1984 NASL season

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The 1984 NASL season was the 17th and final season of the North American Soccer League.^[1] The start of this season was impacted by the loss of three teams that would reduce the total number of teams down to nine and reduce the divisions from three to two.

1 Prior to 1984
2 Season summary
3 The playoffs
4 After the season
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Prior to 1984

From the end of the 1980 season, the NASL was in rapid decline. Much of this decline was due to financial problems that had beset the league causing many teams to fold. By 1983, the NASL had lost half of the 24 teams that existed in 1980. The NASL was also beginning to emphasise the indoor soccer game as they realised it was easier to turn a profit in the smaller arenas, not to mention the increasing popularity of the indoor game. As a result, the NASL also reduced the outdoor season to 24 games to allow the indoor season to be longer.

The 1983 NASL season saw a surprise team emerge as the Soccer Bowl winner – the Tulsa Roughnecks. The Tulsa team almost didn't make it to the start of 1984 season, as it was suffering from financial hardships as well.

The league's flagship franchise, the Cosmos, was also in decline. 1983 marked the first year the Cosmos did not lead the league in attendance since 1976. The Cosmos ownership would change, first by losing the corporate backing of Warner Brothers and then being run by a group headed by former team great Giorgio Chinaglia. Chinaglia did not have anything similar to the financial resources that Warner Brothers had provided.

At the end of the 1983 season, three more teams folded. The league lost the Montreal Manic, Team America, and perennial league power the Seattle Sounders, bringing the number of teams down to nine.

The NASL was also operating some of the franchises in indoor soccer competition in the winter months (NASL Indoor League). By 1984, that number had declined to seven clubs.

One big change for 1984 would be that the NASL would abandon its single-game, neutral site Soccer Bowl Championship and would switch the league championship to a best two out of three series that would be played at each team's home field.

[edit] Season summary

There was much parity during the 1984 season as six teams were all within five points of each other. One team, the Minnesota Strikers, tied for the league lead in wins, but missed the play-offs due to low scoring, as bonus points were awarded based on goals scored as well as wins and shootout wins.

Despite bringing back legendary NASL Coach Eddie Firmani to coach the team, the Cosmos struggled most of the season and missed the play-offs. At the same time, the 1983 NASL MVP Roberto Cabanas suffered a disappointing 1984 season. The weakness of the Cosmos, as exemplified by their missing the play-offs, played a key role in the end of the NASL. There were even rumours about the team asking Pelé to come out of retirement again to help salvage the season; these proved to be without merit.

During the season, indoor soccer legend Steve Zungul emerged as the MVP. Zungul, who owned many of Major Indoor Soccer League's scoring records proved he could play outdoor soccer as well. His 20 goals and 10 assists would help him secure the MVP despite playing on the NASL's worst team, the Golden Bay Earthquakes. In fact, Zungul combined with team mate Branko Segota (another indoor soccer legend) to become the first team mates to be 1-2 in the scoring. Meanwhile Tampa Bay's Roy Wegerle played his rookie season and won Rookie of the Year. Wegerle would go on to become a legendary name in American soccer.

[edit] The playoffs

The Chicago Sting won their second title in four years, defeating the Toronto Blizzard two games to nil. The previous year, Toronto had lost the Soccer Bowl to Tulsa, and many had them penciled as a favourite to return to the game. Four teams made the playoffs – two from the East (Chicago and Toronto) and two from the West (San Diego and Vancouver). Both Western teams were eliminated in the first round.

[edit] After the season

Sensing that the end was near, four NASL teams (San Diego, Minnesota, Chicago, New York) joined the MISL. The Cosmos left the MISL after only 33 games and became a touring club in 1985. Eventually the Cosmos folded while San Diego, Chicago, and Minnesota continued in the MISL. Most of the other teams folded. However, Tampa Bay later joined the American Indoor Soccer Association and the American Soccer League.