Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) was a professional indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.
 | |
| Founded | 1989 |
|---|---|
| First season | 1993 |
| Folded | 1997 |
| Country |  United States  Mexico |
| Number of teams | 15 |
| Last champions | Seattle SeaDogs |
| Most championships | Monterrey La Raza (2 titles) |
| TV partners | Prime Network FSN Southwest |
History
editIn the summer of 1989 Dr Jerry Buss, the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and California Sports, told his executive Vice President, Ron Weinstein, he was closing the doors on the Los Angeles Lazers of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and that if he ever wanted to "create a professional indoor soccer league that played in the summer months, out from under the shadow of the NBA, NFL, NHL, NCAA Football and NCAA Basketball", he would support the endeavor.[1] One year later, in late 1990, Ron Weinstein incorporated the Continental Indoor Soccer League with his business partner Jorge Ragde. They drafted all the necessary franchise documents to bring the league into fruition and create what was the first professional sports league to operate under the "single entity" formula in 1991.[2] Buss later took a leave of absence from the project and was temporarily replaced by Phoenix Suns owner, Jerry Colangelo, who joined as one of the inaugural members of the league.[3]
Colangelo and Weinstein took the lead role in working to attract NBA and NHL owners. Through Buss's and Colangelo's cooperative efforts they orchestrated two CISL meetings in conjunction with their own NBA Board of Governors meetings. The first was held in 1991 in Marina Del Rey and the second in New York City in 1992. CISL was launched with 7 teams committed to begin playing in the summer of 1993 with another eight contracted for 1994.[4]
Monterrey La Raza made the CISL the first US league to have a team from Mexico participating. In 1995, a second Mexican team entered the league, the Mexico City Toros.[5]
By the end of the 1995 season, the third year of the league, 50% of the teams were already profitable. In 1996, CISL signed a three-year agreement with FOX Sports to televise a game of the week nationally in prime time. That same year, the Indiana Twisters became the next expansion franchise admitted to the league.
In the fall of 1997, the surprising demise of the league took place primarily due to differences of direction between the NBA/NHL owners and three of the leagues non NBA/NHL teams: Dallas, Portland and Houston. They collaborated in an effort to leave the CISL and form their own league, The Premier Soccer Alliance. It is the opinion of many executives within the sports world, that indoor Soccer has never again reached the pinnacle of the CISL since operations formally ceased in the winter of 1998.[6]
The Continental Indoor Soccer League Championship Trophy was titled the "Lawrence Trophy" named in honor of the commissioner and founder's father, Lawrence Albert Weinstein.
Teams
editLawrence Trophy Champions
edit| Season | Champion | Series | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Dallas Sidekicks | 2–1 | San Diego Sockers |
| 1994 | Las Vegas Dustdevils | 2–1 | Dallas Sidekicks |
| 1995 | Monterrey La Raza | 2–1 | Sacramento Knights |
| 1996 | Monterrey La Raza | 2–0 | Houston Hotshots |
| 1997 | Seattle SeaDogs | 2–0 | Houston Hotshots |
By Team
edit| Team | Championships | Runner Up | Champions | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monterrey La Raza | 2 | 0 | 1995, 1996 | |
| Dallas Sidekicks | 1 | 1 | 1993 | 1994 |
| Las Vegas Dustdevils | 1 | 0 | 1994 | |
| Seattle SeaDogs | 1 | 0 | 1997 | |
| Houston Hotshots | 0 | 2 | 1996, 1997 | |
| Sacramento Knights | 0 | 1 | 1995 | |
| San Diego Sockers | 0 | 1 | 1993 |
Annual awards
editMost Valuable Player
edit- 1993: Tatu, Dallas Sidekicks
- 1994: Tatu, Dallas Sidekicks
- 1995: Preki, San Jose Grizzlies
- 1996: Tatu, Dallas Sidekicks
- 1997: Paul Dougherty, Houston Hotshots
Goalkeeper of the Year
edit- 1993: Joe Papaleo, Dallas Sidekicks
- 1994: Antonio Cortes, San Diego Sockers
- 1995: Mike Dowler, Sacramento Knights
- 1996: Juan de la O, Seattle SeaDogs
- 1997: Juan de la O, Seattle SeaDogs
Coach of the Year
edit- 1993: Gordon Jago, Dallas Sidekicks
- 1994: George Fernandez, Anaheim Splash
- 1995: Erich Geyer, Monterrey La Raza
- 1996: Trevor Dawkins, Houston Hotshots
- 1997: Fernando Clavijo, Seattle SeaDogs
Rookie of the Year
edit- 1993: Marco Lopez, Monterrey La Raza
- 1994: John Olu–Molomo, San Diego Sockers
- 1995: Mark Chung, San Diego Sockers
- 1996: Carlos Farias, San Diego Sockers
- 1997: Guillermo Castaneda, Washington Warthogs
Defender of the Year
edit- 1993: Sean Bowers, Sacramento Knights
- 1994: Ralph Black, Anaheim Splash
- 1995: Danny Pena, Sacramento Knights
- 1996: Troy Snyder, Washington Warthogs
- 1997: Genoni Martinez, Monterrey La Raza
Playoff MVP
edit- 1993: Tatu, Dallas Sidekicks
- 1994: Branko Šegota, Las Vegas Dustdevils
- 1995: Zizinho, Monterrey La Raza
- 1996: Raul Salas, Monterrey La Raza
- 1997: Juan de la O, Seattle SeaDogs
References
edit- ^ Duarte, Joseph (September 11, 1997). "CISL's Weinstein calls league credible and eyes expansion". Sports Business Journal.
- ^ CISL Communications (1997). CISL Official Guide. Sports Press LLC.
- ^ "Jerry Colangelo Archives • Fun While It Lasted".
- ^ "Alive & Kicking in the USA". Houston Chronicle. June 5, 1994.
- ^ "South of the Border: Arena football – CISL head to Mexico". Sports Business Journal. October 7, 1994. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
- ^ Henderson, Martin (December 24, 1997). "Soccer League Will Cease Operations". Los Angeles Times.
External links
edit- All-Time CISL Standings
- All-Time CISL Attendance
- All-Time CISL Scores
- All-Time CISL Coaching Records
- Continental Indoor Soccer League history – American Soccer History Archives
- CISL rules and regulations from The Indianapolis Star (1996)