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National Indoor Soccer League

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For the other former league, see Major Indoor Soccer League (2008–2014).

National Indoor Soccer League
FoundedJanuary 2021; 3 years ago (2021-01)
CountryUnited States
Number of clubs5
Current championsFayetteville Fury (Men)
Memphis Americans (Women)
Most championshipsFayetteville Fury (Men) (1 title)
Memphis Americans (Women) (1 title)
Websitewww.nislpro.com

The National Indoor Soccer League (NISL) was an indoor soccer league plagued with internal controversy that began play in 2021 and was based in the Southeast United States. The league fielded men's and women's divisions.[1] On March 24, 2021, the league announced its partnership with Nike yet internal sources state that the partnership never materialized based on the business practices of the NISL management and ownership.[2] On March 29, 2024, the league announced a merger with Major League Indoor Soccer.[3]

History

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On April 29, 2021, the Memphis Americans were officially announced as a charter team in the new NISL[4] On June 7. 2021, the Fayetteville Fury were announced as the league's second team. On August 17, 2021, the Columbus Rapids became the third franchise to join the league. On December 16, 2021, 10 days before the season opener, the Rome (Ga.) Gladiators, a travel team, became the fourth and final team to join the league for its inaugural season.[5]

On July 7, 2022 it was announced that an expansion team was coming to Tampa.[6]

On November 16, 2023, after a fight between the players and coaches of the Memphis Americans and Tampa Bay Strikers, the Memphis Americans went on hiatus. [7]

After endless controversy related to player and staff wages, safety, sponsorship fulfillment, and general business practices on the part of the league and it's owner/director Andrew Haines[8], on March 29, 2024, the league announced its merger with Major League Indoor Soccer with many staff and players never receiving their wages in full.[9][10]

Staff

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  • Andrew Haines – Executive Board of Directors
  • Joshua Blair – Executive Board of Directors
  • Jason Gibson – Executive Board of Directors
  • Michael Taylor – Executive Board of Directors
  • Donald Bunney – Creative Director

Teams

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Current

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Team City/Area Arena Capacity Men's Coach Women's Coach Founded
Albany Aces[11] Albany, Georgia Albany Civic Center 7,200 TBA TBA 2023
Central Florida Crusaders[12] Orlando, Florida Addition Financial Arena 9,400 Tom Traxler Tom Traxler 2022
Fayetteville Fury Fayetteville, North Carolina Crown Coliseum 10,000 Jay Burbee Jay Burbee 2021
Magic City SC[13] Pelham, Alabama Pelham Civic Center 4,100 TBA TBA 2023
Tampa Bay Strikers[14] Tampa, Florida Yuengling Center 10,411 Martín Gramática[15] Martín Gramática 2022

On Hiatus

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Team City/Area Arena Capacity Founded Went Inactive
Memphis Americans Southaven, Mississippi Landers Center 8,500 2021 2023

Former

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Team City/Area Arena Capacity Founded Went Inactive
Rome Gladiators Rome, Georgia N/A N/A 2021 2022[16]
Columbus Rapids Columbus, Georgia Columbus Civic Center 7,573 2021 2023

Champions

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Men's Champions
Year Champion Runner-Up Final Score Location
2021–2022 Fayetteville Fury Memphis Americans 5–3 Crown Coliseum
2022–2023 Central Florida Crusaders Awarded Championship
Women's Champions
Year Champion Runner-Up Final Score Location
2021–2022 Memphis Americans Rome Gladiators 5–3 Crown Coliseum
2022–2023 Memphis Americans Awarded Championship

References

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  1. ^ "New indoor soccer league launching in the Mid-South". KAIT. April 29, 2020.
  2. ^ "NISL & NIKE Ink Five Year Strategic Partnership". National Indoor Soccer League. March 24, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  3. ^ "News: Major League Indoor Soccer Takes Major Step with Acquisition of National Indoor Soccer League - Major League Indoor Soccer". March 29, 2024.
  4. ^ "National Indoor Soccer League Brings Team to Mid-South". memphisamericans.com. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  5. ^ "Rome Gladiators Announced as the NISL 4th Team". romegladiatorsga.com. December 16, 2021.
  6. ^ "Professional Indoor Soccer Coming to Tampa". bizjournals.com/tampabay. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  7. ^ https://bluffcitymedia.co/breaking-news-memphis-americans-to-go-on-hiatus/#:~:text=Player%20and%20coach%20discipline%20aside,action%20and%20bunches%20of%20goals.
  8. ^ https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rowdies/2023/06/09/tampa-bay-strikers-martin-gramatica-andrew-haines-nisl/
  9. ^ "News: Major League Indoor Soccer Takes Major Step with Acquisition of National Indoor Soccer League - Major League Indoor Soccer". March 29, 2024.
  10. ^ Traub, Matt (April 1, 2024). "Major League Indoor Soccer Acquires NISL". SportsTravel. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  11. ^ Bob Bakken (July 28, 2023). "NISL to add Albany, Georgia as expansion franchise". Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  12. ^ Andrew Haines (August 4, 2022). "NISL ADDS ORLANDO AS EXPANSION TEAM". cflcrusaders.com. SoccerShift. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  13. ^ NISL (August 17, 2023). "NEW EXPANSION TEAM "MAGIC CITY SC" JOINS NATIONAL INDOOR SOCCER LEAGUE FOR THE 2024 SEASON". Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  14. ^ "The Tampa Bay Strikers are coming to the Yuengling Center". Bay News 9. July 11, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  15. ^ "Tampa Bay Strikers announce Martin Gramatica as head coach". NISL Pro. July 25, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  16. ^ "National Indoor Soccer League Announcing Home Openers for 2023 Season". NISL Pro. December 1, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
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