World Indoor Soccer League

Indoor soccer league

Football league

World Indoor Soccer League

Founded| 1998
Folded| merged with MISL in 2001
Country| United States
Mexico
Number of clubs| 9
Last champions| Dallas Sidekicks

The World Indoor Soccer League (WISL) was a United States–based indoor soccer league that operated from 1998 to 2001 and consisted of nine teams.

## History

[edit]

After the demise of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, four of its teams decided to create a new indoor league to be called the Premier Soccer Alliance in 1998. The teams complemented their schedules with games against international teams. In 1999, two more former CISL teams (the Houston Hotshots and Monterrey La Raza) joined the league, which then changed its name to World Indoor Soccer League.

The World Indoor Soccer League (WISL) was formed through a merger between the US-based Premier Soccer Alliance and an English Indoor Football League, resulting in a name change from the original Premier Soccer League Alliance in 1999. Initially, plans included a European Division with teams like London United and Manchester Magic, but this concept was scrapped due to conflicting rules and lack of approval from The Football Association.

In 2000, the World Indoor Soccer League (WISL) considered a groundbreaking move, attempting to become the first U.S. professional sports league to sell its naming rights. The proposed deal would have resulted in a rebranded league, potentially named "The Pepsi World Indoor Soccer League." However, the effort ultimately did not come to fruition.[1]

The WISL folded in December 2001 when Dallas, St. Louis, and San Diego agreed to join the MISL while the remaining teams, the Utah Freezz, the Sacramento Knights and the Houston Hotshots folded.

## Champions

[edit]

### Season by Season

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Season  | Champion  | Score / series  | Runner-Up

|
|
|

1998 | Dallas Sidekicks | 6 to 2 | Sacramento Knights
1999 | Sacramento Knights | 7 to 6 | Dallas Sidekicks
2000 | Monterrey La Raza | 6 to 5 (SO 3-1) | Dallas Sidekicks
2001 | Dallas Sidekicks | 2-1 | San Diego Sockers

### By Team

[edit]

Team | Championships | Runner Up | Champions | Runner Up

|
|
|
|

Dallas Sidekicks | 2 | 2 | 1998, 2001 | 1999, 2000
Sacramento Knights | 1 | 1 | 1999 | 1998
Monterrey La Raza | 1 | 0 | 2000 |
San Diego Sockers | 0 | 1 |  | 2001

## Annual awards

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### Most Valuable Player

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* 1998 – Tatu, Dallas
* 1999 – David Doyle, Dallas
* 2000 – Mariano Bollella, Monterrey
* 2001 – Ato Leone, Sacramento

### Goalkeeper of the Year

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* 1998 – Dan Madsen, Sacramento
* 1999 – Brett Phillips, Portland
* 2000 – Sagu (Edilson Xavier), Dallas
* 2001 – Sagu (Edilson Xavier), Dallas

### Coach of the Year

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* 1998 – Tatu, Dallas
* 1999 – Iain Fraser, Sacramento
* 2000 – Jeff Betts, Utah
* 2001 – Iain Fraser, Sacramento

### Rookie of the Year

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* 1998 – Jorge Fernandez, Sacramento
* 1999 – Justin Labrum, Utah
* 2000 – Clint Regier, Houston
* 2001 – David Beltran, San Diego

### Defender of the Year

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* 1998 – Rusty Troy, Dallas
* 1999 – Iain Fraser, Sacramento
* 2000 – Rob Baarts, Utah
* 2001 – Iain Fraser, Sacramento

## Presidents

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Gordon Jago 1998–2001

## Teams

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Team  | City/Area  | Arena

|
|

Arizona Thunder | Phoenix, Arizona | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Dallas Sidekicks | Dallas, Texas | Reunion Arena
American Airlines Center (One Game)
Houston Hotshots | Houston, Texas | The Summit
Reliant Arena
Monterrey La Raza | Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico  | Gimnasio Nuevo León
Portland Pythons | Portland, Oregon | Rose Garden
Sacramento Knights | Sacramento, California | ARCO Arena
San Diego Sockers | San Diego, California | San Diego Sports Arena
St. Louis Steamers | St. Charles, Missouri | Family Arena
Utah Freezz | West Valley City, Utah | E-Center

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Cawley, Rusty (May 12, 2000). "Soccer league to sell naming rights". Dallas Business Journal. Retrieved July 26, 2008.

* 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)
* A-L (1996–2004)
* USL-1 (2005–2010)
* 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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