Continental Indoor Soccer League

Indoor soccer league

Football league

Continental Indoor
Soccer League

Founded| 1989
First season| 1993
Folded| 1997
Country|  United States
Mexico
Number of clubs| 15
Last champions| Seattle SeaDogs
Most championships| Monterrey La Raza
(2 titles)
Broadcaster(s)| Prime Network
FSN Southwest

The Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) was a professional indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.

## History

[edit]

In 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

[edit]

Team  | NBA/NHL Affiliate  | City/Area  | Arena

|
|
|

Los Angeles United/Anaheim Splash | Los Angeles Lakers/Private owner  | Los Angeles, California/Anaheim, California | The Forum/Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim
Arizona Sandsharks | Phoenix Suns | Phoenix, Arizona | America West Arena
Carolina Vipers | Private owner  | Charlotte, North Carolina | Independence Arena
Dallas Sidekicks | Dallas Mavericks | Dallas | Reunion Arena
Detroit Neon/Safari | Detroit Pistons | Auburn Hills, Michigan | The Palace of Auburn Hills
Houston Hotshots | Private owner  | Houston | The Summit
Indianapolis/Indiana Twisters | Private owner  | Indianapolis | Market Square Arena
Las Vegas Dustdevils | Private owner  | Las Vegas | MGM Grand Garden Arena/Thomas & Mack Center
Monterrey La Raza | Private owner  | Monterrey, Nuevo León | Gimnasio Del Tec de Monterrey
Mexico Toros | Private owner  | Mexico City | Palacio de los Deportes
Portland Pride | Private owner  | Portland, Oregon | Memorial Coliseum/Moda Center
Pittsburgh Stingers | Pittsburgh Penguins | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh Civic Arena
Sacramento Knights | Sacramento Kings | Sacramento, California | ARCO Arena
San Diego Sockers | Private owner  | San Diego | San Diego Sports Arena
San Jose Grizzlies | San Jose Sharks | San Jose, California | San Jose Arena
Seattle SeaDogs | Seattle SuperSonics | Seattle | Seattle Center Coliseum/KeyArena
Washington Warthogs | Washington Capitals | Landover, Maryland | USAir Arena

## Lawrence 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

[edit]

### Most 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]

1. ^ Duarte, Joseph (September 11, 1997). "CISL's Weinstein calls league credible and eyes expansion". Sports Business Journal.
2. ^ CISL Communications (1997). CISL Official Guide. Sports Press LLC.
3. ^ "Jerry Colangelo Archives • Fun While It Lasted".
4. ^ "Alive & Kicking in the USA". Houston Chronicle. June 5, 1994.
5. ^ "South of the Border: Arena football – CISL head to Mexico". Sports Business Journal. October 7, 1994. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
6. ^ 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)

* v
* t
* e

Continental Indoor Soccer League

Seasons|

* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997

Teams

* Anaheim Splash
* Arizona Sandsharks
* Carolina Vipers
* Dallas Sidekicks
* Detroit Safari
* Houston Hotshots
* Indianapolis/Indiana Twisters
* Las Vegas Dustdevils
* Monterrey La Raza
* Mexico Toros
* Portland Pride
* Pittsburgh Stingers
* Sacramento Knights
* San Diego Sockers
* San Jose Grizzlies
* Seattle SeaDogs
* Washington Warthogs

* v
* 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)

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