Tweet
JS ONLINE: SPORTS: SOCCER:
E-MAIL | PRINT
THIS STORY
Wave will roll with new league
By CHARLES F. GARDNER
cgardner@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Sept. 11, 2008
A battle for indoor soccer league supremacy — or simply survival — is brewing between two rival leagues formed from the recent split of the Major Indoor Soccer League.
The Milwaukee Wave is pledging allegiance to the Xtreme Soccer League, which will feature four teams in its inaugural season. Also in the league: the New Jersey Ironmen, Chicago Storm and Detroit Ignition.
League sources indicate that the teams will play a four-month, 20-game season in 2008-’09, beginning in December. A news conference to announce details of the league’s launch is scheduled for Tuesday, with the Wave staging an event at the Milwaukee Theatre.
The rival league is the National Indoor Soccer League, headed by the Baltimore Blast, which won the 2008 MISL championship in April at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Philadelphia Kixx, Orlando Sharks, La Raza de Monterrey and the Rockford Rampage will join Baltimore.
The Rampage won the American Indoor Soccer League title last season and will be moving to a higher competitive level.
Sources indicated that the Wave chose the Xtreme Soccer League because of its single-entity structure and emphasis on reducing costs, including a salary cap. Teams entering the league are required to make a five-year commitment, in an effort to bring an element of stability and provide a foundation for future members.
Additional members are being sought for future seasons; discussions have taken place with several interested parties, sources said.
The Wave and other clubs will try to re-sign players on their rosters, and no draft is scheduled for the new league this season.
The Xtreme Soccer League will include other elements as part of what is called the Xtreme Soccer Experience. The Wave will continue its three-month summer camp program, and is going ahead with plans for its Premier Training Academy, which it hopes to locate in Cudahy. Futsal and school programs will also be involved.
The National Indoor Soccer League will not have a commissioner and will rely on cooperation among teams. The Xtreme Soccer League plans to announce a commissioner on Tuesday.
Both leagues plan to continue the same rules of play and the six-man indoor game used in the MISL.
E-MAIL | PRINT
THIS STORY
Wave will roll with new league
By CHARLES F. GARDNER
cgardner@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Sept. 11, 2008
A battle for indoor soccer league supremacy — or simply survival — is brewing between two rival leagues formed from the recent split of the Major Indoor Soccer League.
The Milwaukee Wave is pledging allegiance to the Xtreme Soccer League, which will feature four teams in its inaugural season. Also in the league: the New Jersey Ironmen, Chicago Storm and Detroit Ignition.
League sources indicate that the teams will play a four-month, 20-game season in 2008-’09, beginning in December. A news conference to announce details of the league’s launch is scheduled for Tuesday, with the Wave staging an event at the Milwaukee Theatre.
The rival league is the National Indoor Soccer League, headed by the Baltimore Blast, which won the 2008 MISL championship in April at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Philadelphia Kixx, Orlando Sharks, La Raza de Monterrey and the Rockford Rampage will join Baltimore.
The Rampage won the American Indoor Soccer League title last season and will be moving to a higher competitive level.
Sources indicated that the Wave chose the Xtreme Soccer League because of its single-entity structure and emphasis on reducing costs, including a salary cap. Teams entering the league are required to make a five-year commitment, in an effort to bring an element of stability and provide a foundation for future members.
Additional members are being sought for future seasons; discussions have taken place with several interested parties, sources said.
The Wave and other clubs will try to re-sign players on their rosters, and no draft is scheduled for the new league this season.
The Xtreme Soccer League will include other elements as part of what is called the Xtreme Soccer Experience. The Wave will continue its three-month summer camp program, and is going ahead with plans for its Premier Training Academy, which it hopes to locate in Cudahy. Futsal and school programs will also be involved.
The National Indoor Soccer League will not have a commissioner and will rely on cooperation among teams. The Xtreme Soccer League plans to announce a commissioner on Tuesday.
Both leagues plan to continue the same rules of play and the six-man indoor game used in the MISL.