ok this is it think hard & tell the owners what you want to see next year in the leagues all you guys on here who claim to have a inside contact with the teams or claim to work for the team let the owners know what the fans want ( Not what they want ) they dont buy the tickets 1) come up with one indoor champion 2) have each team play a 3 Game Series with the different leagues ( have a lottery to figure out who plays who ) the team with the largest fan base gets the 3rd game all proceeds to be split between the teams 3) get a tv contract ( let them broadcast for free for 2 years ) this will put @$$'s in the seats 4) produce a magizine strickley for the leagues so we can keep up with it 5) all teams should do a webcast like rockford rampage has done 6) at the end of the year hold a jersey auction ( offer the entire uniform ) 7) change the scoring back to 1 point goals 8) add new over time rules here is a few ideas as to what you can do go to a shoot out compition play over time as you would & remove 1 player every 2 mins untill the game is over play over time as you would & remove the goal keepers & make the teams use the 6th attacker 9) remove the 3 line violation 10) bring back the over & back rule 11) players with 6 fouls in a game are Ejected 12) any player that aculmulates 3 2min penaltys in 2 games ( must sit out the next game ) any player who is ejected sits out 2 games 13) offer a school game Let the kids & anyone who wants to come in for free you can do this with a pre seasion scrimage game 14) have each player do a autograph signing through out the year at different locations of your home arena before the game starts 15) i my self would like to see the beer gargens removed from the front of the arena & placed back at the consession stands 16) place a mike on the referees like in football & let them make the calls to the fans 17) every team in the league must contribute $$$ to produce a comercial to showcase the leage not just your team 18 ) offer 1 place to buy all teams merchendise like on ebay in a store format or create one on the web site 19) when a team pulls it keeper to go to the 6th attacker in the 4th quarter he must remain on the feiled untill the end of the 4th quarter or a 2 min penaly, yellow card , or ejection is called 20) all teams need to sitdown 1 time a year in every league to discuss what works best & what does not share ideas & mistakes teams have made to cause them to loose money if the teams start talking it would be easer in the future for the teams to become one super league
Interesting ideas. The ones I favor are: - Mic the refs. Many people have no clue what the calls are. - One point for a goal. Simplify the game. Is it really necessary to create an incentive for teams to shoot from long distance, when rebounds in indoor soccer already create good scoring chances? - Do something to clean up the rough play. Tossing or suspending players with too many fouls, or certain types of fouls, would help do this. Instructing the refs on this point would also obviously help. - Webcasts. D'uh. Modern world. - Internet fan forum for each team. Perhaps there's not enough interest. But I'm not a diehard fan and I've looked for one for the Ignition without success. This probably means even more to others.
to see the real talent of these players is worth a 1 nill score I use to feel the same way until i learned the beauty of the game. sorry that is my take
Like I said: indoor soccer=hockey outdoor soccer=figure skating Outdoor soccer is like two boxers who are so talented that neither one can land a punch the whole fight. Or if basketball was held on a 100 yard court and teams had a 15 second shot clock to get off a shot.
For the sake of actually putting something meaningful into this topic.... Do not disband any of the three leagues. From the three, eventually one will be formed using the strongest markets/teams. XSL 2009/10 -- Expansion canidates should be looked at and contraction shouldn't be in their vocab. Chicago is fine, it's been trucking along without any major issues and the market is slimming down to their advantage. Cities to be looked at should be... Cleveland or Columbus, Des Moines, Omaha, KC,Toronto, Buffalo and Pittsburgh. The key to expansion for the XSL is not only staying within their boundries but no forcing themselves into any respective city. If only one team/city is added then so be it, educated stability is something they have going for them at this moment. Slow and steady wins the race. Pts. Scoring -- XSL should go with 1-2 pts for goals. Personally I like calling a goal a goal but the XSL needs to keep with it's aura and go with a simple 1 inside the arc, 2 outside. Players -- Right on track, scouting has been evident with players being pulled from inside the futsal world and the outdoor world. MISL high profile guys were brought in and though some the $$ spent was lavish, it proved a point that the XSL and it's owners are serious about their product. Mediums -- Internet is great and very indepth. The same team look for each site is a good thing in my opinion but I'd improve the overall look of the websites. If the XSL has the look of the NISL, it would be as close to perfect as one could hope for. B2 provided good coverage and the price wasn't too steep... with more games slated for next season one would hope for a smaller fee and a few perks for ordering a season package.. quick idea, free B2 coverage with all season tix purchases. Media coverage has been good and while the double dipping pr staff (mil-chi) seems bad, it's worked so far although someone should be placed in house for each team. Overall -- Stay on track and keep working the same angles. Xtreme Soccer League isn't what we as true fans of indoor are after but you have to admit it's not all that bad. Indoor can't be sold like the outdoor game and with the MLS and USL only getting bigger, indoor needs to sell it's self as soccer with an edge.. a place for your North American fix when the outdoor world is closed and so far the XSL hasn't nailed it but it's come fairly close. NISL 2009/10 --- Expansion within the NISL is in another world when compared to the XSL. Hale isn't scared of rolling the dice and using his house money when they don't roll the right way. He's proved time and again that he isn't afraid to force a situation and he might as well go with the same mind set for next season. Orlando didn't work out and aside from new ownership, the Shark tank should be drained altogether. In keeping with the rolled dice of Ed Hale, contraction