Major Arena Soccer League

Major Arena Soccer League
Founded May 18, 2008 (2008-05-18)
Country United States (15 teams)
Other club(s) from Canada (1 team), Mexico (1 team)
Confederation Confederación Panamericana
de Minifutbol (CPM)
Number of teams 17
Domestic cup(s) U.S. Open
Current champions Baltimore Blast (2017–18)
Most championships San Diego Sockers (4)
TV partners ESPN3
MASL TV Live on YouTube
Website www.maslsoccer.com
2018–19 season

The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is a North American indoor soccer league representing the highest level of professional arena soccer in the world. The MASL features teams across North America, with teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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] [6]

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.[7] [8]This represents a merging of the MISL and PASL names. MASL fielded 23 teams for the 2014–15 season.[9][10]

Split and re-merger into the MASL

In February 2016, the current owner of the Baltimore Blast, Ed Hale, announced his intentions to leave the MASL and form a new league, the Indoor Professional League.[11] Hale was later announced as the chairman of the league, and Sam Fantauzzo, former owner of the Rochester Lancers, was announced as the first commissioner of the league. The St. Louis Ambush, Baltimore Blast, and Harrisburg Heat announced plans to join, along with the expansion Florida Tropics SC.[12] [13] In July 2016, the MASL was reformed as a new not for profit entity 501(c)6, a new entity separate from the previous MASL, LLC.

In August 2016, the new MASL announced that the Blast, Heat, and Ambush would return to the MASL while the Tropics would join the MASL as an expansion team. [14] This effectively ended the IPL split with the MASL.

In a repeat of the 2015-16 Newman Cup the Baltimore Blast would go on to once again defeat Sonora Suns.

Launch of M2

In October 2017 it was officially announced the Major Arena Soccer League 2 (M2) would launch in December 2017. The M2 serves as the developmental league for the MASL. The initial lineup of this league consisted of former MASL clubs Chicago Mustangs, Waza Flo, the reserve teams for the Ontario Fury, San Diego Sockers, former PASL clubs, and new expansion teams.[15]

Teams

Team City/Area Arena Founded Joined Coach
Eastern Conference
Eastern Division
Baltimore Blast Towson, Maryland SECU Arena 1992 2014 Danny Kelly
Harrisburg Heat Harrisburg, Pennsylvania New Holland Arena 2012 2012 Pat Healey
Mississauga MetroStars[16] Mississauga, Ontario Paramount Fine Foods Centre 2018[17] 2018
Utica City FC Utica, New York Adirondack Bank Center 2010 2014 Ryan Hall
South Central Division
Florida Tropics SC Lakeland, Florida RP Funding Center 2016 2016 Clay Roberts
Kansas City Comets Independence, Missouri Silverstein Eye Centers Arena 2010 2014 Kim Roentved
Milwaukee Wave Milwaukee, Wisconsin UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena 1984 2014 Giuliano Oliviero
Orlando SeaWolves Kissimmee, Florida Silver Spurs Arena 2018 2018
St. Louis Ambush St. Charles, Missouri Family Arena 2013 2014 Hewerton Moreira
Western Conference
Southwest Division
Dallas Sidekicks Allen, Texas Allen Event Center 2012 2014
20181		 Simon Bozas
El Paso Coyotes El Paso, Texas El Paso County Coliseum 2016 2016 Jose Luis Trevino
Monterrey Flash Monterrey, Nuevo León Monterrey Arena 2013 2013
20172		 Mariano Bollella
RGV Barracudas FC Hidalgo, Texas State Farm Arena 2004 2014
20173		 Jorge Quiroz
Pacific Division
Ontario Fury[18] Ontario, California Citizens Business Bank Arena 2013 2013 Jimmy Nordberg
San Diego Sockers San Diego, California Valley View Casino Center 2009 2009 Phil Salvagio
Tacoma Stars Kent, Washington ShoWare Center 2009 2010
20154		 Darren Sawatzky
Turlock Express Turlock, California Turlock Soccer Complex 2011 2011 Art Pulido
Notes

