Do you know where the Rampage will play? I'm guessing that it will be at a facility similar to the ones they played at during their time in the AISL.
Victory Sports Complex this year with an eye on a return to the Metro Centre in the future. Official league announcement coming soon (perhaps today).
Long time reader, first time poster. Glad to be back in Rockford. Team will be very good with a lot of indoor veterans returning. We'll have some new faces as well. Chicagoland talent very deep and we'll be searching for new players, too. Looking forward to balling it up again this year. Hopefully we'll see a lot of people up at Victory Arena this year. Much love to all the indoor fans on BS.
Rockford Rampage Added to PASL Lineup 8/21/12 - The Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL) announced the Rockford Rampage have joined the league for the 2012/13 season. The Rampage, who previously have competed in the AISL and NISL/MISL before sitting out the last two seasons, will once again be guided by Head Coach Jeff Kraft. His assistant coach will be Armando Sanchez. Rockford made three straight championship appearances from 2006/07 to 2008/09, winning the AISL title in 2007. The Rockford Rampage will play their games at Victory Sports Complex in Loves Park where they played their memorable 2007 championship season. Saul Robles, owner of Victory Sports Complex, will serve as President of the Rampage. "The Rampage is back!" said Kraft. "We look forward to renewing old rivalries and mixing it up with new competition in the PASL." The Rampage will announce a press conference shortly to reintroduce themselves to the local media and public. For information on tickets and sponsorships you can e-mail the Rampage at info@rockfordrampage.com About Professional Arena Soccer League and Premier Arena Soccer League The PASL is a professional league which began play on October 25, 2008. The league, entering its fifth season, consists of US teams, the CMISL (Canada), and the LMFR (Mexico). The Dallas Sidekicks, Harrisburg Heat, Las Vegas Legends, Tucson Extreme, and Rockford Rampage have been added for the 2012-13 season. The PASL-Premier just completed its 15th season as the nation's top amateur arena soccer league. The PASL and PASL-Premier are members of Federacion Internacional de Futbol Rapido (FIFRA).
This is great for the PASL. It keeps growing and growing. I wonder if there will be any more teams added before the season starts.
I'm very glad to see the Rampage return. Congratulations to the PASL and the Rampage and I wish them great success. Although the Rampage is not a Chicago team, I'm sure I'll find myself heading out to the Victory Sports Complex to catch a couple of games.
I hope they do well , The PASL is on a roll this year adding teams with larger arenas sonner or Later the Misl and the PASL will work together and have inter league play it only makes sense with all the former MISL teams they now have in place
Really? r u serious? Besides Kraft, Ante, a few others and the name this is nothing to get excited about. - when they play at the Metro Center and draw a few thousand fans then you can be excited. Playing in a rec center in front of family and friends doesn't cut it as PRO Soccer. Sorry Ante- my Men's team plays at Du Burns arena and we don't claim to be a pro team (not that you said you do) BUT for the pasl to add any tom dick and harry.. just plain pathetic. .. YOU FREAKING NEED STANDARDS MILLIKEN! Damn it this is BS if this is where the damn game is at Skip- you are not the norm. Maybe you and 2 other fans will drive to a practice facility to watch, but nobody else will pay any attention PS- I'd venture to say the "Rampage" did not have to pay any fee since they were an "established club" in years prior.. if that's the case then Kraft and co got some players together one night at the bar, they'll throw some black tees together with highlighted names in marker on the back, head to Dicks to get a size 5 ball and we're off!
The Rampage definitely did not get in for free first of all. Second, from what I'm told their facility is similar to Louisville and can get as many as 1,500. Third, this is an experienced organization that formerly competed in the MISL. I think when they played in this facility in the AISL they drew in the 500-700 range, which would be a little low, but it would be feasible in the PASL. On the field I bet they will be very competitive. They are coming into this late, but there is always the option of going back to Metro in future seasons once they get re-established.
This is a good level for them and a good franchise for you guys. But, just as an aside, remember when we were told their MISL ownership had so much money, they couldn't help but be successful? Good times.
Different organization all together than before other than the coach in Kraft. Rubio and Oscar are not involved. Also, they don't have a website even up yet. Also, can't go back to the Metro Centre do to unpaid bills from the actual owner of the Rampage franchise. Plus the turf doesn't exist it's now in Wichita. Team will be good, cause Kraft will put a good product on the field. He's a good guy. Again if I'm Dallas this is the last thing I want to see, is another team playing in a rec center. Big difference between Victory in Illiniois and Mockingbird in Louisville is about 20 years and 2 foreclosures, plus a lot of Windex and a broom. Otherwise seating is very similar at both indoor soccer facilities.
If I'm Dallas, I'm less concerned with a facility my fans are highly unlikely to ever see and more concerned with my own arena and the experience I can provide to potential ticket-buyers.
Agree to disagree. I know here in Kansas City, the fans travel to away games. To Rochester if you can believe it. Of course your in game experience is the most important. I'm not understating that. Also, knowing that a talented well oiled team and organization that is on the same level as you helps sell tickets in your own market.
You can agree to whatever you like. But "seeing another team in a rec center" is NOT the "last thing Dallas wants to see." Dallas is doing what it does. They're not selling, "Hey, we're in a league that has a team in Rockford and maybe one in Cincinnati and maybe not and some of them play in rec facilities." They're selling "Remember us? We're back and our tradition is back and remember the fun we had? And, look, a nice arena here!" 99.99% of Dallas fans are never going to see the inside of the facility in Rockford. Slightly more may recognize there's a team in Rockford. But it won't impact Dallas' ability to sell tickets.
Not one indoor soccer fan for the last 20+ years has been able to buy a ticket knowing that all the other organizations in the league their team is in are top-notch organizations.
Fifaman, I went to some Rampage games when the team was in the AISL. The team had some excellent players, including Ante Cop, who I consider a true professional in every sense of the word. And they consistently drew local fans in the AISL although the crowds were maybe 500-700 most of the time. A number of soccer fans in the Rockford area and a few of us in the Chicago area will be very happy to see them return to indoor soccer.
Guys...would we like to be playing in the MetroCentre? Sure. We'll be there next year from what it looks like. We can't wait to play in the PASL. For us, it's as professional as it gets and we'll treat it as such. Coach Jeff and the rest of us will give Rockford something to be proud of once again. I know I am ready to go and so are the other guys. We have nothing but respect for the teams in the MISL. But, that door is closed because of some past indiscretions on their part. We are part of the PASL now and will go about trying to win a title. Hopefully we see a bunch of you out there during the season. Don't be afraid to come and say hello. Love to meet all of you. All the best.