Major Arena Soccer League

Major Arena Soccer League
Country United States (20 teams)
Other club(s) from Mexico (2 teams)
Confederation Confederación Panamericana de Minifutbol (CPM)
Founded May 18, 2008
Number of teams 22
Domestic cup(s) U.S. Open
Current champions Monterrey Flash (2014-15)
Most championships San Diego Sockers (4)
TV partners ESPN 3
GoLiveSportscast.com
Website www.maslsoccer.com
2014–15 season

The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is a North American indoor soccer league formerly known as Professional Arena Soccer League. MASL is an affiliated member of the World Minifootball Federation (WMF), the governing body of the sport.

History

The league was organized as the Professional Arena Soccer League on May 18, 2008, as an offshoot of the Premier Arena Soccer League (PASL-Premier), the nation's largest amateur league. The league was originally nicknamed "PASL-Pro" to distinguish it from PASL-Premier.[1]

PASL logo used from 2011 to 2014

In 2011, it was announced the professional league would officially be referred to as simply PASL, while the amateur league would still be referred to as the PASL-Premier.[2] The first league game was played on October 25, 2008, in front of a crowd of 3,239 at Stockton Arena, with the California Cougars defeating the Colorado Lightning 10-5.[3]

On March 17, 2014, one day after the 2013-2014 Major Indoor Soccer League Championship finale, United Soccer Leagues President Tim Holt announced "a number" of teams would not be returning to MISL the following year.[4] In April 2014 it was officially announced that six teams (Baltimore Blast, Milwaukee Wave, Missouri Comets, Rochester Lancers, St. Louis Ambush, and Syracuse Silver Knights) joined PASL for the 2014-2015 season.[5]

The league announced a change in its name from the Professional Arena Soccer League to the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) on May 18, 2014. This represents a merging of the MISL and PASL names. MASL will field 23 teams for the 2014-15 season.[6][7]

Sponsorship

The official sportswear and technical kit supplier for the league is Admiral Sportswear.[8] The official game ball is made by Puma SE.

Teams

Future Teams

Team City/Area Arena Joins MASL
Soles de Sonora Hermosillo, Sonora Centro de Usos Múltiples (8,600) 2015-16 [23]
Youngstown Nighthawks Youngstown, Ohio Covelli Centre (5,717) 2015-16 [24]

Champions

North American Finals

Season Champions Score Runner-Up Playoffs / Host
2008-09 Stockton Cougars 13-5 1790 Cincinnati Stockton, California
2009-10 San Diego Sockers 9-8 La Raza de Guadalajara San Diego, California
2010-11 San Diego Sockers 10-6 La Raza de Guadalajara Cincinnati, Ohio

Ron Newman Cup

Season Champions Score(s) Runner-Up Playoffs / Host
2011-12 San Diego Sockers 10-7 Detroit Waza San Diego, California
2012-13 San Diego Sockers 8-6 Detroit Waza San Diego, California
2013-14 Chicago Mustangs 14-5 Hidalgo La Fiera Hoffman Estates, Illinois
2014-15 Monterrey Flash 6-4 (OT), 4-6, 4-3 (OT) Baltimore Blast 2-1 (best-of 3 series)

Attendance

Season Games Total Average
2008-09 58 76,888 1,326*
2009-10 87 58,801 676**
2010-11 84 59,128 704***
2011-12 96 63,003 656
2012-13 151 146,193 968
2013-14 159 214,552 1,349
2014-15 223 542,411 2,432

* Does not include 28 games where attendance was not reported. The PASL 2008-09 regular season consisted of 86 games total.

** Does not include 8 games where attendance was not reported. The PASL 2009-10 regular season consisted of 95 games total.

*** Does not include 10 games where attendance was not reported. The PASL 2010-11 regular season consisted of 94 games total.

Former/defunct teams

Team City/Area Arena Years Played
Anaheim Bolts Anaheim, California Anaheim Convention Center 2011-13[25][26]
Arizona Storm Glendale, Arizona Phoenix Sports Centre/Arizona Sports Complex 2011-13
Bay Area Rosal Livermore, California Cabernet Indoor Sports 2013-14
California Cougars Stockton, California Stockton Arena 2008-11
Cincinnati Kings Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati Gardens/GameTime Training Center 2008-13 (1790 Cincinnati 2008-2010)
Cincinnati Saints Cincinnati, Ohio Tri-County Soccerplex 2013-14. Currently play in Premier Arena Soccer League.
Cleveland Freeze North Olmsted, Ohio Soccer Sportsplex 2013-14.
Colorado Lightning Fort Collins, Colorado Budweiser Events Center 2008-09
Denver Dynamite Denver, Colorado Denver Sports Center/Parker Fieldhouse/Denver Bladium 2008–10. Currently play in Premier Arena Soccer League.
Hidalgo La Fiera[27][28] Hidalgo, Texas State Farm Arena 2012-2014[29]
Illinois Piasa Pontoon Beach, Illinois The Field Sports Complex 2010-14. Currently play in Premier Arena Soccer League as FC Adrenaline.
Kansas Magic[30][31] Overland Park, Kansas EPIC Indoor Sports 2011-12
Laredo Honey Badgers Laredo, Texas Laredo Energy Arena[32] Never played.
Louisville Lightning Louisville, Kentucky Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club 2009-12[33][34]
Monterrey La Raza Monterrey, Nuevo León Monterrey Arena 2008-09 PASL Copa America
Ohio Vortex Canton, Ohio Canton Civic Center 2009-13
Omaha Vipers Omaha, Nebraska Omaha Civic Auditorium Never played.
Prince George Fury (CMISL) Prince George, British Columbia CN Centre 2009-10
Real Phoenix Glendale, Arizona Barney Family Sports Complex/Arizona Sports Complex 2012–13[35]
Rockford Rampage Rockford, Illinois Victory Sports Complex 2012–13[35]
St. Louis Illusion Glen Carbon, Illinois The Game Arena 2008–10
Saskatoon Accelerators (CMISL) Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Credit Union Centre/Henk Ruys Soccer Centre 2009-10
Seattle Impact Kent, WA ShoWare Center 2014–15
Texas Outlaws North Richland Hills, Texas TCG Arena 2008–10
Toros Mexico Tijuana, Baja California Unisantos Park 2010–14 (Revolución Tijuana 2010-12); Currently plays in Premier Arena Soccer League. [36]
Winnipeg Alliance FC (CMISL) Winnipeg, Manitoba Gateway Soccer Complex/MTS Centre 2008-11
Wenatchee Fire Wenatchee, Washington Wenatchee Valley Sportsplex 2008-11 (were on hiatus in 2009).

