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
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.