Norfolk SharX Join the MISL

Norfolk, Virginia – Norfolk SharX President, Marcie Laumann, announced today that the Norfolk SharX, Hampton Roads’ newest professional sports team, has moved their league affiliation to the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). The SharX were originally affiliated with the United Soccer Leagues’( USL) Indoor League (I-League), which was scheduled to launch its inaugural season this November. Their announcement of a new league affiliation was preceded earlier in the day by the USL’s announcement that it had entered into an agreement to take over operations of the MISL, the nation’s top North American professional indoor soccer league, beginning with the 2011-12 season. The USL is replacing its new I- League with the established and passionately fan-supported MISL.

“This move is equal to buying the Norfolk Tides franchise, then finding out they’ve suddenly become the Baltimore Orioles,” said Laumann. “The SharX team value has grown exponentially. We couldn’t be happier. Plus, with established MISL teams drawing average crowds in the excess of six thousand, no doubt the City of Norfolk and area businesses will be just as happy to accommodate the out-of-town visitors our home games at the Norfolk Scope are sure to draw this fall.”

Laumann’s partner and team co-owner, Eddie Abrams, added, “This is one of the most exciting events in the history of soccer in Hampton Roads and we are just happy to be a part of it! It promises to be an exciting and entertaining season in a great venue. We very much appreciate the City of Norfolk for making Scope available to us.” 

The MISL represents the top level of professional indoor soccer in North America and currently consists of seven franchises for 2011-12, with additional announcements expected in the coming weeks. The league roster includes existing MISL franchises in Baltimore, Milwaukee, Missouri and Wichita. They will be joined in the MISL by a trio of first-year USL indoor franchises in Rochester, Syracuse and here in Norfolk.

“We are obviously pleased to bring the top indoor soccer league in North America into the USL family,” USL CEO Alec Papadakis said. “We announced several months back that we would be operating a professional indoor soccer league in November of 2011, and this agreement with the MISL allows us to move forward with our plans. Combining the experience and tradition of the MISL with USL’s team services and league management resources will ensure the MISL reaches new levels of success.”

"We are all pleased to join USL which has many strong leagues and numerous franchises," MISL Chairman Ed Hale said. "This will give us a platform for future expansion of our indoor game throughout the country."

MISL indoor soccer was developed to appeal to sports fans around the world. The fast-paced, fiercely competitive game is played on artificial turf on a hockey-rink-sized field surrounded by dasher boards and Plexiglas with eight-foot high by 14-foot wide goals receded into the end boards. Creative dribbling, pinpoint passing, acrobatic goalkeeping and rugged defensive play are all skills demonstrated by MISL players.

A typical MISL game features end-to-end-action resulting in approximately 60 shots and 11 goals per game. Each game includes four 15-minute quarters and a popular feature is multi-point scoring, with goals from long distance worth more. Other unique characteristics of the MISL include action-packed power plays and free substitution of players while play continues.