Founded | April 18, 1984 (as AISA) |
---|---|
Folded | 2001 |
Country | United States Canada |
Number of teams | 15 |
Last champions |
Milwaukee Wave ( 2000β01) |
The National Professional Soccer League was a professional indoor soccer league in the U.S. and Canada. It was originally called the American Indoor Soccer Association.
In November 1983, a Kalamazoo, Michigan-based group called Soccer Leagues Unlimited unveiled a plan for an indoor league composed exclusively of American players. The group's president, Bob Lemieux (later AISA commissioner), announced that Kalamazoo, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Springfield, Illinois, were on board in what was he said was intended to be a sort of farm system, or developmental league, for the well established Major Indoor Soccer League. He added that groups in Indianapolis, Peoria, and Michigan cities, Saginaw and Flint; Kentucky cities, Lexington and Louisville; Ohio cities, Columbus Toledo and Dayton; Erie, PA; and Green Bay, Wisconsin, were all interested in joining the league. [1]
Officially starting on April 18, 1984, the American Indoor Soccer Association's charter franchises were Chicago, Milwaukee, Kalamazoo and Fort Wayne; [2] however, a Fort Wayne team did not materialize until the league's third season. Three other teams, Louisville, Canton and Columbus, all joined the league before the first season began in November 1984.
In 1990, the league changed its name to the National Professional Soccer League. [3] Over its 17 seasons, a total of 30 franchises in 32 cities were part of the league at one time or another. During the summer of 2001, the league disbanded and the six surviving teams formed the second incarnation of the Major Indoor Soccer League. [4]
When the league began in 1984, game rules were almost identical compared to the larger and more popular Major Indoor Soccer League. Beginning with the 1988β89 season, [5] the AISA changed their scoring system. Goals were now worth 1, 2, or 3 points depending upon distance or game situation. Basically, all non-power play goals scored from inside the yellow line were worth 2 points while non-powerplay goals from outside the yellow line (50 feet from the goal line) were worth 3 points. Any power play goal was worth 1 point, as was any goal scored during a penalty shootout. Before the 1994β1995 season, the three-point line was changed to a 45-foot arc. Eventually, power play goals were worth either two or three points, but penalty shootouts were still kept at one point.
|
|
SEASON | CHAMPION | RUNNER-UP | SERIES |
---|---|---|---|
1984β85 | Canton Invaders | Louisville Thunder | 3β1 |
1985β86 | Canton Invaders | Louisville Thunder | 3β0 |
1986β87 | Louisville Thunder | Canton Invaders | 3β2 |
1987β88 | Canton Invaders | Ft. Wayne Flames | (Challenge Cup) |
1988β89 | Canton Invaders | Chicago Power | 3β2 |
1989β90 | Canton Invaders | Dayton Dynamo | 3β1 |
1990β91 | Chicago Power | Dayton Dynamo | 3β0 |
1991β92 | Detroit Rockers | Canton Invaders | 3β2 |
1992β93 | Kansas City Attack | Cleveland Crunch | 3β2 |
1993β94 | Cleveland Crunch | St. Louis Ambush | 3β1 |
1994β95 | St. Louis Ambush | Harrisburg Heat | 4β0 |
1995β96 | Cleveland Crunch | Kansas City Attack | 4β2 |
1996β97 | Kansas City Attack | Cleveland Crunch | 4β0 |
1997β98 | Milwaukee Wave | St. Louis Ambush | 4β1 |
1998β99 | Cleveland Crunch | St. Louis Ambush | 3β2 |
1999β2000 | Milwaukee Wave | Cleveland Crunch | 3β2 |
2000β01 | Milwaukee Wave | Philadelphia KiXX | 3β0 |
TEAM | TITLES | SEASONS | RUNNER-UP |
---|---|---|---|
Canton Invaders β Columbus Invaders β Montreal Impact | 5 | 84β85, 85β86, 87β88, 88β89, 89β90 | 86β87, 91β92 |
Cleveland Crunch | 3 | 93β94, 95β96, 98β99 | 92β93, 96β97, 99β00 |
Milwaukee Wave | 3 | 97β98, 99β00, 00β01 | β |
Atlanta Attack β Kansas City Attack | 2 | 92β93, 96β97 | 95β96 |
Louisville Thunder | 1 | 86β87 | 84β85, 85β86 |
Chicago Power | 1 | 90β91 | 88β89 |
Detroit Rockers | 1 | 91β92 | β |
Tulsa Ambush β St. Louis Ambush | 1 | 94β95 | 93β94, 97β98, 98β99 |
Dayton Dynamo β Cincinnati Silverbacks | 0 | β | 89β90, 90β91 |
Fort Wayne Flames | 0 | β | 87β88 |
Harrisburg Heat | 0 | β | 94β95 |
Philadelphia KiXX | 0 | β | 00β01 |
Founded | April 18, 1984 (as AISA) |
---|---|
Folded | 2001 |
Country | United States Canada |
Number of teams | 15 |
Last champions |
Milwaukee Wave ( 2000β01) |
The National Professional Soccer League was a professional indoor soccer league in the U.S. and Canada. It was originally called the American Indoor Soccer Association.
