Zoltan Toth: 1980s MISL

Source:Zoltan Toth- The MISL back in the 1980s.

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 it's 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 to 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.