American Soccer League (1988–1989)

For other uses, see American Soccer League (disambiguation).

Former soccer league

Football league

American Soccer LeagueFounded| 1988

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Folded| 1989
Replaced by| American Professional Soccer League
Country| United States
Number of clubs| 10

The American Soccer League was a professional soccer league in the United States. The league was founded in 1988 as an East Coast counterpart to the West Coast-based Western Soccer Alliance. The American Soccer League lasted only two seasons, merging with the WSA in 1990 to form the American Professional Soccer League. The ASL is unrelated to either of the previous leagues which were also named "American Soccer League".

## History

[edit]

The league comprised ten teams on the East Coast in an attempt to support professional outdoor soccer in the wake of the North American Soccer League's collapse in 1984.[1] During its second season, the league champion Fort Lauderdale Strikers played the San Diego Nomads, champions of the Western Soccer Alliance in the 1989 National Pro Soccer Championship.[2] On February 22, 1990, the ASL and WSA announced that they would merge to form the American Professional Soccer League. The inaugural season would be modeled based on Major League Baseball, with separate schedules and the winners of each league playing a championship game. The new league would satisfy a requirement from FIFA to establish and maintain a professional league ahead of the 1994 World Cup, to be hosted by the United States.[3]

## Teams

[edit]

* Albany Capitals (1988–89)
* Boston Bolts (1988–89)
* Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–89)
* Maryland Bays (1988–89)
* Miami Sharks (1988–89)

* New Jersey Eagles (1988–89)
* Orlando Lions (1988–89)
* Tampa Bay Rowdies (1988–89)
* Washington Diplomats (1988–89)
* Washington Stars (1988–89)

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## Champions

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Season  | Winner  | Runners-up  | Top scorer

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1988 | Washington Diplomats | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | Jorge Acosta
1989 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | Boston Bolts | Ricardo Alonso
Mirko Castillo
ASL/WSL Championship  Year  | Winner  | Score  | Runners-up  | Venue  | Location  | Attendance

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1989 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 3–1  | San Diego Nomads | Spartan Stadium | San Jose, California | 8,632

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Lazzarino, Chris (April 15, 1988). "Soccer's goal—survival with a profit". South Florida Sun Sentinel. p. 1C. Retrieved May 31, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ Ferman, Gary (September 8, 1989). "Soccer contrasts collide on field". The Miami Herald. p. 7D. Retrieved May 31, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ Richardson, Kenneth (February 23, 1990). "Seattle part of new soccer merger". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. G4.

## External links

[edit]

* Historical overview of the Soccer Wars
* Year by year standings

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American Soccer League (1988–1989)

* 1988
* 1989

Teams|

* Albany Capitals
* Boston Bolts
* Fort Lauderdale Strikers
* Maryland Bays
* Miami Sharks
* New Jersey Eagles
* Orlando Lions
* Tampa Bay Rowdies
* Washington Diplomats
* Washington Stars

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* t
* e

Defunct soccer leagues in the United States

Outdoor|

* ALPF (1894–1895)
* NAFL (1895–1921)
* ASL (1921–1933)
* ESL (1928–1929)
* ASL (1933–1983)
* NASFL (1946–1947)
* USA (1967)
* NPSL (1967)
* NASL (1968–1984)
* USL (1984–1985)
* WSA (1985–1989)
* LSSA (1987–1992)
* ASL (1988–1989)
* APSL (1990–1996)
* USL-2 (1995–2010)
* USL-1 (1996–2009)
* NASL (2011–2017)
* APSL (2015–2018)

Indoor/arena|

* MISL (1978–1992)
* NPSL (1984–2001)
* CISL (1993–1997)
* EISL (1997–1998)
* WISL (1998–2001)
* MISL (2001–2008)
* AISL (2002–2008)
* XSL (2008–2009)
* MISL (2008–2014)

Women's|

* WUSA (2001–2003)
* WPS (2009–2011)
* WLS (2011–2013)
* WPSL Elite (2012–2013)
* USL W-League (1995–2015)

* v
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* e

Soccer in the United States

* U.S. Soccer Federation
* USASA
* USCS
* State Soccer Associations
* League system
* History
* First game
* College
* Hall of Fame
* Awards
* Clubs
* International competition
* Champions
* Venues (stadiums by capacity
* soccer-specific stadium)
* Women's

Men's|

| National teams|

* Senior (results
* players)
* U23
* U20
* U18
* U17
* U15
* Beach soccer
* Futsal
* indoor soccer
* Paralympic

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Outdoor leagues|

| Professional|

* MLS
* History
* Playoffs
* MLS Cup
* USL Division One (proposed)
* USL Championship
* USLC Final
* USL League One
* NISA
* MLS Next Pro

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Amateur|

* USL League Two
* NISA Nation
* NPSL
* CSL
* EPSL
* EPLWA
* GCPL
* LfC
* MWPL
* OVPL
* SFSFL
* UPSL
* USLPA

Defunct|

* AFA (1884–1924)
* ALPF (1894)
* APSL (2015–2018)
* NAFL (1895–1898)
* ASL (1921–1933)
* ASL (1933–1983)
* NASFL (1946–47)
* USA (1967)
* NPSL (1967)
* NASL (1968–1984)
* USL (1984–85)
* LSSA (1987–1992)
* ASL (1988–89)
* WSA (1989)
* USISL (1989–1994)
* APSL (1990–1996)
* USL-2 (1995–2010)
* USL-1 (1996–2009)
* D2 Pro (2010)
* PLA (2015–2017)
* NASL (2011–2017)

Indoor leagues|

| Current|

* MASL
* MASL2
* MASL3
* MLIS
* PASL
* WISL

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Defunct|

* NASL (1975–76, 1979–1984)
* MISL (1978–1992)
* NPSL (1984–2001)
* CISL (1993–1997)
* EISL (1997–98)
* WISL (1998–2001)
* MISL (2001–2008)
* AISL (2003–2008)
* XSL (2008–09)
* MISL (2008–2014)
* NISL

Futsal leagues|

* MLF
* PFL

Cup competitions|

| Current|

* U.S. Open Cup
* USL Cup
* National Amateur Cup
* Hank Steinbrecher Cup
* U.S. Open (indoor)

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Defunct|

* AAFA Cup
* American Cup
* Lewis Cup

Women's|

| National teams|

* Senior (players)
* U23
* U20
* U19
* U18
* U17
* U15
* Beach soccer
* Futsal
* Deaf

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Outdoor leagues|

| Professional|

* NWSL
* NWSL Challenge Cup
* NWSL Shield
* Playoffs
* USL Super League
* NWSL Division 2 (proposed)
* WPSL PRO (proposed)

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Amateur|

* USL W League
* WPSL
* UWS
* OVPL

Indoor leagues|

* PASL

Futsal leagues|

* MLF

International competitions|

* SheBelieves Cup
* Tournament of Nations

Club competitions|

* Women's Open
* Women's Amateur

Defunct leagues|

* W-League (1995–2015)
* WUSA (2001–2003)
* WPS (2009–2011)
* WPSL Elite (2012)
* NISL

Youth|

| Leagues|

* AYSO
* ECNL
* NFHS
* USYSA
* USL Youth
* MLS Next
* USL Academy

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Competitions|

* US Youth Soccer National Championships

By city|

* Houston
* Los Angeles
* New York City
* Seattle
* St. Louis

Other topics|

* International tournaments hosted
* Most expensive American soccer transfers
* Broadcast rights
* Soccer America

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