans per game over its 14 playoff runs.

The league changed its name to the Major Soccer League (MSL) in 1990, and then folded in 1992. Four of the league's seven franchises continued to operate: the Cleveland Crunch and Wichita Wings joined the National Professional Soccer League while the Dallas Sidekicks and San Diego Sockers helped found the Continental Indoor Soccer League.

Arena football inspiration The concept was initially so popular that in 1981, it helped pave the way for the creation of another indoor sports league, the Arena Football League, and subsequently the entire sport of indoor "gridiron" football. During the MISL All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden, National Football League promotions director Jim Foster sketched a design of what a football field would look like on the back of a 9x12 manila envelope.Improvisation Lies at the Heart of Arena Football, William N. Wallace, The New York Times, May 9, 1988 That inspiration gave birth to the concept now known as arena football (also indoor football) and the AFL was born six years later. Foster credits the MISL for the inspiration.ArenaFan Rewriting The History Books: Test Game Date Revealed To Be Wrong (April 30, 2012). ArenaFan.com quoting Chicago Sun-Times and other sources.

Teams

TeamCity/AreaArenaSeasonsBaltimore BlastHouston Summit, 1978–80Baltimore, MarylandHouston, Texas Baltimore ArenaThe Summit1978–92Buffalo StallionsBuffalo, New YorkBuffalo Memorial Auditorium1979–84Chicago HorizonsRosemont, IllinoisRosemont Horizon1980–81Chicago StingChicagoChicago Stadium Rosemont Horizon1982–83*, 1984–88Cincinnati KidsCincinnatiRiverfront Coliseum1978–79Cleveland CrunchCleveland, OhioRichfield Coliseum1989–92Cleveland ForceCleveland, OhioRichfield Coliseum1978–88Dallas SidekicksDallas, TexasReunion Arena1984–92Denver AvalancheDenver, ColoradoMcNichols Sports Arena1980–82Golden Bay EarthquakesOakland, CaliforniaOakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena1982–83*Kansas City CometsSan Francisco Fog, 1980–81 Detroit Lightning, 1979–80Kansas City, MissouriDaly City, CaliforniaDetroit, MichiganKemper ArenaCow PalaceCobo Arena 1979–91Las Vegas AmericansMemphis Americans, 1981–84Hartford Hellions, 1979–81Paradise, NevadaMemphis, Tennessee Hartford, ConnecticutThomas & Mack CenterMid-South Coliseum New Haven Coliseum, Hartford Civic Center1979–85Los Angeles LazersInglewood, California The Forum1982–89Minnesota StrikersBloomington, MinnesotaMet Center1984–88New Jersey RocketsEast Rutherford, New JerseyBrendan Byrne Arena1981–82New York ArrowsUniondale, New YorkNassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum1978–84New York ExpressUniondale, New YorkNassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum1986–87New York CosmosEast Rutherford, New JerseyBrendan Byrne Arena1984–85Philadelphia FeverPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaThe Spectrum1978–82Phoenix Inferno/PridePhoenix, ArizonaArizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum1980–84Pittsburgh SpiritPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaCivic Arena1978–80, 1981–86San Diego SockersSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego Sports Arena1982–83*, 1984–92St. Louis SteamersSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis Arena1979–88St. Louis StormSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis Arena1989–92Tacoma StarsTacoma, WashingtonTacoma Dome1983–92Wichita WingsWichita, KansasKansas Coliseum1979–92 *Three North American Soccer League (NASL) teams temporarily joined the MISL for the 1982–83 season, as the NASL did not play indoors for that season. As the NASL was folding in 1985, four of its former teams (Chicago, Minnesota, New York and San Diego) joined the MISL in late 1984.

The "Denver Avalanche" had declared bankruptcy and ceased operations after the 1981–82 season, but the franchise still existed and was purchased out of bankruptcy and moved to Tacoma after a dormant season. The MISL, however, considered the Stars a new franchise and, thus, team records did not transfer to Tacoma.

In June 1987, the MISL granted a conditional franchise to NBA Denver Nuggets owner Sidney Shlenker, to commence play in the 1988–89 season. When the tentative "Denver Desperados" attracted deposits on 400 season tickets, rather than the required 5,000 within four months, the franchise was revoked in November 1987.

Attendance YearAveragePlayoffs1978–79 4,453 4,7661979–806,1026,6911980–816,83910,7401981–828,7358,8481982–837,89511,5361983–84 8,86810,2521984–858,6968,5111985–868,68011,9831986–878,714 12,5141987–888,4397,7711988–897,7657,5571989–907,7656,5841990–916,5667,2641991–927,8446,825Overall7,6449,049

MISL and MSL Championship Series

By year SeasonChampionsSeriesRunners-upMVPWinning coach1978–79New York Arrows2–0Philadelphia FeverShep MessingDon Popović1979–80*New York Arrows7–4*Houston SummitSteve ŽungulDon Popović1980–81*New York Arrows6–5*St. Louis SteamersSteve ŽungulDon Popović1981–82New York Arrows3–2St. Louis SteamersSteve ŽungulDon Popović1982–83San Diego Sockers3–2Baltimore BlastJuli VeeeRon Newman1983–84Baltimore Blast4–1St. Louis SteamersScott ManningKen Cooper1984–85San Diego Sockers4–1Baltimore BlastSteve ŽungulRon Newman1985–86San Diego Sockers4–3Minnesota StrikersBrian QuinnRon Newman1986–87Dallas Sidekicks4–3Tacoma StarsTatuGordon Jago1987–88San Diego Sockers4–0Cleveland ForceHugo PérezRon Newman1988–89San Diego Sockers4–3Baltimore BlastVictor NogueiraRon Newman1989–90San Diego Sockers4–2Baltimore BlastBrian QuinnRon Newman1990–91San Diego Sockers4–2Cleveland CrunchBen CollinsRon Newman1991–92San Diego Sockers4–2Dallas SidekicksThompson UsiyanRon Newman *Single-game championship, game score rather than series results.

