Here are attendance figures for the original Major Indoor Soccer League, which played from 1978 to 1992. The league was known simply as the Major Soccer League its last two seasons. There are a few stray games missing, which may never be found, but this is as complete a record as we have. The assistance of the tireless research of Rich Paschette is gratefully acknowledged.
Each team’s regular-season record is also included, with that season’s league champion noted with a # next to their record. Note no club won the championship and led the league in average announced attendance over the course of the MISL’s history.
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| St. Louis Storm | (17-23) | 20 | 205,323 | 10,266 |
| San Diego Sockers | #(26-14) | 20 | 186,962 | 9,348 |
| Baltimore Blast | (19-21) | 20 | 164,129 | 8,206 |
| Wichita Wings | (18-22) | 20 | 164,127 | 8,206 |
| Cleveland Crunch | (20-20) | 20 | 141,120 | 7,056 |
| Dallas Sidekicks | (22-18) | 20 | 140,053 | 7,003 |
| Tacoma Stars | (18-22) | 20 | 96,426 | 4,821 |
| MSL TOTAL | 140 | 1,098,140 | 7,844 | |
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| St. Louis Storm | (32-20) | 26 | 200,769 | 7,722 |
| Baltimore Blast | (21-31) | 26 | 193,223 | 7,432 |
| San Diego Sockers | #(34-18) | 26 | 187,000 | 7,192 |
| Kansas City Comets | (26-26) | 26 | 184,678 | 7,103 |
| Dallas Sidekicks | (20-32) | 26 | 179,864 | 6,918 |
| Wichita Wings | (21-31) | 26 | 164,033 | 6,309 |
| Tacoma Stars | (25-27) | 26 | 142,523 | 5,482 |
| Cleveland Crunch | (29-23) | 26 | 120,630 | 4,640 |
| MSL TOTAL | 208 | 1,372,720 | 6,600 | |
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| Kansas City Comets | (30-22) | 26 | 272,343 | 10,475 |
| Dallas Sidekicks | (31-21) | 26 | 234,095 | 9,004 |
| Baltimore Blast | (32-20) | 26 | 221,773 | 8,530 |
| San Diego Sockers | #(25-27) | 26 | 211,422 | 8,132 |
| Wichita Wings | (26-26) | 26 | 193,588 | 7,446 |
| St. Louis Storm | (24-28) | 26 | 178,036 | 6,848 |
| Tacoma Stars | (20-32) | 26 | 159,816 | 6,147 |
| Cleveland Crunch | (20-32) | 26 | 144,111 | 5,543 |
| MISL TOTAL | 208 | 1,615,184 | 7,765 | |
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| Kansas City Comets | (21-27) | 24 | 221,465 | 9,228 |
| Wichita Wings | (23-25) | 24 | 207,465 | 8,644 |
| Dallas Sidekicks | (24-24) | 24 | 205,607 | 8,567 |
| San Diego Sockers | #(27-21) | 24 | 201,186 | 8,383 |
| Baltimore Blast | (29-19) | 24 | 196,068 | 8,170 |
| Tacoma Stars | (23-25) | 24 | 162,751 | 6,781 |
| Los Angeles Lazers | (21-27) | 24 | 116,774 | 4,866 |
| MISL TOTAL | 168 | 1,311,316 | 7,805 | |
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| Cleveland Force | (30-26) | 28 | 315,807 | 11,279 |
| Kansas City Comets | (29-27) | 28 | 313,896 | 11,211 |
| Tacoma Stars | (27-29) | 28 | 294,149 | 10,505 |
| Dallas Sidekicks | (28-28) | 28 | 276,586 | 9,878 |
| Wichita Wings | (23-33) | 28 | 252,030 | 9,001 |
| San Diego Sockers | #(42-14) | 28 | 251,901 | 8,996 |
| Baltimore Blast | (25-31) | 28 | 230,198 | 8,221 |
| St. Louis Steamers | (18-38) | 28 | 180,318 | 6,440 |
| Chicago Sting | (24-32) | 28 | 167,344 | 5,977 |
| Minnesota Strikers | (31-25) | 28 | 166,050 | 5,930 |
| Los Angeles Lazers | (31-25) | 28 | 150,762 | 5,384 |
| MISL TOTAL | 308 | 2,599,041 | 8,438 | |
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| Cleveland Force | (34-18) | 26 | 366,887 | 14,111 |
| Kansas City Comets | (28-24) | 26 | 323,622 | 12,447 |
| Tacoma Stars | (35-17) | 26 | 269,974 | 10,384 |
| Baltimore Blast | (33-19) | 26 | 258,333 | 9,936 |
| San Diego Sockers | (27-25) | 26 | 253,434 | 9,747 |
| Dallas Sidekicks | #(28-24) | 26 | 224,536 | 8,636 |
| Wichita Wings | (27-25) | 26 | 209,800 | 8,069 |
| St. Louis Steamers | (19-33) | 26 | 182,984 | 7,038 |
