Well, why not? This thread is set up to capture all of the latest news, rumors and developments as they relate to the Chicago Mustang soccer team. So far, things do not look good. Having been to the majority of the Mustang home games over the past three seasons, (as well as a handful of away matches) I hope to gather any news on the future of the team. Having lost most the best players on the team, things once again do not look good for Chicago indoor soccer fans. If anyone has any relevant news on the Chicago Mustang indoor franchise, please post them on this thread. Based on the activity of the Indoor Soccer Forums, I am assuming that this thread will receive very limited attention. It is what it is. Just trying to get a discussion going with the few indoor Chicago fans that are left.
I have asked some of my soccer contacts about the Chicago Mustangs just recently, not gotten any real updates. Has there been any publicity from the club, selling tickets, hosting player tryouts, scheduling preseason games? I live in St. Louis so I would not see such publicity for a Chicago team unless I looked for it online. I certainly hope the Mustangs come back. The midwest teams need short travel and good quality (at least until now) competitive teams from Chicago. Why were all their players declared free agents earlier this year? That was never fully explained either. I know why the Comets players were set free of their contracts (publicized delays in finding new investors). Of course also concerned equally about the Comets coming back.
The website has all merchandise on sale for 50% off. A fire sale shortly before the season opens? Not a good sign.
I feel bad for Chicago indoor fans. Great tradition there, but I think there is too much competition there for the MASL today. There seem to be two types of markets the league can be successful with: major league cities with no MLS, and what I'd call "AAA" cities with no real competition from outdoor soccer. St. Louis, Milwaukee, Baltimore, and San Diego fit the first type, while El Paso, Ontario, Tacoma, and CR fit that second type.
The Mustang did start drawing better crowds when Bofo joined the team. That did not end well. I agree, Chicago is a terrible market for indoor soccer. For a couple of seasons in the 90's, the Chicago Power were a very entertaining team to watch. Games versus Milwaukee were great! I know that indoor soccer is a very niche sport, but when a championship is on the line, this sport rocks!
Are the Mustang the next announcement after the Dallas SideKicks? I almost caught Tatu's jersey at the MISL All-Star game that was played at the old Chicago Stadium back in the late 80's. Good times back then!
There has been strong rumors that the Mustangs will play a 12 game season in the MASL2 , Also the arena they play in will not release dates until october.
RIP Chicago Mustang. Still amazed that indoor soccer existed at all here the past few years. When there was free parking, affordable tickets and your choice of seats, it was not a bad way to watch some very competitive indoor soccer matches. Even got into it with a couple of passionate Milwaukee Wave fans. Good times had by all. Some great experiences as well! There are some really classy players in the MASL. I loved during a match a year or two ago when the Baltimore Blast goalie came over during a break and just started a discussion with us. Just an average guy talking about soccer. Other than Van McNeil, (sorry random guy on these boards who is related to Van and always defends him despite him being a total ass!) I will miss the entire indoor soccer experience. Good luck to everyone on these boards with a local team to support! Farewell for now!!
Someone else can do the math, but how many winters since 1979-80 (which I THINK was the Sting's first indoor season, but it might have been the next year and I am too lazy to check right now) has there NOT been an indoor team in Chicago? Sting, Vultures/Shoccers, Horizons, Power...I guess between when the Power moved to Edmonton and the Storm started in 2004 was the longest stretch, right?
I think that you are right. The Vultures/Shockers are the only Chicago team that I never saw play. I remember taking public transportation from the city all the way to Rosemont, IL to watch the Horizons play. Back then, Rosemont was as far as I would venture into the world of suburbia. I never found reliable transportation to Villa Park at the time to watch the Vultures/Shockers play. When you are young, have public transportation, will travel.
1980-81 was actually the Sting's first indoor season. My bad. Here's the list: 1978-79: None 1979-80: None 1980-81: Sting (NASL), Horizons (MISL) 1981-82: Sting (NASL) 1982-83: Sting (MISL) 1983-84: Sting (NASL) 1984-85: Sting (MISL), Vultures (AISA) 1985-86: Sting (MISL), Shoccers (AISA) 1986-87: Sting (MISL), Shoccers (AISA) 1987-88: Sting (MISL) 1988-89: Power (AISA) 1989-90: Power (AISA) 1990-91: Power (NPSL) 1991-92: Power (NPSL) 1992-93: Power (NPSL) 1993-94: Power (NPSL) 1994-95: Power (NPSL) 1995-96: Power (NPSL) 1996-97: None 1997-98: None 1998-99: None 1999-00: None 2000-01: None 2001-02: None 2002-03: None 2003-04: None 2004-05: Storm (MISL2) 2005-06: Storm (MISL2) 2006-07: Storm (MISL2) 2007-08: Storm (MISL2) 2008-09: Storm (XSL) 2009-10: None 2010-11: Riot (MISL3) 2011-12: None 2012-13: Soul (MISL3), Mustangs (PASL) 2013-14: Mustangs (PASL) 2014-15: Mustangs (MASL) 2015-16: Mustangs (MASL) 2016-17: Mustangs (MASL) 2017-18: Mustangs (M2) So there have been 12 years out of 40 when there hasn't been at least one Chicago team playing indoor soccer, and eight of those years came in that one stretch.
The Mustangs aren't dead, they've just been relegated, which is the most exciting thing ever some people tell me.
I think I'll be going up to Waterloo this weekend to catch the Rampage-Mustangs pre-season game. I'll give a short write up on it here if I do.