2016-17 was a good season. - things started out rough with IPL - things were mended with Hale and Haines coming back to MASL - no teams folded (yet) - an expansion team in 2017/18 - an expansion team in 2018/19 - a possibility of Rochester re-emerging - some decent crowds - the You Tube channel is working well - fantastic playoffs - great finals. I think the PASL model might be the key in the short to mid term. Remain stable, slowly grow the game and see if we can generate some more fan interest.
If you had said a year ago that things would look this good right now, you probably would've drawn some derisive laughter on this board. I'd say they've exceeded our admittedly low expectations.
Not to mention, the MASL website this season was the best that I have seen for pro indoor soccer. The competition this season in the MASL has been much improved, as many games were much more unpredictable. Comm. Schaub mentioned, during the Blast Home Game Championship at halftime, that there is some sort of free agency policy in effect which will probably help keep the competition more even throughout the league. I have to go back sometime and listen to that interview again. Comm. Schaub has great vision for this league and I can see this league expanding not only in the US, but also more in Canada and South America. Congratulations to Mr,Schaub and his staff in uniting and improving the MASL. Also for giving the league a much more positive future!
South America???? Really, that sounds pretty far fetched. Hey Irish Hurling and Australian Rules Football are close enough that they play an abridged rules game every couole of years. Its billed as an Australia v Ireland game. Maybe we couod do the same with Futsal or even beach soccer. Kinsd of like the time we played the Bermuda 5 a side league champion.
Yeah, South America might be stretching it a bit and that's just a guess on my part. But the Commish did state he has a vision for this league, so who really knows what he has in mind. I do know the MASL does have a number of players from Brazil, so maybe he has expansion plans there in the distant future. But I can see more teams possibly developing in Mexico and throughout Canada.
Well, in my humble opinion, and as a former resident of Canada for 4 years then another 3 years after that, both for work, a Northern division for Canada should only be considered if it makes geographical sense. A team in Vancouver should be in the same division as Tacoma rather than Toronto. A team in Toronto should be in the same division as a team in Ottawa or Syracuse or Rochester rather than Edmonton. (MASL owners everywhere are thinking.............."Edmonton should be in someone else's division, ANYONE else's division") I don't think a Northern division makes sense unless it is grouped to make it drivable. Driving from Vancouver to Toronto is a 3 day adventure. The vast majority of Canadians would go from Vancouver to Seattle, then across US to Buffalo and up to Toronto. The rationale is the gas is cheaper and the roads are better, especially in winter. There are still some stretch's in Northern Ontario that the Trans Canada Highway is still a 2 lane highway.
Only problem with your statement, is that the MASL doesn't run on the PASL business model anymore. The reason for the success, was because Mr. Edwin F. Hale left the league; and only rejoined with the IPL franchise plan being installed. C'mon buddy, give credit where credit is due. SHAME
Well, I don't!!! Only problem with Shelt's statement, is that the MASL doesn't run on the PASL business model anymore. The reason for the success, was because Mr. Edwin F. Hale left the league; and only rejoined with the IPL franchise plan being installed. C'mon buddy, give credit where credit is due.
You're half right. The MASL was able to make great strides after Hale removed himself from the board. Where you're wrong is the MASL is still not a franchised league, IPL or otherwise.
You're actually thinking of International Rules Football, which melds various aspects of the codes of Gaelic Football (not Hurling) and Australian Rules Football.
Well SoccerMan, I've never been a big Hale basher anyways. I think he has brought a lot of positives to the game and runs Baltimore Blast as well as anyone has run an indoor franchise. That being said, the guy.........oh sorry, Mr. Hale.........anyways, Mr. Hale ran off and started his own league. It didn't work so he was smart enough to rejoin MASL. Which I don't believe is a fully franchised league. Very true Brian. Great catch.
Hurling is basically an alternative to dental work. When I was getting a root canal last week, I wondered if I should just play hurling instead.
I don't know of a professional soccer league anywhere in the world, in any form of soccer, that doesn't have Brazilian players in it. Mexican expansion is much more realistic, because the North American form of indoor soccer is already widely played there.