North American Soccer League (1968–84)

The North American Soccer League ( NASL ) was a professional football league in the United States of America ( USA) and Canada. It was operated from 1968 to 1984.

History

In 1967, at the same time two men's soccer professional leagues were founded in the United States. On the one recognized by FIFA United Soccer Association, which recruited twelve complete teams from Europe and South America, on the other hand, the National Professional Soccer League, which consisted of ten teams.

Both leagues were merged in 1968 in the North American Soccer League ( NASL ), which existed until 1984.

The most famous club in the league was certainly, at times, more than 40,000 spectators watched the games New York Cosmos to the stadium. Otherwise, the average visitor numbers, however, always under 15,000, less than nowadays can have the Major League Soccer.

Football ( soccer) was to teach the Americans never easy. They tried it with " Americanized " rules, but was also so only moderately successful. The fact that you shopped veterans from Europe and South America and U.S. players hardly came to the course, you did the rest.

Even if the NASL was a failure, it has nevertheless helped to make football a wide audience. Meanwhile, the sport among children has become the most popular team sport.

The MLS could build on the experience of the past, although we repeated some of the previous error, but it now seems to be on the right path. One builds special football stadiums for the teams, while earlier anmietete great American football arenas. The rules are now back to the world standard, and the import of ex- stars from the big football nations has been reduced.

Teams in the past 1968-84

  • Atlanta Apollos ( 1968-73, as Atlanta Chiefs from 1968-72 )
  • Atlanta Chiefs ( 1978-81, as Colorado Caribous 1978)
  • Baltimore Bays ( 1968-69 )
  • Boston Beacons (1968 )
  • Boston Minutemen ( 1974-76 )
  • Calgary Boomers ( 1978-81, as Memphis Rogues of 1978-80 )
  • California Surf ( 1968-81, as St. Louis Stars from 1968-77 )
  • Chicago Mustangs (1968 )
  • Chicago Sting ( 1975-84 )
  • Cleveland Stokers (1968 )
  • Dallas Tornado ( 1968-81 )
  • Detroit Cougars (1968 )
  • Edmonton Drillers ( 1975-82, as Hartford Centennials from 1975-76, as Connecticut Bicentennials 1977, when Oakland Stompers 1978)
  • Houston Stars (1968 )
  • Houston Hurricane ( 1978-80 )
  • Jacksonville Tea Men ( 1978-82, as New England Tea Men by 1978-80 )
  • Kansas City Spurs ( 1968-70 )
  • Los Angeles Wolves (1968 )
  • Los Angeles Aztecs ( 1974-81 )
  • Minnesota Strikers ( 1970-84 when Washington Darts of 1970-71, when Miami Gatos in 1972, when Miami Toros from 1973-76, as Fort Lauderdale Strikers from 1977-83 )
  • Minnesota Kicks ( 1974-81, as Denver Dynamo from 1974-75 )
  • Montreal Olympique ( 1971-73 )
  • Montreal Manic ( 1978-83, as Philadelphia Fury of 1978-80 )
  • New York Generals ( 1968)
  • New York Cosmos ( 1971-84 )
  • Oakland Clippers (1968 )
  • Philadelphia Atoms ( 1973-76 )
  • Portland Timbers ( 1975-82 )
  • Rochester Lancers ( 1970-80 )
  • San Diego Toros (1968 )
  • San Diego Sockers ( 1974-84, as Baltimore Comets from 1974-75, as San Diego Jaws in 1976, when Las Vegas Quicksilver 1977)
  • San Jose Earthquakes ( 1974-84, as Golden Bay Earthquakes of 1983-84 )
  • Seattle Sounders ( 1974-83 )
  • Tampa Bay Rowdies ( 1975-84 )
  • Team America (1983 )
  • Tulsa Roughnecks ( 1975-84, as San Antonio Thunder from 1975-76, as Team Hawaii 1977)
  • Toronto Falcons (1968 )
  • Toronto Blizzard ( 1971-84, as Toronto Metros of 1971-74 when Toronto Metros - Croatia from 1975-78 )
  • Tulsa Roughnecks ( 1978-84 )
  • Vancouver Royals (1968 )
  • Vancouver Whitecaps ( 1974-84 )
  • Washington Whips (1968 )
  • Washington Diplomats ( 1974-80 )
  • Washington Diplomats ( 1978-81, as Detroit Express of 1978-80 )

NASL Final Winner

NASL Indoor Soccer Final Winner

Important players in the NASL

Others

A special feature of the NASL, compared to the European or South American soccer league was that teams could not descend. Similarly, there was no climber. The championship was decided in the play-off mode. Draw did not exist, such games were decided by a so-called " shoot-out ".

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