1 – Dallas suspended operations following the 2016–17 season; they rejoined the league for the 2018–19 season.
2 – Monterrey suspended operations following the 2014–15 season; they rejoined the league for the 2017–18 season.
3 – RGV Barracudas, operating as the Brownsville Barracudas, suspended operations following the 2015–16 season; they rejoined the league for the 2017–18 season.
4 - Tacoma moved down to the PASL-Premier for the 2013-13 season, played in the WISL in the 2014-15 season and then rejoined the MASL near the end of the 2014-2015 season (in 2015) replacing the Seattle Impact.

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 Flo San Diego, California
2012–13 San Diego Sockers 8–6 Detroit Waza Flo 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 Monterrey, N.L., México (2 game series with mini-game tiebreaker)
2015–16 Baltimore Blast 7–4, 14–13 (OT) Sonora Suns Hermosillo, Son., México (2 game series with mini-game tiebreaker)
2016–17 Baltimore Blast 2–4, 9–8 (OT), 1–0 Sonora Suns Hermosillo, Son., México (2 game series with mini-game tiebreaker)
2017–18 Baltimore Blast 4–3 Monterrey Flash Monterrey, N.L., México

Attendance

Season Games Total Average Playoffs Games Total Average
2008–09 58 76,888 1,326* 2009
2009–10 87 58,801 676** 2010
2010–11 84 59,128 704*** 2011
2011–12 96 63,003 656 2012 6 7,211 1,201
2012–13 151 146,193 968 2013 11 19,006 1,727
2013–14 159 214,552 1,349 2014 10 23,889 2,889
2014–15 223 542,411 2,432 2015 19 88,513 4,658
2015–16 198 476,347 2,405 2016 24 93,004 3,876
2016–17 170 466,832 2,746 2017 19 77,186 4,062
2017–18 176 446,913 2,539 2018 12 49,198 4,100

* 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.

Sponsorship

The official sportswear and technical kit supplier for the league is Locust Sportswear from Shop-Soccer.com. The official game ball was made by Puma SE through the 2016-17 season. Starting in the 2017-18 season, Mitre became the official ball sponsor of both the MASL and M2[19][20].

Staff

Commissioner

Joshua Schaub

Office of the Commissioner

Kevin Milliken – Vice-President of Business Development
Jon Ramin – Vice-President of Operations

Executive Committee

Lane Smith (Tacoma) – President
Bernie Lilavois (Ontario) – Vice-President
Phil Salvagio (San Diego) – Treasurer
Tommy Tanner (Syracuse) – Secretary
Rogelio Cota (Sonora) – Member-at-Large [21]