In November 1983, a Kalamazoo, Michigan-based group called Soccer Leagues Unlimited unveiled a plan for an indoor league composed exclusively of American players. The group's president, Bob Lemieux (later AISA commissioner), announced that Kalamazoo, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Springfield, Illinois, were on board in what was he said was intended to be a sort of farm system, or developmental league, for the well established Major Indoor Soccer League. He added that groups in Indianapolis, Peoria, and Michigan cities, Saginaw and Flint; Kentucky cities, Lexington and Louisville; Ohio cities, Columbus Toledo and Dayton; Erie, PA; and Green Bay, Wisconsin, were all interested in joining the league. [1]
Officially starting on April 18, 1984, the American Indoor Soccer Association's charter franchises were Chicago, Milwaukee, Kalamazoo and Fort Wayne; [2] however, a Fort Wayne team did not materialize until the league's third season. Three other teams, Louisville, Canton and Columbus, all joined the league before the first season began in November 1984.
In 1990, the league changed its name to the National Professional Soccer League. [3] Over its 17 seasons, a total of 30 franchises in 32 cities were part of the league at one time or another. During the summer of 2001, the league disbanded and the six surviving teams formed the second incarnation of the Major Indoor Soccer League. [4]
When the league began in 1984, game rules were almost identical compared to the larger and more popular Major Indoor Soccer League. Beginning with the 1988β89 season, [5] the AISA changed their scoring system. Goals were now worth 1, 2, or 3 points depending upon distance or game situation. Basically, all non-power play goals scored from inside the yellow line were worth 2 points while non-powerplay goals from outside the yellow line (50 feet from the goal line) were worth 3 points. Any power play goal was worth 1 point, as was any goal scored during a penalty shootout. Before the 1994β1995 season, the three-point line was changed to a 45-foot arc. Eventually, power play goals were worth either two or three points, but penalty shootouts were still kept at one point.
|
|
SEASON | CHAMPION | RUNNER-UP | SERIES |
---|---|---|---|
1984β85 | Canton Invaders | Louisville Thunder | 3β1 |
1985β86 | Canton Invaders | Louisville Thunder | 3β0 |
1986β87 | Louisville Thunder | Canton Invaders | 3β2 |
1987β88 | Canton Invaders | Ft. Wayne Flames | (Challenge Cup) |
1988β89 | Canton Invaders | Chicago Power | 3β2 |
1989β90 | Canton Invaders | Dayton Dynamo | 3β1 |
1990β91 | Chicago Power | Dayton Dynamo | 3β0 |
1991β92 | Detroit Rockers | Canton Invaders | 3β2 |
1992β93 | Kansas City Attack | Cleveland Crunch | 3β2 |
1993β94 | Cleveland Crunch | St. Louis Ambush | 3β1 |
1994β95 | St. Louis Ambush | Harrisburg Heat | 4β0 |
1995β96 | Cleveland Crunch | Kansas City Attack | 4β2 |
1996β97 | Kansas City Attack | Cleveland Crunch | 4β0 |
1997β98 | Milwaukee Wave | St. Louis Ambush | 4β1 |
1998β99 | Cleveland Crunch | St. Louis Ambush | 3β2 |
1999β2000 | Milwaukee Wave | Cleveland Crunch | 3β2 |
2000β01 | Milwaukee Wave | Philadelphia KiXX | 3β0 |
TEAM | TITLES | SEASONS | RUNNER-UP |
---|---|---|---|
Canton Invaders β Columbus Invaders β Montreal Impact | 5 | 84β85, 85β86, 87β88, 88β89, 89β90 | 86β87, 91β92 |
Cleveland Crunch | 3 | 93β94, 95β96, 98β99 | 92β93, 96β97, 99β00 |
Milwaukee Wave | 3 | 97β98, 99β00, 00β01 | β |
Atlanta Attack β Kansas City Attack | 2 | 92β93, 96β97 | 95β96 |
Louisville Thunder | 1 | 86β87 | 84β85, 85β86 |
Chicago Power | 1 | 90β91 | 88β89 |
Detroit Rockers | 1 | 91β92 | β |
Tulsa Ambush β St. Louis Ambush | 1 | 94β95 | 93β94, 97β98, 98β99 |
Dayton Dynamo β Cincinnati Silverbacks | 0 | β | 89β90, 90β91 |
Fort Wayne Flames | 0 | β | 87β88 |
Harrisburg Heat | 0 | β | 94β95 |
Philadelphia KiXX | 0 | β | 00β01 |