References

  1. ↑ "PASL-Pro Wraps Up Owners Meetings in Las Vegas". Professional Arena Soccer League. May 18, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  2. ↑ "PASL Announces 2011/12 Schedule, Playoff Format, Sleeker Nickname". Our Sports Central. October 17, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Cougars Win Inaugural PASL-Pro Game 10-5 over Lightning". Professional Arena Soccer League. October 26, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  4. ↑ Holt, Tim (March 17, 2014). "MISL Statement". Major Indoor Soccer League.
  5. ↑ Husted, Jeffrey (April 12, 2014). "Comets Enter Partnershipto Create New Indoor Soccer League". Missouri Comets.
  6. ↑ Marshall, Raymond (May 18, 2014). "PASL Becomes MASL". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  7. ↑ "MASL Announces Alignment, Launches New Website". MASL. July 29, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  8. ↑ PASL. "PASL Signs Five-Year Deal With Admiral". PASL. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  9. ↑ "PASL Welcomes the Chicago Mustangs". PASL. September 25, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Tulsa Revolution Officially Introduced to Local Media" (Press release). PASL. January 25, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Game on Dec. 27th Rescheduled" (Press release). MASL. December 24, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Wichita's New Soccer Team To Be Called The B-52s". Wichita, KS: KAKE. August 22, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Local business owner unveils plan to keep professional indoor soccer in Wichita". PASL. June 3, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  14. ↑ Cerullo, Jared (June 3, 2013). "Professional Indoor Soccer To Continue In Wichita". KAKE-TV. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  15. ↑ Lutz, Jeffrey (June 3, 2013). "New pro soccer team could come in Professional Arena Soccer League". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  16. ↑ "PASL Secures Deal to Keep Wichita Indoor Soccer at Hartman Arena This Winter". PASL. July 23, 2013. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Monterrey Flash Join PASL for 2013/14 Season". PASL. August 28, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  18. ↑ "PASL, Texas Strikers Coming to Ford Arena" (Press release). PASL. September 26, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Oxford City FC Acquires the Texas Strikers in the MASL". Oxford City FC of Texas. July 23, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Saltillo Rancho Seco Become Third Mexican PASL Team". PASL. September 5, 2013. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  21. ↑ "PASL Coming to Citizens Business Bank Arena". PASL. May 29, 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  22. ↑ "San Diego Sockers announce affiliate agreement with Arizona Impact". Yuma News. July 22, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Soles de Sonora Introduced as First 2015/16 Expansion Team". Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). March 6, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  24. ↑ Evans, Chase (January 29, 2015). "Pro Soccer: Youngstown Nighthawks coming to the Valley". Youngstown, OH: WYTV. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  25. ↑ Marroquin, Art (June 14, 2013). "Pro indoor soccer team bolts from Anaheim". The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, CA: Freedom Communications). Retrieved July 19, 2013.
  26. ↑ "Anaheim Bolts Suspend Operations for 2013-14". Professional Arena Soccer League. May 28, 2013. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  27. ↑ Silva, Dennis II (July 2, 2013). "RGV's arena soccer team gets new owner, look". The Monitor (McAllen, TX: AIM Media Texas). p. C1. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  28. ↑ "PASL Sets 2012/13 Alignment With the Addition of Rio Grande Valley Flash". PASL. September 27, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  29. ↑ "Hidalgo folds, leaves MASL with 22 teams". The Examiner (Independence, MO: GateHouse Media). December 24, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  30. ↑ "PASL Announces Slate, Alignment for Fifth Season". PASL. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  31. ↑ "PASL Announces 2012-13 Schedule, Divisional Alignment". Soccer Scene USA. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  32. ↑ "Professional Arena Soccer League Coming to Laredo Energy Arena". PASL. April 18, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  33. ↑ "Louisville Lightning soccer team will sit out 2012-13 season". The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY: Gannett Company). July 19, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  34. ↑ Warner, Adam (March 14, 2013). "Q&A with Ted Nichols: A fire in his belly for soccer at all levels". The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY: Gannett Company). Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Bullock, Michael (July 12, 2013). "Richard Chinapoo and Gino DiFlorio agree to return as the Harrisburg Heat coaching staff remains intact". The Patriot-News (Harrisburg, PA: Advance Publications). Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  36. ↑ "PASL's Tijuana Team Sold, Renamed Toros Mexico" (Press release). Professional Arena Soccer League. September 11, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2012.

External links