| Minnesota Strikers | (26-26) | 26 | 181,441 | 6,979 |
| Chicago Sting | (23-29) | 26 | 152,861 | 5,879 |
| New York Express | (3-23) | 13 | 67,752 | 5,212 |
| Los Angeles Lazers | (16-36) | 26 | 113,831 | 4,378 |
| MISL TOTAL | 299 | 2,605,455 | 8,714 | |
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| Cleveland Force | (27-21) | 24 | 307,040 | 12,793 |
| Kansas City Comets | (18-30) | 24 | 298,269 | 12,428 |
| Baltimore Blast | (24-24) | 24 | 246,046 | 10,252 |
| St. Louis Steamers | (23-25) | 24 | 244,543 | 10,189 |
| San Diego Sockers | #(36-12) | 24 | 229,935 | 9,581 |
| Wichita Wings | (27-21) | 24 | 202,725 | 8,447 |
| Pittsburgh Spirit | (23-25) | 24 | 186,597 | 7,775 |
| Tacoma Stars | (23-25) | 24 | 182,696 | 7,612 |
| Chicago Sting | (23-25) | 24 | 176,287 | 7,345 |
| Dallas Sidekicks | (25-23) | 24 | 165,694 | 6,904 |
| Minnesota Strikers | (26-22) | 24 | 156,071 | 6,503 |
| Los Angeles Lazers | (13-35) | 24 | 114,480 | 4,770 |
| MISL TOTAL | 288 | 2,510,383 | 8,717 | |
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| Cleveland Force | (27-21) | 24 | 310,284 | 12,929 |
| Kansas City Comets | (22-26) | 24 | 310,017 | 12,917 |
| St. Louis Steamers | (24-24) | 24 | 305,054 | 12,711 |
| Baltimore Blast | (32-16) | 24 | 265,224 | 11,051 |
| Chicago Sting | (28-20) | 24 | 255,073 | 10,628 |
| San Diego Sockers | #(37-11) | 24 | 230,272 | 9,595 |
| Wichita Wings | (21-26) | 24 | 209,035 | 8,710 |
| Pittsburgh Spirit | (19-29) | 24 | 187,021 | 7,793 |
| Tacoma Stars | (17-31) | 24 | 173,317 | 7,222 |
| Las Vegas Americans | (30-18) | 24 | 152,083 | 6,337 |
| Los Angeles Lazers | (24-24) | 24 | 121,488 | 5,062 |
| Dallas Sidekicks | (12-36) | 24 | 119,248 | 4,969 |
| Minnesota Strikers | (24-24) | 24 | 115,408 | 4,809 |
| New York Cosmos | (11-22) | 16 | 66,900 | 4,181 |
| MISL TOTAL | 328 | 2,820,424 | 8,599 | |
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| Kansas City Comets | (23-25) | 24 | 378,864 | 15,786 |
| St. Louis Steamers | (26-22) | 24 | 335,805 | 13,992 |
| Cleveland Force | (31-17) | 24 | 328,619 | 13,692 |
| Baltimore Blast | #(34-14) | 24 | 268,534 | 11,189 |
| Wichita Wings | (25-23) | 24 | 216,824 | 9,034 |
| Pittsburgh Spirit | (32-16) | 24 | 198,668 | 8,278 |
| Memphis Americans | (18-30) | 24 | 145,328 | 6,055 |
| Phoenix Pride | (18-30) | 24 | 142,157 | 5,923 |
| New York Arrows | (20-28) | 24 | 131,472 | 5,478 |
| Tacoma Stars | (22-26) | 24 | 127,728 | 5,322 |
| Buffalo Stallions | (15-33) | 24 | 116,020 | 4,834 |
| Los Angeles Lazers | (24-24) | 24 | 105,720 | 4,405 |
| MISL TOTAL | 288 | 2,495,739 | 8,666 | |
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| St. Louis Steamers | (26-22) | 24 | 352,620 | 14,693 |
| Kansas City Comets | (26-22) | 24 | 352,609 | 14,692 |
| Baltimore Blast | (30-18) | 24 | 257,487 | 10,729 |
| Chicago Sting | (28-20) | 24 | 220,815 | 9,201 |
| Wichita Wings | (27-21) | 24 | 200,193 | 8,341 |
| San Diego Sockers | #(32-16) | 24 | 193,948 | 8,081 |
| Buffalo Stallions | (22-26) | 24 | 178,119 | 7,422 |
| Cleveland Force | (29-19) | 24 | 158,619 | 6,609 |
| Phoenix Inferno | (24-24) | 24 | 151,118 | 6,297 |
| New York Arrows | (24-24) | 24 | 135,043 | 5,627 |
| Memphis Americans | (19-29) | 24 | 131,410 | 5,475 |
| Pittsburgh Spirit | (24-24) | 24 | 130,184 | 5,424 |
| Los Angeles Lazers | (8-40) | 24 | 95,112 | 3,963 |
| Golden Bay Earthquakes | (17-31) | 24 | 82,716 | 3,447 |
| MISL TOTAL | 336 | 2,639,993 | 7,857 | |
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| St. Louis Steamers | (28-16) | 22 | 376,349 | 17,107 |
| Kansas City Comets | (14-30) | 22 | 243,276 | 11,058 |
| Baltimore Blast | (27-17) | 22 | 210,262 | 9,557 |
| Buffalo Stallions | (24-20) | 22 | 202,713 | 9,214 |
