MISL News Release
Saturday, November 5, 2011
TAMPA, Fla. – The Major Indoor Soccer League was welcomed back by its fans on the opening weekend of the 2011-12 season, with almost 13,000 fans in attendance across the three games that opened the season on Thursday and Friday night.
“We are absolutely thrilled at the response of our fans,” MISL Senior Director Chris Economides said. “The outstanding attendances for the return of the Wichita Wings and the first game for both the Syracuse Silver Knights and Rochester Lancers, and the thrilling action fans got to see, show the potential the league has for sustained success.”
The biggest crowd of the weekend came at Wichita’s Hartman Arena on Thursday night, where a sold-out arena off 4,695 fans were treated to a thrilling contest that went to overtime, the Missouri Comets spoiling the return of the Wings after a 10-year absence as Geison scored his fifth goal of the game for a 16-14 victory.
The Comets then returned home on Friday to the Independence Events Center, where a loud crowd of 4,379 fans went home happy as Ryan Junge and Vahid Assadpour each had five-point nights in a 14-4 victory against the Wings.
Syracuse fans were also treated to opening night drama, with a crowd of 3,670 seeing Jeff Hughes score with 39 seconds to play to give the Silver Knights a 16-15 victory against the Rochester Lancers. With a number of Lancers fans making the trip to see their team open the season on the road, in a similar fashion to the road support both the Wings and Comets received, the regional proximity of six of the league’s clubs to one another helped the resumption of one history rivalry and the start of a brand new one.
“Seeing the Rochester fans at the Oncenter was tremendous,” said Economides, who performed the ceremonial first kick in Syracuse. “We are really pleased that the regional aspect of our league will give our fans the chance to follow their teams on the road regularly this season.
The MISL season continues next Friday night, with all seven teams in action. The Norfolk SharX, Rochester Lancers, Baltimore Blast and Milwaukee Wave will all host their home openers, aiming to replicate or exceed the success the Silver Knights, Comets and Wings found in their opening contests.