 | |
| Founded | April 18, 1984 (as AISA) |
|---|---|
| Folded | 2001 |
| Country |  United States  Canada |
| Number of teams | 15 |
| Last champions | Milwaukee Wave (2000–01) |
The National Professional Soccer League was a professional indoor soccer league in the U.S. and Canada. It was originally called the American Indoor Soccer Association.
In November 1983, a Kalamazoo, Michigan-based group called Soccer Leagues Unlimited unveiled a plan for an indoor league composed exclusively of American players. The group's president, Bob Lemieux (later AISA commissioner), announced that Kalamazoo, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Springfield, Illinois, were on board in what was he said was intended to be a sort of farm system, or developmental league, for the well established Major Indoor Soccer League. He added that groups in Indianapolis, Peoria, and Michigan cities, Saginaw and Flint; Kentucky cities, Lexington and Louisville; Ohio cities, Columbus Toledo and Dayton; Erie, PA; and Green Bay, Wisconsin, were all interested in joining the league. [1]
Officially starting on April 18, 1984, the American Indoor Soccer Association's charter franchises were Chicago, Milwaukee, Kalamazoo and Fort Wayne; [2] however, a Fort Wayne team did not materialize until the league's third season. Three other teams, Louisville, Canton and Columbus, all joined the league before the first season began in November 1984.
In 1990, the league changed its name to the National Professional Soccer League. [3] Over its 17 seasons, a total of 30 franchises in 32 cities were part of the league at one time or another. During the summer of 2001, the league disbanded and the six surviving teams formed the second incarnation of the Major Indoor Soccer League. [4]
When the league began in 1984, game rules were almost identical compared to the larger and more popular Major Indoor Soccer League. Beginning with the 1988–89 season, [5] the AISA changed their scoring system. Goals were now worth 1, 2, or 3 points depending upon distance or game situation. Basically, all non-power play goals scored from inside the yellow line were worth 2 points while non-powerplay goals from outside the yellow line (50 feet from the goal line) were worth 3 points. Any power play goal was worth 1 point, as was any goal scored during a penalty shootout. Before the 1994–1995 season, the three-point line was changed to a 45-foot arc. Eventually, power play goals were worth either two or three points, but penalty shootouts were still kept at one point.
Several NPSL teams had become and merged with the NISL, MASL, and XSL, and the WISL
| SEASON | CHAMPION | RUNNER-UP | SERIES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–85 | Canton Invaders | Louisville Thunder | 3–1 |
| 1985–86 | Canton Invaders | Louisville Thunder | 3–0 |
| 1986–87 | Louisville Thunder | Canton Invaders | 3–2 |
| 1987–88 | Canton Invaders | Ft. Wayne Flames | (Challenge Cup) |
| 1988–89 | Canton Invaders | Chicago Power | 3–2 |
| 1989–90 | Canton Invaders | Dayton Dynamo | 3–1 |
| 1990–91 | Chicago Power | Dayton Dynamo | 3–0 |
| 1991–92 | Detroit Rockers | Canton Invaders | 3–2 |
| 1992–93 | Kansas City Attack | Cleveland Crunch | 3–2 |
| 1993–94 | Cleveland Crunch | St. Louis Ambush | 3–1 |
| 1994–95 | St. Louis Ambush | Harrisburg Heat | 4–0 |
| 1995–96 | Cleveland Crunch | Kansas City Attack | 4–2 |
| 1996–97 | Kansas City Attack | Cleveland Crunch | 4–0 |
| 1997–98 | Milwaukee Wave | St. Louis Ambush | 4–1 |
| 1998–99 | Cleveland Crunch | St. Louis Ambush | 3–2 |
| 1999–2000 | Milwaukee Wave | Cleveland Crunch | 3–2 |
| 2000–01 | Milwaukee Wave | Philadelphia KiXX | 3–0 |
| TEAM | TITLES | SEASONS | RUNNER-UP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canton Invaders → Columbus Invaders → Montreal Impact | 5 | 84–85, 85–86, 87–88, 88–89, 89–90 | 86–87, 91–92 |
| Cleveland Crunch | 3 | 93–94, 95–96, 98–99 | 92–93, 96–97, 99–00 |
| Milwaukee Wave | 3 | 97–98, 99–00, 00–01 | – |
| Atlanta Attack → Kansas City Attack | 2 | 92–93, 96–97 | 95–96 |
| Louisville Thunder | 1 | 86–87 | 84–85, 85–86 |
| Chicago Power | 1 | 90–91 | 88–89 |
| Detroit Rockers | 1 | 91–92 | – |
| Tulsa Ambush → St. Louis Ambush | 1 | 94–95 | 93–94, 97–98, 98–99 |
| Dayton Dynamo → Cincinnati Silverbacks | 0 | – | 89–90, 90–91 |
| Fort Wayne Flames | 0 | – | 87–88 |
| Harrisburg Heat | 0 | – | 94–95 |
| Philadelphia KiXX | 0 | – | 00–01 |