By club ClubWinnerRunner-upSeasons WonSeasons Runner-Up801982–83, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92–New York Arrows40 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82–Baltimore Blast151983–841979–80 (as Houston Summit), 1982–83, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1989–90Dallas Sidekicks111986–871991–92St. Louis Steamers03–1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84Philadelphia Fever01–1978–79Minnesota Strikers01–1985–86Tacoma Stars01–1986–87Cleveland Force01–1987–88Cleveland Crunch01–1990–91

Commissioners Earl Foreman (19781985) Francis L. Dale (19851986) Bill Kentling (19861989) Earl Foreman (19891992)

All-time statistics leaders

Points 1,123 – Steve Žungul (New York Arrows, Golden Bay Earthquakes, San Diego Sockers, Tacoma Stars) 841 – Branko Šegota (New York Arrows, San Diego Sockers, St.Louis Storm) 690 – Tatu (Dallas Sidekicks) 686 – Dale Mitchell (Tacoma Stars, Kansas City Comets, Baltimore Blast) 683 – Kai Haaskivi (Houston Summit, Cleveland Force, Baltimore Blast, Cleveland Crunch) 682 – Jan Goossens (Golden Bay Earthquakes, Minnesota Strikers, Kansas City Comets, Dallas Sidekicks) 664 – Preki (Tacoma Stars, St. Louis Storm) 612 – Chico Borja (Las Vegas Americans, Wichita Wings, Los Angeles Lazers) 544 – Fred Grgurev (Philadelphia Fever, New York Arrows, New Jersey Rockets, Memphis/Las Vegas Americans, Pittsburgh Spirit, New York Express) 542 – Stan Stamenković (Memphis Americans, Baltimore Blast)

Goals 652 – Steve Zungul (New York Arrows, Golden Bay Earthquakes, San Diego Sockers, Tacoma Stars) 463 – Branko Šegota (New York Arrows, San Diego Sockers, St. Louis Storm) 406 – Tatu (Dallas Sidekicks) 406 – Dale Mitchell (Tacoma Stars, Kansas City Comets, Baltimore Blast) 344 – Jan Goossens (Golden Bay Earthquakes, Minnesota Strikers, Kansas City Comets, Dallas Sidekicks) 332 – Preki (Tacoma Stars, St. Louis Storm) 331 – Fred Grgurev (Philadelphia Fever, New York Arrows, New Jersey Rockets, Memphis/Las Vegas Americans, Pittsburgh Spirit, New York Express) 307 – Andy Chapman (Wichita Wings, Cleveland Force, Baltimore Blast) 297 – Craig Allen (New Jersey Rockets, Cleveland Force) 297 – Kai Haaskivi (Houston Summit, Cleveland Force, Baltimore Blast, Cleveland Crunch)

Assists 471 – Steve Zungul (New York Arrows, Golden Bay Earthquakes, San Diego Sockers, Tacoma Stars) 386 – Kai Haaskivi (Houston Summit, Cleveland Force, Baltimore Blast, Cleveland Crunch) 378 – Branko Šegota (New York Arrows, San Diego Sockers, St. Louis Storm) 338 – Chico Borja (New York Cosmos, Las Vegas Americans, Wichita Wings, Los Angeles Lazers) 338 – Jan Goossens (Golden Bay Earthquakes, Minnesota Strikers, Kansas City Comets, Dallas Sidekicks) 332 – Preki (Tacoma Stars, St. Louis Storm) 311 – Stan Stamenkovic (Memphis Americans, Baltimore Blast) 284 – Tatu (Dallas Sidekicks) 280 – Dale Mitchell (Tacoma Stars, Kansas City Comets, Baltimore Blast) 271 – Jørgen Kristensen (Wichita Wings, Kansas City Comets)

Goals against average (9,500 minutes minimum) 4.03 – Zoltán Tóth (New York Arrows, San Diego Sockers, St. Louis Storm) 4.09 – Tino Lettieri (Minnesota Strikers) 4.14 – Krys Sobieski (Pittsburgh Spirit, Cleveland Force, Dallas Sidekicks) 4.18 – Victor Nogueira (Chicago Sting, Cleveland Force, San Diego Sockers) 4.21 – David Brcic (New York Cosmos, Wichita Wings, Pittsburgh Spirit, Los Angeles Lazers, Kansas City Comets, St. Louis Storm) 4.26 – Slobo Ilijevski (St. Louis Steamers, Baltimore Blast, St. Louis Storm) 4.32 – P. J. Johns (Cleveland Force, Tacoma Stars, Cleveland Crunch) 4.35 – Jim Gorsek (San Diego Sockers, Los Angeles Lazers, Kansas City Comets, St. Louis Storm) 4.3972 – Joe Papaleo (Pittsburgh Spirit, Tacoma Stars, Dallas Sidekicks) 4.3979 – Keith Van Eron (Cincinnati Kids, Wichita Wings, Philadelphia Fever, Baltimore Blast, Las Vegas Americans)

Awards

Most Valuable Player