should be in his vocabulary and Mass should be killed off. Cities to be looked at : Laredo, San Antonio, Tulsa, Charlotte, Hartford, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Tampa & Puerto Rico. If Mass moves to Hartford, even with the same ownership it should be done with a fresh new look and vibe. Get away from the Twister image and start a new. The rest of the cities should have solid ownership but somewhere untouched should be given a chance like Puerto Rico. Hale likes to implement his money and brazen ego to make things happen, might as well try to crack a market that is unproven and untested and see if you score a goal. This is a great luxury that the XSL can't afford to do, where as the NISL can and should. Pts. Scoring --- a goal is a goal. The red white n blue image and plain feeling of a top flight league should keep it simple. Dump the multi-pt system and go with what works. In a league where expansion can be done seemingly easily, there's no better way to win over fans by keeping the product fresh clean and simple... multi-pt scoring hurts both the image and the fan acceptance level. Players --- Not too far off at all from the XSL.....Having Mass in the league is what gives the push to the XSL. Splashing cash on a team's exsistance without the players to back it up is shooting yourself in the foot (Twisters). The NISL is full of top flight guys but the again the edge go's to the XSL in that their teams dug a little deeper in the world of non MISL players. A little scouting in the offseason could a seriously long way... no need to just through money at players all of the time when the same or better caliber guy could be had for less $$ with a little scouting behind yourself. Mediums --- The NISL's image of THE indoor league without the gimmicks should be backed up with a tv deal in place. Internet matches such as B2 is a good thing but if the NISL wants to be the best then it needs to provide the best. At this point n time, even a deal with the seemingly always willing VS channel would help. Personally I'd knock on Goal TV's door and see if they are interested. The NISL has a touch of hispanic flair to it and so does Goal TV, give it a shot. Their internet site is great and is very soft on the eyes and the brain but it's lacking that certain something. Get a touch more flash/bling to it.. player interviews and spotlight bio's would be the way to go. Again, if you're going to sell your league as the best then you need to sell your players as well and in today's world there's nothing more helpful then a solid presantation on the web... I do like their web product though, good stuff overall. Other mediums such as newspapers and the like need to be beefed up, plus I'd also sell a simple NISL indoor mag that went out monthly with player bio's, back stage team news/insight, etc... Overall -- It's a close race with the XSL and the 2009/10 season is going to show who is the stronger of the two. If Hale and the NISL want to be the best and only true indoor league then this is the time roll those dice. Slow n steady won't win the NISL over and will only help to hurt their image. Expansion can't be an over the top watered down affair but it can't be on the smallish side either. Hit an untouched market or two and put some $$ behind it and keep the proverbial fingers crossed. Dump the Twisters image altogether and stay away from even saying the word Orlando. If they want in, let the club explain their hiatus not the NISL. Make them wear the egg on their face if the enter or continue to stay away. Most things in the NISL are pretty good and overall they need to keep growing with more attention placed towards growth and presence in all area's of the East and Midwest. Like the XSL, stay away from the left coast and bring them in after the 2009/10 season. PASL 2009/10-- Streamline, Streamline, Streamline and a serious amount of ritalin for the front office (not a shot a Syd). So many fingers and so many cookie jars is killing this league off. Forget the barns,arena's and what not. Figure out if you're the savior to the CISL, the new kid on the block in Mexico or the alternative to the American scene. From scrapped matches and pub team stand in's counting for pts to cup after cup, just go back to the basic's and start from there. There's so much going on and so little control from the top. Everyone has a smile and multiple fingers crossed for the bright light that there's no true hope other then to slow down, go over the wrong's and get back to basics. The ulitmate solution is become what you were... a great second tier product for cities and owners who couldn't splash around the MISL style $$. There's nothing wrong with being a second tier league with top flight teams in cities untouched by the XSL or NISL. Go back to regional league's and keep the playoff system the same. Move the finals around to the cities that support your league and keep the fans wanting more. Offer the diehards a super travel package of hotels, player meet/greets and a full weekend of indoor heaven. The current path isn't the solution and you're going to be dead in the water once the X or N hits the left coast. Instead of reaching out anything that kicks a ball indoors, set up shop as the ultimate 2nd tier league and form an alliance with the X or N. The PASL had a so called working relationship with MISL and their demise didn't seem to hurt the PASL, so need to worry about if big brother moves away for good. Work the USL over a little more and try to duplicate more Richmond Kicker set ups where USL teams can keep players in house for the entire year while still providing training/cohesion in the offseason. Set up a draft system as well and go after the PDL/NPSL graduates who aren't at the MLS/USL 1 level as of yet. Many quality players just need another year or two of playing and working on their touches before they hit the big stage... go after those guys and grab yourself tomorrow's Tatu's & Preki's. If the path is going to continue the same as this season, then you need to raise the bar.... and I mean seriously raise that bar. Forget all of the possible angles to raise and fix and just go after raising the ownership bar. Don't let Tom n' Dick with their local indoor warehouse into the league with a pro team and minor league set up... if it's going to pro, then it needs to be pro... top to bottom. From pro players to pro set up's, it has be done on all levels with all teams. Don't mold a league around one or two properly set up teams, make the teams rise to the league.
