World Indoor Soccer League

World Indoor Soccer League
Sport indoor soccer
Founded 1998
No. of teams high of 7
Country(ies)  United States and  Mexico
Ceased 2001

The World Indoor Soccer League (WISL) was a United States based indoor soccer league that existed from 1998 to 2001 and consisted of nine teams.

Contents

History

After the demise of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, four of its teams decided to create a new indoor league to be called the Premier Soccer Alliance. The teams complemented their schedules with games against international teams. In 1999, two more former CISL teams (the Houston Hotshots and Monterrey La Raza) joined the league, which then changed its name to World Indoor Soccer League.

The name change came about as a result of the "merger" of the US-based Premier Soccer Alliance and an 'English Indoor Football League'. Originally, there was to be a European Division and a North American Division, with 'London United', 'Manchester Magic', 'Newcastle Geordies' and 'Sheffield Strikers' playing in a European division, but that idea was dropped due to rules conflicts between the existing leagues and lack of permission from The Football Association.

At one point in 2000, the World Indoor Soccer League attempted to be the first U.S. pro sports league to sell the sell naming rights of the league. It was looking to be something like "The Pepsi World Indoor Soccer League." Ultimately, this did not happen.[1]

The WISL folded in December 2001 when Dallas, St. Louis, and San Diego agreed to join the MISL.

Champions

Season by Season

Season Champion Score / series Runner-Up
1998 Dallas Sidekicks 6 to 2 Sacramento Knights
1999 Sacramento Knights 7 to 6 Dallas Sidekicks
2000 Monterrey La Raza 6 to 5 (SO 3-1) Dallas Sidekicks
2001 Dallas Sidekicks 2-1 San Diego Sockers

By Team

Team Championships Winning years
Dallas Sidekicks 2 1998 , 2001
Sacramento Knights 1 1999
Monterrey La Raza 1 2000

Annual awards

Most Valuable Player Award

1998- Tatu, Dallas

1999- David Doyle, Dallas

2000- Mariano Bollela, Monterrey

2001- Ato Leone, Sacramento

Goalkeeper Of The Year Award

1998- Dan Madsen, Sacramento

1999- Brett Phillips, Portland

2000- Sagu (Edilson Xavier), Dallas

2001- Sagu (Edilson Xavier), Dallas

Coach Of The Year Award

1998 - Tatu, Dallas
2000 - Jeff Betts, Utah

Rookie Of Year Award

2000 - Clint Regier, Houston

Defender Of The Year Award

1998- Rusty Troy, Dallas

1999- Iain Fraser, Sacramento

2000- Rob Baarts, Utah

2001- Iain Fraser, Sacramento

Presidents

Gordon Jago 1998-2001

Teams

Team City/Area Arena
Arizona Thunder Phoenix, Arizona Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Dallas Sidekicks Dallas, Texas Reunion Arena
American Airlines Center (One Game)
Houston Hotshots Houston, Texas The Summit
Reliant Arena
Monterrey La Raza Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico Gimnasio Nuevo Leon
Portland Pythons Portland, Oregon Rose Garden
Sacramento Knights Sacramento, California ARCO Arena
San Diego Sockers San Diego, California San Diego Sports Arena
St. Louis Steamers St. Charles, Missouri Family Arena
Utah Freezz West Valley City, Utah E-Center

References

  1. ^ Cawley, Rusty (2000-05-12). "Soccer league to sell naming rights". Dallas Business Journal. http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2000/05/15/story3.html?cat=1&id=5075. Retrieved 2008-07-26. 
Defunct soccer leagues in the United States
ALPF (1894–95) • NAFBL (1895–1921) • ASL I (1921–33) • ASL II (1933–83) • NASFL (1946–47) • NPSL I (1967) • USA (1967) • NASL (1968–84) • MISL I (1978–92) • NPSL II (1984–2001) • USL I (1984–85) • WSA (1985–89) • LSSA (1987–92) • ASL III (1988–89) • CISL (1993–97) • EISL (1997–98) • WISL (1998–2001) • WUSA (2001–03) • AISL (2002-08) • MISL II (2001–08) • XSL (2008–09)