Major Soccer League - Definition and Overview

The Major Soccer League, originally called the Major Indoor Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. The MISL changed its name to Major Soccer League in 1990. After the league folded in 1992, the Cleveland and Wichita teams joined the National Professional Soccer League. Two other teams (Dallas and San Diego) helped found the Continental Indoor Soccer League.

The Major Soccer League should not be confused with Major League Soccer, the highest level outdoor soccer league in the USA, or with the current Major Indoor Soccer League.

MISL/MSL Championship series

SEASON  CHAMPION           SERIES  RUNNER-UP
1978-79 New York Arrows    2 to 0  Philadelphia Fever
1979-80 New York Arrows    7 to 4  Houston Summit
1980-81 New York Arrows    6 to 5  St. Louis Steamers
1981-82 New York Arrows    3 to 2  St. Louis Steamers
1982-83 San Diego Sockers  3 to 2  Baltimore Blast
1983-84 Baltimore Blast    4 to 1  St. Louis Steamers
1984-85 San Diego Sockers  4 to 1  Baltimore Blast
1985-86 San Diego Sockers  4 to 3  Minnesota Strikers
1986-87 Dallas Sidekicks   4 to 3  Tacoma Stars
1987-88 San Diego Sockers  4 to 0  Cleveland Force
1988-89 San Diego Sockers  4 to 3  Baltimore Blast
1989-90 San Diego Sockers  4 to 2  Baltimore Blast
1990-91 San Diego Sockers  4 to 2  Cleveland Crunch
1991-92 San Diego Sockers  4 to 2  Dallas Sidekicks

note: single game in 1980 and 1981, best-of-three series in 1979, best-of-five 1982 and 1983, all other series best-of-seven.

Teams

• Baltimore Blast (1980-1992)
• Buffalo Stallions (1979-1984)
• Chicago Horizon (1980-1981)
• Chicago Sting (1982-1983; 1984-1988)
• Cincinnati Kids (1978-1979)
• Cleveland Crunch (1989-1992)
• Cleveland Force (1978-1988)
• Dallas Sidekicks (1984-1992)
• Denver Avalanche (1980-1982)
• Detroit Lightning (1979-1980)
• Golden Bay Earthquakes(1982-1983)
• Hartford Hellions (1979-1981)
• Houston Summit (1978-1980)
• Kansas City Comets (1981-1991)
• Las Vegas Americans (1984-1985)
• Los Angeles Lazers (1982-1989)
• Memphis Americans (1981-1984)
• Minnesota Strikers (1984-1988)
• New Jersey Rockets (1981-1982)
• New York Arrows (1978-1984)
• New York Cosmos (1984-1985)
• New York Express (1986-1987)
• Philadelphia Fever (1978-1982)
• Phoenix Inferno/Pride (1980-1984)
• Pittsburgh Spirit (1978-1980; 1981-1986)
• San Diego Sockers (1982-1983; 1984-1992)
• San Francisco Fog (1980-1981)
• St. Louis Steamers (1979-1988)
• St. Louis Storm (1989-1992)
• Tacoma Stars (1983-1992)
• Wichita Wings (1979-1992)