News: Indoor Professional League ( IPL )

Unfortunately, the only people that like MPS (and think it defines indoor soccer) are certain team owners.

 

I like it OK.

 

Gotta agree with that

 

I guess 4 teams at its inception is a good start, probably means 8 teams by fall. Hell it can't be easy to start a league and get new teams. Some leagues formed and kept making promises year after year but were never able to even play a single game. So if they can get to 8 teams I guess u have to (if your being honest and open minded) call it a huge success and I am ok with that!

 

Waynecorp. Agreed. It's not easy to start a league. Which makes it impressive that Hale has started or participated in MISL2, NISL, MISL3, MASL and IPL in the last 14 years. I'm unaware if he was involved in the NASL or AISA or not.

But the fact that it's hard doesn't mean you talk about AHL owners and buildings and grand proclamations of 8 teams.

He above all should know how hard it is.

 

Actually hang on a minute......

Did Ed Hale specifically talk about AHL owners or was this AHL talk all based off of Cardshopmd's posts?

I'm losing track

 

It was Hale during the infamous interview at halftime of the Blast-Comets game in Missouri.

 

He has been saying it for at least two years.

 

Maybe Hale should put a team in the AHL instead of trying to get AHL owners to put teams in the IPL.

 

Bring back the Skipjacks (or Bandits or Clippers)!

 

Seeing how AHL in Baltimore never averages more than 3,800 fans, with exception of a half a season with the Bandits, I doubt that'll make much sense.

Now I know everyone has their panties in a bunch with Hale, but the Blast could play a bunch of Washington Generals every year and still lead the country in attendance. If he wants to just have a league to get his way, he can. If it doesn't work, he'll still make money on a hobby. Welcome to the reality of indoor soccer in 2016.

 

Absolutely not. Blast already have issues trying to get dates in the 2nd half of the season with all the concerts, circus and other events in there. Thursday/Sunday games (and having to play in the afternoon on Saturdays) would kill attendance. Already lost 3 minor league hockey teams. Do not put another one in the Arena

 

Hale did say something about the AHL on Kick THIS some time ago but Im not sure he said AHL owners or AHL Cities as a suggestion?

 

With the 4 teams announced, what else are we looking at? Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and 2 unnamed Florida locations? Seems like the Ambush will be an outlier in the central time zone.

 

Soccer families are the base for our team in St. Louis, the support from the local soccer community has been very helpful. To be successful a team can't rely on that alone, but it is a good base to start from.

 

I talked to an IPL source who is sure more teams are going to join the IPL and be announced soon. All we can do is wait and see if the action occurs to back up the 'new teams from AHL cities' rumors & other 'reports' of teams joining. I won't believe anything until it actually happens.

I hope that history will not repeat itself (XSL/NISL fiasco comes to mind, WISL, MISL3, and so on). The sport is more cursed than the Cubs. Except the ineptitude has mostly been self inflicted. I have legitimate hope that the IPL is going to work out but I am not counting the unhatched chickens either.

 

That's really a good model. Find cities where soccer is popular and there are lots of youth leagues, then reach out to all the local clubs and build relationships with them, have promotions, honor them on the field, hold soccer camps in the summer. That's what the Blast does. Instead of being just a pro team, be a functioning soccer club and maybe even go as far as having a youth league of your own, or a youth travel team etc. I don't think the Blast has their own league, but they do hold multiple youth soccer camps. Honestly, you could make profit off of having a youth program, in addition to ticket and merchandise sales.

 

I would imagine that the Dallas Sidekicks would also join the IPL if that comes true.

 

The Blast do hold tournaments during the season prior to games. The concept is simple, yet it takes hard work and dedication. You HAVE to be in the community! People (especially kids who play or like soccer) need to know who these guys are locally so they have a connection and want to come out. Florida seems to have done a really good job so far of doing this.

 

If Chicago jumps ship that will be rough for MKE, they have quickly become real rivals. Close to travel and crowds have been drawn to those games. Maybe Chicago becomes key to getting a few midwest teams or ALL? I think a league with the 7 teams from the last version of the MISL and Florida , Chicago creates a real chance for excitement and expansion. Not sure since Rapids are a new club if they can contractually leave the MASL.

 

I think the sidekicks as they currently exist should and will say in the MASL regardless of what the Midwest teams do. Unless something changes next year and the can draw more than 1500 in paid fans they will be playing in a smaller rec center or be sold.