Ryan was interviewed by Mike Jensen of the Philadelphia Inquirer: http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/8488265.htm?1c Ryan sees the MISL being a 21 team league in three years. Good luck.
Glad the MISL is expanding for sure, there is surely a market for indoor futbol in the US. Maybe one day however, it can be more like futsal one day and less like hockey with a big round puck.
so which league has added more teams, the new ABA or the MISL? I'm being sarcastic, I think the 'ABA' has added 17 teams for next season, and the MISL has announced Stockton and Newark for season after next, correct me if I'm wrong. Tony
The ABA is a joke. They're handing out franchises to people who peel stickers off french fry containers at McDonald's.
Bad minor league basketball league that tries to claim some sort of connection to the original, wild American Basketball Association of the 1960's and 1970's. www.abalive.com
To be fair to Mike Jensen, whom has shown love for the USNT and pines for a MLS team in Philly, I don't think he gives a hoot about indoor soccere and this was not his interview.
Exactly. You used to get ABA franchises with a purchase of $20 or more at Mike's Live Bait & Tackle in Ormond Beach, FL.
While not getting into the over/under of how many season tickets the Pittsburgh Hardhats of the ABA will sell, what is the advisability of awarding franchises to cities who haven't built arenas yet (ie Newark and Stockton)? I guess annoucing expansion is better than just watching some of your teams fade away. Tony
Announcing expansion that far out is just an exercise in how well you can put on a press conference. The MISL announced Laredo, Texas before they had an arena deal and the team ended up in Monterrey. I can't get excited about a 2007-2008 expansion team, even if they said it was going to be five minutes from my house.
Yes, but the Mayor of Stockton got 25 seconds of tv time during the all star game. Beyond that, he can go back to the voters and say, 'look what I got done, I've brought the MISL and the ECHL to Stockton." Tony
I keep on hearing a Chicago franchise is still in the works with frank klopas as coach but nothing official.They are supposed to play at UIC.
I would have liked to have seen MISL expand to Atlanta, and put a team in the Gwinnett Arena. But the new ABA team probably rules that out. Oh well.
Don't count on the ABA team lasting more than one season. Or the entire season, for that matter. The pictures I've seen of Gwinnett Arena, it looks sweet. Perfect size for indoor soccer's crowds.
Chicago Suntimes article says Chicago MISL owners just waiting to sign lease agreement with the UIC pavillion before announcing franchise.
Welcome back MISL, I miss the indoor days of the Sting and of course the Power. Some wild games at the old Horizon and stadium. I heard UC was gonna offer them a solid deal but they turned it down because it was just too large. NHL seems to be a certain lockout next season. I have been to a few concerts at UIC outside of the right seat size, they dont serve beer and the stadium isnt very high tech at all. I will still get season tickets though. The rivalry between the Wave and the old Power used to draw some pretty good numbers. Bring it on!!
Here's the story from the Sun Times. It's mentioned about a third of the way down the article. http://www.suntimes.com/output/soccer/cst-spt-soccin11.html Also here's a mention in an article in Milwaukee paper. It's under the sub heading for MISL expansion. http://www.jsonline.com/sports/socc/may04/228483.asp With Milwaukee being so close I would imagine that be a boost for both teams attendance wise. Not to mention a natural rivalry. But boy do they have their work cut out for them. It's not really that far away before the start of the season. I'll probably go to a few games, but probably not get season tickets.
Chicago will be a great re-addition. I would be nice it Lee Stern would allow the team to use the Sting name and logo. I think the connection to the past franchise would be positive. Atlanta could be another good market. Here's my short list of cities the MISL needs: Seattle Portland Pittsburgh Detroit Tacoma Houston Anaheim I base each of these cities on the fact that indoor soccer has had some measure of success in each of these cities.
Seattle was an artistic success in the CISL, but a dud at the gate. Portland did okay. Pittsburgh has been a graveyard, and the Penguins need a new arena. Auburn Hills had big numbers in the CISL when they were giving scads of tickets away, but I love that arena. Tacoma would be great, I hear the Tacoma Dome is cool. Houston would be nice (did they tear down Compaq?) And I know a guy who would want to be involved in Anaheim. But the city doesn't matter as much as the owner(s). And until someone steps up in those cities, we can wish all we want.
Not exactly, a church has bought the lease and started renovations on it to become a church, I suppose we could ask them to play a little indoor soccer once a week. The new Toyota Center is out because with the Rockets, Areos(minor league hockey) and concerts it is pretty well booked.