USIndoor's Official Magazine is a quarterly publication, dedicated to owners, managers, program administrators and other professionals, startups and providers involved with indoor recreational sports facilities.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/147741
So take an enclosed ice rink, add some turf and a few power plays and now we've really buggered up the original concept of soccer. And this is before we even get to basketball-style multiple point scoring, which was added by the NPSL in the 1990s. I think it's at least safe to say that no one is ever going to mistake the indoor game and the outdoor game for Doublemint Twins. Maybe it should have been called "Arenaball," since the game steals the best elements of soccer, hockey and basketball, and amalgamates them into a two hour thrill ride. Maybe it should have been called "Sockey." "Hocker" definitely was a wise pass. Did including the word "soccer" into the name of this sport bring about an unspoken mandate to be evermore a clone of the namesake simply due to semantics, and at the expense of the indoor game's own identity and prudent business objectives? I have several friends working in MLS and I took in a game with two accomplished team executives. I was pleased that neither asked me to place duct tape over the team logo on my polo shirt or to sit at the little kids table. I was not requested to submit to Fear Factor-like stunts in order to prove professional manhood, despite my chosen vocation as an MISL executive. Odd as it may seem, they appeared somewhat envious of the freedom and opportunities of our game. They spoke of their frustration in trying to build a larger fan base from the current stagnant situation they battled. In plain English, the game, the product, "soccer" may have maxed out as a draw. In order to attract new fans and increase Saturday, November 16 37. San Diego at Milwaukee 38. Cleveland at Philadelphia Wednesday, November 20 39. San Diego at Philadelphia Friday, November 22 40. Harrisburg at Cleveland Saturday, November 23 41. San Diego at Baltimore Sunday, November 24 42. Harrisburg at Dallas Friday, November 29 43. Kansas City at Dallas Saturday, November 30 44. San Diego at Philadelphia 45. Baltimore at Harrisburg 46. Milwaukee at Dallas 47. Cleveland at Kansas City attendance, they might need to try wild promotions, in-game entertainment, and dare I say, ingame music – all common to the indoor game and to virtually every American team sport that MISL Notes THE RETURN OF THE "ROCKET RED" BALL. The MISL will play the 2002-03 season with a specially designed SPALDING soccer ball that features the "Rocket Red" color utilized by the original MISL during the circuit's stay at the forefront of the American sports landscape. The ball, which features a burnt orange primary color with black panels and the MISL logo, will be introduced to play at the start of the 2002-03 MISL pre-season. This season, the MISL will play with eight teams, divided into Eastern and Western Divisions. In the East: Baltimore Blast, Cleveland Crunch, Harrisburg Heat and Philadelphia KiXX; and in the West: Dallas Sidekicks, Kansas City Comets, Milwaukee Wave and San Diego Sockers. The teams will play more within their own Conference than outside. has any significant fan base. It was that revered soccer purist, William Shakespeare, himself, who was quoted as saying, "aye, therein lies the rub." While those innovations could attract masses of potential new fans, who heretofore viewed soccer only slightly more interesting than watching water evaporate, those same changes would, by default, alienate the core fan base. How lucky, they lamented, that I was to work in a variation of the sport which was not bound by the handcuffs of tradition. I and my peers could continue to evolve this game for the American (continued on page 22) Sunday, December 1 48. San Diego at Harrisburg Thursday, December 5 49. Cleveland at San Diego Friday, December 6 50. Milwaukee at San Diego Saturday, December 7 51. Baltimore at Philadelphia 52. Cleveland at Harrisburg 59. Eight MISL teams vie this season for six playoff spots reserved for the top three finishers of each Conference. The playoffs begin with a one-game quarterfinal, followed by a one-game semifinal, and conclude with a best-of-three MISL Championship Series. October 12 will be a special night for longtime Sidekicks' fans as Michael Powers' number-five is retired. He will join Kevin Smith, No. 10; Doc Lawson, No. 22; and Krys Sobieski, No. 31 as the only Sidekicks players to have their numbers retired. Powers, also known as Mr. Defense, spent 15 seasons on the Sidekicks roster and was part of all four Dallas championship teams. He is also in the top-five for blocks in the history of indoor soccer. October 27 will be the biggest Birthday Party in Sidekicks history as we wish Gordon Jago a happy 70th. Jago spent the first 13 seasons of the Sidekicks in the roles of head coach, general manager, or president. He is a big part of the Sidekicks history and the North Texas soccer community. He is currently the Executive Director of Dallas Cup. The Philadelphia KiXX begin the defense of its 2001-02 MISL Championship October 5 in a home match against the Harrisburg Heat. Pre-game activities include the presentation of the 2002 Championship Trophy, Banner and Rings The Dallas Sidekicks will host the Kansas City Comets, Milwaukee Wave, and San Diego Sockers in a Western Conference pre-season tournament at the Inwood Soccer Center in Addison, TX on September 14-15. The Baltimore Blast will welcome the Cleveland Crunch, Harrisburg Heat, and Philadelphia KiXX to an Eastern Conference pre-season tilt at DuBurns Arena in Baltimore on September 21-22. Philadelphia at Kansas City Sunday, December 15 60. Cleveland at Dallas Saturday, December 21 61. Milwaukee at Philadelphia 62. Dallas at Kansas City 63. Baltimore at San Diego Thursday, December 26 64. Kansas City at San Diego Sunday, December 8 53. Dallas at Milwaukee 54. Philadelphia at Harrisburg Saturday, December 28 65. Kansas City at Cleveland 66. Dallas at Harrisburg Friday, December 13 55. Harrisburg at Baltimore Sunday, December 29 67. Baltimore at Harrisburg Saturday, December 14 56. Cleveland at Milwaukee 57. San Diego at Harrisburg 58. Baltimore at Dallas Tuesday, December 31 68. Dallas at Milwaukee 69. Harrisburg at Kansas City GOAL Indoor • Aug.-Sept. 2002• 17