Zoltan Toth: The 1980s MISL

MISL-80s Part 1

Source:Zoltan Toth– 1980s Major League Soccer.

Source:The Daily Press 

“Major Indoor Soccer league in the 80s History Videos in 4 Parts.”

From Zoltan Toth

As someone who grew up as a sports junky, but now considers myself a recovering sports junky as an adult, who still have a healthy appreciation for sports, even though it’s no longer my main interest, perhaps not even by far, I was introduced to indoor soccer in my late teens. Seeing the MISL on ESPN and the Baltimore Blast who are still in business today on local sports TV. I got to appreciate and understand the game. Its sort of like a combination of basketball and hockey, as far as the side of the field and the ball movement. With the positives of soccer as well, but its a much faster game inside. Smaller field, fewer players and faster, with no offsides. So players have more freedom to actually try to score and to win.

In outdoor soccer, managers and teams, tend to play not lose and for a tie. Which happens a lot in soccer. And with this sports fast paced and high scoring, I always wondered why the sport has never taken off. And least become as popular as Major League Soccer. I just don’t believe the sport which I call futsal, which is what it’s called in Europe and I believe in Mexico, has been marketed very well and doesn’t have a strong enough connection with pro soccer. And it doesn’t have a farm system, like pro minor Leagues as well as college level leagues. Or like little leagues for kids. Americans, generally don’t grow up playing futsal. They come by it as pro soccer players, because they haven’t made it to the majors generally.

I’m glad the MISL has merged with the United Soccer Leagues or USL. Which is basically in charged of minor league soccer in America. Because this will save the MISL and prevent it from going out of business. But I believe the MISL is a lot better than a minor sports league. And at some point could become a major pro Sport in America, like in Mexico. Because the players are here to make that happen. But for that to happen, I believe the MISL needs to merge with Major League Soccer. And have each MLS franchise sponsor and run a MISL franchise in their market. With the MISL playing in the fall and winter and of course the MLS playing in the spring and summer. This would save the MILS indefinitely, because the leagues could market each other together and grow together.

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About Erik Schneider

I use the American Liberal photo as the cover photo for this blog, because that’s exactly what I am. And no, not in the stereotypical, sort of pop culture sense of what an American Liberal is supposed to be. But someone who represents what American liberalism, as well as European liberalism, and perhaps the liberalism of the rest of the world outside of the United States. Liberals are people who believe in defense of liberal democracy, as well as the preservation of liberal democracy. And of course we also believe in liberal democracy with all the individual rights, and other liberal values that come from liberal democracy, the liberal democratic form of government, like equal opportunity, equal rights, equal justice, property rights, individual freedom and freedom of choice for everybody, as well as limited but responsible government, and fiscal responsibility
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