| Full name | San Diego Sockers | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Sockers | ||
| Founded | 1978 | ||
| Dissolved | 1996 | ||
| Stadium | Jack Murphy Stadium (48,460) (1978-84) San Diego Sports Arena (12,920) (1980-96) |
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| Owner | defunct | ||
| Coach | Ron Newman | ||
| League | NASL (1978-84) MISL (1982-83, 1984-92) CISL(1993-96) |
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The San Diego Sockers were one of the most successful indoor soccer teams in the sport's short history. The team won ten championships in both the original Major Indoor Soccer League and the North American Soccer League.
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The team began as the Baltimore Comets in 1974 but moved to San Diego as the San Diego Jaws in 1976. After a one-year stay in Las Vegas as the Las Vegas Quicksilvers, the team returned as the San Diego Sockers in 1978. They were owned by Bob Bell.
Initially, victories came slowly for the San Diego Sockers but mounted quickly. With a building fan base and budding talent pool, the San Diego Sockers won the North American Soccer League (NASL) Championships of 1982 and again in 1984. Success was far from over for the San Diego Sockers. When the NASL folded, the San Diego Sockers moved to the Major Indoor Soccer League and won eight championships: 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1992. The Sockers carried their success from one league to the next. They switched to the Continental Indoor Soccer League for three more years from 1993 to 1995. However, after several ownership changes, Sockers folded after the 1996 season.
There have been two attempts to revive the Sockers. The first attempt was a franchise in the WISL that later joined the second MISL. A second attempt currently plays in the PASL-PRO starting in 2009.
| Year | Reg. Season | Playoffs | Notes | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 2nd East, 10-8-2 | Lost Quarterfinal | operated as the Baltimore Comets | 4,139 |
| 1975 | 5th East, 9-13 | Failed to qualify | operated as the Baltimore Comets | 2,641 |
| 1976 | 5th South, 9-15 | Failed to qualify | operated as the San Diego Jaws | 6,152 |
| 1977 | 5th South. 11-15 | Failed to qualify | operated as the Las Vegas Quicksilvers | 7,079 |
| 1978 | 1st American Conference West, 18-12 | Lost Conference Semifinal | first season as the San Diego Sockers | 5,146 |
| 1979 | 1st American Conference West, 15-15 | Lost Conference Final | 11,271 | |
| 1980 | 3rd American Conference West, 16-16 | Lost Conference final | 12,753 | |
| 1981 | 1st West, 21-11 | Lost Conference final | 14,802 | |
| 1982 | 2nd West, 19-13 | Lost League Semifinal | 8,532 | |
| 1983 | 4th West, 11-19 | Failed to qualify | 4,685 | |
| 1984 | 1st West, 14-10 | Lost Semifinal | last outdoor season | 5,702 |
| Year | League | Reg. Season | Playoffs | Avg. Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980-81 | NASL | 4th South, 6-12 | Failed to qualify | 4,912 |
| 1981-82 | NASL | 1st West, 10-8 | Won Championship | 7,047 |
| 1982-83 | MISL | 1st West, 32-16 | Won Championship | 8,081 |
| 1983-84 | NASL | 1st NASL, 21-11 | Won Championship | 11,415 |
| 1984-85 | MISL | 1st West, 37-11 | Won Championship | 9,595 |
| 1985-86 | MISL | 1st West, 36-12 | Won Championship | 9,581 |
| 1986-87 | MISL | 3rd West, 27-25 | Lost Semifinal | 9,748 |
| 1987-88 | MISL | 1st West, 42-14 | Won Championship | 8,996 |
| 1988-89 | MISL | 2nd MISL, 27-21 | Won Championship | 8,383 |
| 1989-90 | MISL | 2nd West, 25-27 | Won Championship | 8,131 |
| 1990-91 | MSL | 1st West, 34-18 | Won Championship | 7,231 |
| 1991-92 | MSL | 1st MSL, 26-14 | Won Championship | 9,348 |
| 1993 | CISL | 2nd CISL, 20-8 | Lost Championship | 5,583 |
| 1994 | CISL | 2nd West, 18-10 | Lost Quarterfinal | 5,032 |
| 1995 | CISL | 3rd South, 17-11 | Lost Quarterfinal | 5,366 |
| 1996 | CISL | 1st West, 17-11 | Lost Semifinal | 4,830 |
NASL, MISL and CISL Reg. Season/ Division Titles
NASL Indoor Championships
MISL Championships
MISL MVP
MISL Championship MVP
NASL Indoor Scoring Champion
MISL Scoring Champion
MISL Pass Master (Assists leader)
MISL Defender of the Year
NASL Indoor Goalkeeper of the Year
MISL Goalkeeper of the Year
CISL Goalkeeper of the Year
MISL Coach of the Year
MISL Rookie of the Year
CISL Rookie of the Year
NASL First Team All Star
MISL First Team All Star
CISL First Team All Star