Ryan Cigich - Director of Game Officials

Former/defunct teams

Team City/Area Arena Years Played
Atletico Baja Tijuana, Baja California Unidad Deportiva Tijuana 2015–17
Anaheim Bolts Anaheim, California Anaheim Convention Center 2011–13[22][23]
Arizona Storm Glendale, Arizona Phoenix Sports Centre/Arizona Sports Complex 2011–13
Bay Area Rosal Livermore, California Cabernet Indoor Sports 2013–14
Calgary United FC Calgary, Alberta Stampede Corral/Calgary Soccer Centre 2008–11
California Cougars Stockton, California Stockton Arena 2008–11
(as Stockton Cougars 2008–09)
Cedar Rapids Rampage[24] Cedar Rapids, Iowa U.S. Cellular Center 2015-18
Chicago Mustangs[25] Hoffman Estates, Illinois Sears Centre 2012–17
Cincinnati Kings Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati Gardens/GameTime Training Center 2008–13
(as 1790 Cincinnati 2008–10)
Cincinnati Saints Cincinnati, Ohio Tri-County Soccerplex 2013–14
Cleveland Freeze North Olmsted, Ohio Soccer Sportsplex 2013–14
Colorado Lightning Fort Collins, Colorado Budweiser Events Center 2008–09
Dallas Sidekicks Allen, Texas Allen Event Center 2012–17
Denver Dynamite Denver, Colorado Denver Sports Center/Parker Fieldhouse/Denver Bladium 2008–10
Edmonton Drillers Edmonton, Alberta Servus Centre/Edmonton Soccer Centre South 2008–11
Hartford City FC Hartford, Connecticut XL Center Never Played
Hidalgo La Fiera[26][27] Hidalgo, Texas State Farm Arena 2012–14
(as Rio Grande Valley Flash 2012–13)
Illinois Piasa Pontoon Beach, Illinois Soccer For Fun Arena/The Sports Academy/The Field Sports Complex 2010–14
Kansas Magic[28][29] Overland Park, Kansas EPIC Indoor Sports Center 2011–12
Kitsap Pumas Bremerton, Washington Olympic Soccer & Sports Center 2010–11
Laredo Honey Badgers Laredo, Texas Laredo Energy Arena[30] Never Played
Las Vegas Legends Las Vegas, Nevada Orleans Arena/Las Vegas Sports Park 2012–16
Louisville Lightning Louisville, Kentucky Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club 2009–12[31][32]
Ohio Vortex Canton, Ohio Cleveland Metroplex Events Center/Canton Memorial Civic Center/Gameday Sports Center/Pinnacle Sports Complex 2009–13
Omaha Vipers Omaha, Nebraska Omaha Civic Auditorium Never Played
Oxford City FC of Texas Beaumont, Texas Ford Arena 2012–15
(as Texas Strikers 2012–14) [33][34]
Prince George Fury Prince George, British Columbia CN Centre 2009–10
Real Phoenix Glendale, Arizona Barney Family Sports Complex/Arizona Sports Complex 2012–13[35]
Rochester Lancers Rochester, New York Blue Cross Arena 2014–15
Rockford Rampage Rockford, Illinois Victory Sports Complex 2012–13[35]
St. Louis Illusion Glen Carbon, Illinois The Game Arena/Dellwood Indoor Soccer Arena 2008–10
Sacramento Surge Sacramento, California Off the Wall Soccer Arena/Estadio Azteca Soccer Arena/McClellan Park 2012–16
Saltillo Rancho Seco Saltillo, Coahuila Autonomous University of Coahuila/Deportivo Rancho Seco 2013−16
Saskatoon Accelerators Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Credit Union Centre/Henk Ruys Soccer Centre 2008–10
Seattle Impact Kent, Washington ShoWare Center 2014–15
Sonora Suns[36] [37] Hermosillo, Sonora Centro de Usos Múltiples 2014–18
Springfield Demize Springfield, Missouri Lake Country Soccer 2010–11
Texas Outlaws North Richland Hills, Texas NYTEX Sports Centre/Arena Athletics/TCG Arena 2008–10
Toros Mexico Tijuana, Baja California Furati Arena/Unisantos Park 2010–14
(as Revolución Tijuana 2010–12)
Tucson Extreme Tucson, Arizona Tucson Convention Center Never Played
Tulsa Revolution Tulsa, Oklahoma Cox Business Center/Expo Square Pavilion 2013–15 [38]
Waza Flo Flint, Michigan Compuware Arena/Taylor Sportsplex/Melvindale Ice Arena/Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center 2008–16
(as Detroit Waza Flo 2008–15)
Wenatchee Fire Wenatchee, Washington Wenatchee Valley Sportsplex 2008–09, 2010–11
Wichita B-52s Wichita, Kansas Hartman Arena 2013–15 [39][40]
Winnipeg Alliance Winnipeg, Manitoba MTS Centre/Garden City Soccer Complex 2009–11
Youngstown Nighthawks Youngstown, Ohio Covelli Centre Never Played