The North American Soccer League (NASL) was the top-level major professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. It is considered the first soccer league to be successful on a national scale in the United States. The league final was called the Soccer Bowl from 1975 to 1983 and the Soccer Bowl Series in its final year, 1984. The league was headed by Commissioner Phil Woosnam from 1969 to 1983. The NASL laid the foundations for soccer in the United States that helped lead to the country hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup and setting up Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies were an American professional soccer team based in Tampa, Florida, that competed in the original North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1975 to 1984. They enjoyed broad popular support in the Tampa Bay area until the NASL folded in 1984, after which the team played in various minor indoor and outdoor leagues before finally folding on January 31, 1994. The Rowdies played nearly all of their outdoor home games at Tampa Stadium and nearly all of their indoor games at the Bayfront Center Arena in nearby St. Petersburg, Florida. Although San Diego played indoors until 1996, the Rowdies were the last surviving NASL franchise that played outdoor soccer on a regular basis.
The Canton Invaders was an indoor soccer club based in Canton, Ohio that competed in the National Professional Soccer League. After the 1995–96 season, the team relocated and became the Columbus Invaders.
The Kalamazoo Kangaroos were an indoor soccer club based in Kalamazoo, Michigan that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association.
The Fort Wayne Flames were an indoor soccer club based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association, playing home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum from 1986 to 1989.
Peter Hattrup is an American former professional soccer player who played professionally in Major League Soccer and the USL A-League.
James Swanner is a retired U.S. soccer goalkeeper and current soccer coach. He was a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic soccer team and earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1984. He spent his entire professional career playing indoor soccer.
Keith Tozer is a retired American soccer player who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Soccer League and American Indoor Soccer Association. He is currently the commissioner of the Major Arena Soccer League.
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Matt Knowles is a former U.S. soccer defender who spent most of his career playing indoor soccer. However, he also spent time in the American Professional Soccer League in the early 1990s and Major League Soccer.
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Dan O’Keefe is a retired American soccer forward who played over ten seasons in the U.S. indoor leagues. He led the American Indoor Soccer Association in scoring in 1989.
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Jeff Betts is an American former soccer forward and coach who spent most of his career playing indoor soccer. He was a three time All Star and the 2000 World Indoor Soccer League Coach of the Year.
Ed Puskarich is a retired U.S. soccer defender who had an extensive career which began in 1984 in the United Soccer League and ended in the Premier Development League. In between, he played in the American Indoor Soccer Association, National Professional Soccer League, USISL and Major League Soccer. He has coached at the youth, college and professional levels including four as an assistant coach and scout with the Dallas Burn. He is currently the head coach of the Dallas Sidekicks in the Major Arena Soccer League.
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Kalamazoo FC (KZFC) is a semi-professional soccer club from Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The club competes in USL League Two, the fourth-tier soccer league of the American soccer pyramid. Soisson-Rapacz-Clason Field serves as the club's home venue. It has a capacity for 2,200 spectators.
The 1986–87 American Indoor Soccer Association season was the third season of the league. The Columbus Capitals and Kalamazoo Kangaroos did not return after the 1985–86 season. Four teams, including former NASL stalwarts, Tampa Bay Rowdies, joined the league in 1986–87. The Fort Wayne Flames, Memphis Storm and Toledo Pride were all newly formed expansion teams. The addition of Tampa Bay in particular, and Memphis to a lesser degree, marked the AISA's first clubs outside of the Midwest. Rudy Pikuzinski of Canton won the league scoring title en route to his first of three straight MVP awards, while Memphis boss Terry Nicholl took home Coach of the Year honors.
The 2021 National Premier Soccer League season was the 19th season of the National Premier Soccer League and part of the 109th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in the United States. The 2020 season was cancelled after five weeks of play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Miami FC, the defending league champions from 2019, left in the previous off-season and joined the National Independent Soccer Association and later the USL Championship.
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