The Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) was a professional indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.
History In the summer of 1989, Dr. Jerry Buss, the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and California Sports, told his executive Vice President, Ron Weinstein, he was closing the doors on the Los Angeles Lazers of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and that if he ever wanted to "create a professional indoor soccer league that played in the summer months, out from under the shadow of the NBA, NFL, NHL, NCAA Football and NCAA Basketball", he would support the endeavor. One year later, in late 1990, Ron Weinstein incorporated the Continental Indoor Soccer League with his business partner Jorge Ragde. They drafted all the necessary franchise documents to bring the league into fruition and create what was the first professional sports league to operate under the "single entity" formula in 1991. Buss later took a leave of absence from the project and was temporarily replaced by Phoenix Suns owner, Jerry Colangelo, who joined as one of the inaugural members of the league.
Colangelo and Weinstein took the lead role in working to attract NBA and NHL owners. Through Buss's and Colangelo's cooperative efforts they orchestrated two CISL meetings in conjunction with their own NBA Board of Governors meetings. The first was held in 1991 in Marina Del Rey and the second in New York City in 1992. CISL was launched with 7 teams committed to begin playing in the summer of 1993 with another eight contracted for 1994.
Monterrey La Raza made the CISL the first US league to have a team from Mexico participating. In 1995, a second Mexican team entered the league, the Mexico City Toros.
By the end of the 1995 season, the third year of the league, 50% of the teams were already profitable. In 1996, CISL signed a three-year agreement with FOX Sports to televise a game of the week nationally in prime time. That same year, the Indianapolis (later Indiana) Twisters became the next expansion franchise admitted to the league.
In the fall of 1997, the surprising demise of the league took place primarily due to differences of direction between the NBA/NHL owners and three of the leagues non NBA/NHL teams: Dallas, Portland and Houston. They collaborated in an effort to leave the CISL and form their own league, The Premier Soccer Alliance. It is the opinion of many executives within the sports world, that indoor soccer has never again reached the pinnacle of the CISL since operations formally ceased in the winter of 1998.
The Continental Indoor Soccer League Championship Trophy was titled the "Lawrence Trophy" named in honor of the commissioner and founder's father, Lawrence Albert Weinstein.
Teams TeamNBA/NHL AffiliateCity/AreaArena Los Angeles United/Anaheim SplashLos Angeles Lakers/Private owner Los Angeles, California/Anaheim, California The Forum/Arrowhead Pond of AnaheimArizona SandsharksPhoenix SunsPhoenix, ArizonaAmerica West Arena Carolina VipersPrivate ownerCharlotte, North Carolina Independence Arena Dallas SidekicksDallas MavericksDallas Reunion ArenaDetroit Neon/SafariDetroit PistonsAuburn Hills, Michigan The Palace of Auburn HillsHouston HotshotsPrivate ownerHouston The SummitIndianapolis/Indiana TwistersPrivate ownerIndianapolis Market Square ArenaLas Vegas DustdevilsPrivate ownerLas Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena/Thomas & Mack CenterMonterrey La RazaPrivate ownerMonterrey, Nuevo León Gimnasio Del Tec de MonterreyMexico TorosPrivate ownerMexico City Palacio de los DeportesPortland PridePrivate ownerPortland, Oregon Memorial Coliseum/Moda CenterPittsburgh StingersPittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh Pittsburgh Civic ArenaSacramento KnightsSacramento KingsSacramento, CaliforniaARCO ArenaSan Diego SockersPrivate ownerSan DiegoSan Diego Sports ArenaSan Jose GrizzliesSan Jose SharksSan Jose, California San Jose ArenaSeattle SeaDogsSeattle SuperSonicsSeattle Seattle Center Coliseum/KeyArenaWashington WarthogsWashington CapitalsLandover, Maryland USAir Arena
Lawrence Trophy Champions SeasonChampionSeriesRunner-up 1993 Dallas Sidekicks 2–1 San Diego Sockers 1994 Las Vegas Dustdevils 2–1 Dallas Sidekicks 1995 Monterrey La Raza 2–1 Sacramento Knights 1996 Monterrey La Raza 2–0 Houston Hotshots 1997 Seattle SeaDogs 2–0 Houston Hotshots
By Team Team Championships Runner up Champions Runner-upMonterrey La Raza 2 0 1995, 1996 Dallas Sidekicks 1 1 1993 1994 Las Vegas Dustdevils 1 0 1994 Seattle SeaDogs 1 0 1997 Houston Hotshots 0 2 1996, 1997 Sacramento Knights 0 1 1995 San Diego Sockers 0 1 1993
Annual awards
Most Valuable Player 1993: Tatu, Dallas Sidekicks 1994: Tatu, Dallas Sidekicks 1995: Preki, San Jose Grizzlies 1996: Tatu, Dallas Sidekicks 1997: Paul Dougherty, Houston Hotshots
Goalkeeper of the Year 1993: Joe Papaleo, Dallas Sidekicks 1994: Antonio Cortes, San Diego Sockers 1995: Mike Dowler, Sacramento Knights 1996: Juan de la O, Seattle SeaDogs 1997: Juan de la O, Seattle SeaDogs
Coach of the Year 1993: Gordon Jago, Dallas Sidekicks 1994: George Fernandez, Anaheim Splash 1995: Erich Geyer, Monterrey La Raza 1996: Trevor Dawkins, Houston Hotshots 1997: Fernando Clavijo, Seattle SeaDogs
Rookie of the Year 1993: Marco Lopez, Monterrey La Raza 1994: John Olu–Molomo, San Diego Sockers 1995: Mark Chung, San Diego Sockers 1996: Carlos Farias, San Diego Sockers 1997: Guillermo Castaneda, Washington Warthogs
Defender of the Year 1993: Sean Bowers, Sacramento Knights 1994: Ralph Black, Anaheim Splash 1995: Danny Pena, Sacramento Knights 1996: Troy Snyder, Washington Warthogs 1997: Genoni Martinez, Monterrey La Raza
Playoff MVP 1993: Tatu, Dallas Sidekicks 1994: Branko Šegota, Las Vegas Dustdevils 1995: Zizinho, Monterrey La Raza 1996: Raul Salas, Monterrey La Raza 1997: Juan de la O, Seattle SeaDogs
References
External links All-Time CISL Standings All-Time CISL Attendance All-Time CISL Scores All-Time CISL Coaching Records Continental Indoor Soccer League history – American Soccer History Archives CISL rules and regulations from The Indianapolis Star (1996)