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. ↑ http://pointstreak.com/news_story.html?id=149702
  7. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20140519040802/http://soccerblog.dallasnews.com/2014/05/pasl-becomes-masl-doesnt-do-much-elese-at-owners-meeting-in-baltimore.html/
  8. ↑ https://www.syracuse.com/silver-knights/2014/05/syracuse_silver_knights_new_indoor_soccer_league_expected_to_kick_off_with_24_te.html
  9. ↑ Marshall, Raymond (May 18, 2014). "PASL Becomes MASL". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  10. ↑ "MASL Announces Alignment, Launches New Website". MASL. July 29, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  11. ↑ Graham, Glenn (February 18, 2016). "Baltimore Blast owner Ed Hale plans to remove team from MASL, form new league". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  12. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/FLTropics/videos/1783778395175144/
  13. ↑ http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/soccer/bs-sp-blast-brief-0504-20160503-story.html
  14. ↑ "MAJOR ARENA SOCCER LEAGUE EXPANDS TO THE SUNSHINE STATE". MASL. Archived from the original on 2 September 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  15. ↑ http://www.9news.com/sports/us-mens-arena-soccer-team-takes-on-mexico-in-denver/477964046
  16. ↑ "ABOUT THE MAJOR ARENA SOCCER LEAGUE". Major Arena Soccer League. Retrieved 2017-09-06.
  17. ↑ http://www.maslsoccer.com/news/masl-announces-international-expansion
  18. ↑ "PASL Coming to Citizens Business Bank Arena". PASL. May 29, 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  19. ↑ http://harrisburgheat.com/masl-announces-long-term-partnership-mitre/
  20. ↑ http://www.maslsoccer.com/news/masl-announces-long-term-partnership-with-mitre
  21. ↑ "MASL Wraps Successful Owners Meetings in Ontario". Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). June 30, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  22. ↑ Marroquin, Art (June 14, 2013). "Pro indoor soccer team bolts from Anaheim". The Orange County Register. Santa Ana, California. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Anaheim Bolts Suspend Operations for 2013–14". Professional Arena Soccer League. May 28, 2013. Archived from the original on June 14, 2013. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  24. ↑ "Professional Soccer Coming To CR". Cedar Rapids, Iowa: KGAN. June 11, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  25. ↑ "PASL Welcomes the Chicago Mustangs". PASL. September 25, 2012. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
  26. ↑ Silva, Dennis II (July 2, 2013). "RGV's arena soccer team gets new owner, look". The Monitor. McAllen, Texas. p. C1. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  27. ↑ "PASL Sets 2012/13 Alignment With the Addition of Rio Grande Valley Flash". PASL. September 27, 2012. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  28. ↑ "PASL Announces Slate, Alignment for Fifth Season". PASL. 1 October 2012. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  29. ↑ "PASL Announces 2012–13 Schedule, Divisional Alignment". Soccer Scene USA. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  30. ↑ "Professional Arena Soccer League Coming to Laredo Energy Arena". PASL. April 18, 2013. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  31. ↑ "Louisville Lightning soccer team will sit out 2012–13 season". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. July 19, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  32. ↑ Warner, Adam (March 14, 2013). "Q&A with Ted Nichols: A fire in his belly for soccer at all levels". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  33. ↑ "PASL, Texas Strikers Coming to Ford Arena" (Press release). PASL. September 26, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  34. ↑ "Oxford City FC Acquires the Texas Strikers in the MASL". Oxford City FC of Texas. July 23, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  35. 1 2 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, Pennsylvania. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  36. ↑ "Soles de Sonora Introduced as First 2015/16 Expansion Team". Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). March 6, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  37. ↑ "MASL statement regarding Soles de Sonora". Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). May 11, 2018.
  38. ↑ "Tulsa Revolution Officially Introduced to Local Media" (Press release). PASL. January 25, 2013. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  39. ↑ "Wichita's New Soccer Team To Be Called The B-52s". Wichita, Kansas: KAKE. August 22, 2013. Archived from the original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  40. ↑ "Local business owner unveils plan to keep professional indoor soccer in Wichita". PASL. June 3, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
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