I'll be there. Both games are good but the difference between the two is more like the difference between Football and Baseball. I can appreciate a good 0-0 outdoor game and a high scoring multi-point scoring or single point scoring indoor game.
Some of what you said is dead on, and some of what you said is just wrong. The XSL is headed in a direction that will make growth hard to impossible. Indoor soccer is not a sport that can sell itself. Indoor soccer is a special breed that requires a lot of attention. Doing things on the cheap will only keep the XSL where it is. Expansion can't work for indoor soccer without money. We've been down this road before and we know how this story ends. The NISL has the greater upside. The NISL has a group of business Governors that aren't afraid to grow this sport the right way. Owners in Baltimore, Rockford/Chicago, Monterrey are loaded. And they aren't afraid to spend to please the fans. Speaking as a fan, I would rather have more games with the atmosphere of the NISL Championship game than anything the XSL offered this year. Point being, the NISL is very aggressive and the XSL is not. If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch.
Can you give examples of this? If anything, it seems that the XSL teams, by secedeing from Hale and Grimaldi and starting their own circuit are the aggressors while the NISL from an outside glance looks no different than the old MISL. If you want to talk indoor, that's fine, but can you give examples to prove your hypothesis?
The most glaring hole in the XSL's business plan, is the lack of money. Now, there are those who will claim it to be some sort of fiscal responsibility, but the bottom line is that it has hurt this league. Who are we fooling, Chicago is on life support. New Jersey is failing and we all wonder how long the Devils owners will allow this to continue. Milwaukee has lost almost 60% of their attendance in the last 5 or so years. Money and the right promotions are the only way to succeed at indoor soccer. Case in point, Rockford/Chicago was doing bad out of the box. That ownership did some things to right the ship. He cut ticket prices. He attached themes to every game. The players got out in the community. And most importantly, the team started to win. Along with that, the Rampage experience a surge in attendance. Now their final numbers are still poor, but you can't help but see the growth. With the XSL's refusal to spend, expansion will be tricky. Not every city is within a Greyhound bus trip away. The days of the XSL teams spending to promote games to the tune of over 5,000 are over. In fact, that league had only 1 game with more than 5,000. Now that's sad.
Not that it makes a huge difference except to prove you're wrong again, but Milwaukee had at least two crowds over 7,000. Also, expansion will be tricky for the XSL because they have minimum standards to get in, like the 5 year commitment and the NISL, apparently, has none. Also, 26 of 27 Monterrey, Rockford and Massachusetts home games drew under 4,000.
kind of off the topic but Milwaukee is going to have a killer team next year if they keep their core of players from this year and Marcio is healthy and ready to go - they have an arsenal on the field and on the bench that will score goals The major thing that could hurt them is an expansion draft otherwise look out Now as a dedicated Storm fan I hope that we beat the tar out of them Now on track - both of these leagues just completed their first year and you have to give credit because both leagues survived the year with plusses and minusses - so now it is the waiting game to see what happens next although hate that scenario but it is a reality will there be 1 league - 2 leagues - 4 teams or 20 teams or something inbetween - only the shadow knows hoohoo hoo hooooo
OK, but here's where your logic is flawed. Take Chicago for example. Assuming you're willing to accept the premise that their attendance now is no worse than it has ever been, work with me here for a minute. During the MISL, they spent more on salary...in the first year, they spent a lot more on front office and marketing, and their attendance was miserable. Now, they're in a league where costs are lower, a salary cap is in place, and the revenue is roughly the same, assuming the attendance has been consistent. So, if they have the same poor attendance and half of the expenditures, wouldn't that prove they are doing better financially now? And isn't the first year...where they spent all that money and had the centralized arena, etc...the business plan you want them to employ...isn't that the season of the worst attendance, that of Shelts' game of 100 people...?
Problem with what you're saying, is that Chicago wasn't spending their money. They were spending other owners money. In fact, they still owe Mr. Hale about $300,000, as reported in the Baltimore Examiner.
Not that it matters when you're presenting yet another falacious argument, but he was talking about their first year when they weren't subsidized.
I'm just telling you what Mr. Hale said in a report that was in the Baltimore Examiner in November 2008. I'm almost certain that he would have a better account of his bank book than you would. That article was posted and the thread is still here if you would like to go back and read it. That would be better than trying to pick a fight. Wouldn't you agree.
From where I'm sitting the most glaring hole in the NISL's business plan is that it doesn't appear to have one.
We don't have to argue when it would be easier to just agree that you're wrong. I can't find the article, but didn't Hale say he supported the Storm the last three years? Well they played one year before that.
https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=835793 Here's the link to the thread. You can read it for yourself. To borrow your statement, "We don't have to argue when it would be easier to just agree you're wrong."