Continental Indoor Soccer League

Continental Indoor
Soccer League
Founded	1989
First season	1993
Folded	1997
Country	United States ; Mexico
Number of teams	15
Last champions	Seattle SeaDogs
Most championships	Monterrey La Raza ; (2 titles)
TV partners	Prime Network ; FSN Southwest

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

History

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. It was then that the seed was planted in Ron's mind.^[1] One year later, in the fall of 1990, Ron Weinstein incorporated the Continental Indoor Soccer League, CISL. Ron, along with his business partner Jorge Ragde, 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] Jerry Buss stood by Ron every step of the way until Earvin "Magic" Johnson announced he was HIV positive.^[3] Jerry's mind was understandably taken elsewhere for a short period of time. Prior to his temporary absence, Jerry and Ron reached out to Phoenix Suns owner, Jerry Colangelo, and convinced him to be one of the inaugural members of the League.^[4]

In Dr. Buss's absence, Colangelo stepped up to the plate to take the lead role in working with Ron 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. Needless to say their efforts paid off and the CISL was launched with 7 teams committed to begin playing in the summer of 1993 with another eight contracted for 1994.^[5]

Monterrey La Raza made the CISL the first US league to have a team from Mexico participating. In 1995, a second team entered the league, the Mexico City Toros.^[6] By the end of the 1995 season, the third year of the league, 50% of the teams were already profitable; a feat unprecedented in professional sports history. In 1996, Ron signed a three-year agreement with FOX Sports to televise a game of the week nationally in prime time. Concurrently he signed with General Motors to a three-year million dollar contract to be the official car of the CISL.^[7] That same year, the Indiana Twisters became the next expansion franchise admitted to the league.

"The league has become very credible. ... We definitely look upon ourselves as a major-league sport. If you look at the roots of the NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and NFL, we are so far ahead of the game from where they were when they finished their fourth year." Ron Weinstein was quoted saying to the Houston Chronicle.^[8]

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.^[9]

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

Team	NBA/NHL Affiliate	City/Area	Arena
Anaheim Splash	Private owner	Anaheim, California	Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim
Arizona Sandsharks	Phoenix Suns	Phoenix, Arizona	America West Arena
Dallas Sidekicks	Dallas Mavericks	Dallas	Reunion Arena
Detroit Neon	Detroit Pistons	Auburn Hills, Michigan	The Palace of Auburn Hills
Carolina Vipers	Private owner	Charlotte, North Carolina	Independence Arena
Houston Hotshots	Private owner	Houston	The Summit
Indiana Twisters	Private owner	Indianapolis	Market Square Arena
Las Vegas Dustdevils	Private owner	Las Vegas	MGM Grand Garden Arena/Thomas & Mack Center
Los Angeles United	Los Angeles Lakers	Los Angeles	The Forum
Monterrey La Raza	Private owner	Monterrey, Nuevo León	Gimnasio Nuevo León
Mexico Toros	Private owner	Mexico City	Palacio de los Deportes
Portland Pride	Private owner	Portland, Oregon	Memorial Coliseum
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 Sonics	Seattle	Seattle Center Coliseum/KeyArena
Washington Warthogs	Washington Warthogs	Landover, Maryland	USAir Arena

Lawrence Trophy Champions

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

Team	Championships	Winning years
Monterrey La Raza	2	1995, 1996
Dallas Sidekicks	1	1993
Las Vegas Dustdevils	1	1994
Seattle SeaDogs	1	1997

Annual awards

Most Valuable Player

Goalkeeper of the Year

Coach of the Year

Rookie of the Year

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: Goran Vasic, Houston Hotshots

Defender of the Year

Playoff MVP

1993: Tatu, Dallas Sidekicks
1994: Branko Segota, Las Vegas Dustdevils
1995: Zizinho, Monterrey La Raza
1996: Raul Salas, Monterrey La Raza
1997: Juan de la O, Seattle SeaDogs

References

^ "Houston Chronicle".
^ CISL Communications (1997). CISL Official Guide. Sports Press LLC.
^ "ESPN".
^ http://www.funwhileitlasted.net/tag/jerry-colangelo/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1994_1206578/alive-amp-kicking-in-the-u-s-a-soccer-the-world-s.html. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ "The Daily".
^ http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/1997/05/2/Franchises/ITS-A-JUNGLE-OUT-THERE-SAFARI-LOOKING-FOR-LOGO.aspx?hl=CISL&sc=0. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ Duarte, Joseph. Houston Chronicle http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/1997/09/11/Leagues-Governing-Bodies/CISLS-WEINSTEIN-CALLS-LEAGUE-CREDIBLE-AND-EYES-EXPANSION.aspx?hl=CISL&sc=0. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ http://articles.latimes.com/1997/dec/24/sports/sp-1945. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

[1] "Houston Chronicle".

[2] CISL Communications (1997). CISL Official Guide. Sports Press LLC.

[3] "ESPN".

[4] ttps://www.funwhileitlasted.net/tag/jerry-colangelo/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[5] ttps://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1994_1206578/alive-amp-kicking-in-the-u-s-a-soccer-the-world-s.html. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[6] "The Daily".

[7] ttps://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/1997/05/2/Franchises/ITS-A-JUNGLE-OUT-THERE-SAFARI-LOOKING-FOR-LOGO.aspx?hl=CISL&sc=0. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[8] Duarte, Joseph. Houston Chronicle http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/1997/09/11/Leagues-Governing-Bodies/CISLS-WEINSTEIN-CALLS-LEAGUE-CREDIBLE-AND-EYES-EXPANSION.aspx?hl=CISL&sc=0. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[9] ttps://articles.latimes.com/1997/dec/24/sports/sp-1945. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

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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) USL W-League (1995–2015)