| Denver Avalanche | (19-25) | 22 | 168,369 | 7,653 |
| Phoenix Inferno | (17-27) | *21 | 156,580 | 7,456 |
| Wichita Wings | (27-17) | 22 | 160,625 | 7,301 |
| New Jersey Rockets | (17-27) | 22 | 144,421 | 6,565 |
| New York Arrows | #(36-8) | 22 | 141,439 | 6,429 |
| Pittsburgh Spirit | (31-13) | 22 | 139,373 | 6,335 |
| Memphis Americans | (20-24) | 22 | 126,884 | 5,767 |
| Cleveland Force | (15-29) | 22 | 110,030 | 5,001 |
| Philadelphia Fever | (11-33) | 22 | 98,905 | 4,496 |
| MISL TOTAL | 285 | 2,279,226 | 7,997 | |
| *Missing 1 game | ||||
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| St. Louis Steamers | (25-15) | 20 | 304,377 | 15,219 |
| Buffalo Stallions | (20-20) | 20 | 189,742 | 9,487 |
| New York Arrows | #(35-5) | 20 | 161,661 | 8,083 |
| Denver Avalanche | (16-24) | 20 | 153,976 | 7,699 |
| Phoenix Inferno | (17-23) | 20 | 143,590 | 7,180 |
| Baltimore Blast | (21-19) | 19 | 124,254 | 6,540 |
| Philadelphia Fever | (18-22) | 20 | 109,459 | 5,473 |
| Hartford Hellions | (13-27) | 20 | 107,485 | 5,374 |
| Wichita Wings | (23-17) | 22 | 116,495 | 5,295 |
| Cleveland Force | (21-19) | 20 | 97,680 | 4,884 |
| Chicago Horizon | (20-20) | 20 | 67,072 | 3,354 |
| San Francisco Fog | (11-29) | *18 | 46,428 | 2,579 |
| MISL TOTAL | 239 | 1,622,219 | 6,788 | |
| *Missing 2 games | ||||
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| St. Louis Steamers | (12-20) | 16 | 224,959 | 14,060 |
| Buffalo Stallions | (17-15) | 16 | 136,892 | 8,556 |
| New York Arrows | #(27-5) | 16 | 125,008 | 7,813 |
| Philadelphia Fever | (17-15) | 16 | 105,881 | 6,618 |
| Pittsburgh Spirit | (18-14) | 16 | 81,781 | 5,111 |
| Wichita Wings | (16-16) | 16 | 61,618 | 3,851 |
| Hartford Hellions | (6-26) | *13 | 49,526 | 3,810 |
| Detroit Lightning | (15-17) | 16 | 56,325 | 3,520 |
| Cleveland Force | (12-20) | 16 | 49,280 | 3,080 |
| Houston Summit Soccer | (20-12) | 16 | 33,496 | 2,094 |
| MISL TOTAL | 157 | 924,766 | 5,890 | |
| *Missing 3 games | ||||
| Team | Record | G | Total | Average |
| Philadelphia Fever | (11-13) | 12 | 90,176 | 7,515 |
| New York Arrows | #(16-8) | 12 | 65,350 | 5,446 |
| Houston Summit Soccer | (18-6) | 12 | 43,472 | 3,623 |
| Cincinnati Kids | (16-8) | 12 | 38,287 | 3,191 |
| Cleveland Force | (5-19) | 12 | 37,393 | 3,116 |
| Pittsburgh Spirit | (6-18) | 12 | 33,606 | 2,801 |
| MISL TOTAL | 72 | 308,284 | 4,282 | |
Kenn – Do you still have the post on here that lists the largest single-game indoor crowds of all-time?
Yes.
https://kenn.com/blog/soccer/largest-indoor-soccer-crowds-in-us-history/
Kenn,
I have solved your missing games from 1978-79 …
The league reported (in its 1981-82 guide) attendance of 338,419 across 76 dates. You show 308,284 across 72 dates, less the three missing Arrows games.
I know, from the post-season press release, that the attendance of the four playoff games were:
Philadelphia at Houston: 4,683
Cincinnati at New York: 4,411
Philadelphia at New York: 8,640
New York at Philadelphia: 6,096
That totals 23,830. Subtracting those games from the league’s total gives you attendance of 314,589. Subtracting your total from that leaves 6,305 which, when added to New York’s total, gives them 71,655. Yes, 6,305 is an average over those three games of 2,101 … but that seems completely reasonable given that the MISL enjoyed large crowds early on, but saw attendance drop off during the season.
Okay, thanks, but….
I’m not missing anything from 1978-79. All 72 regular-season games are accounted for, including all 12 Arrows games.
Those playoff attendances are what I have, and are reflected on the standings/playoff results page.
Rich Paschette and I have gone back to formula on these figures, and rebuilt them from scratch. The league totals in the guides aren’t necessarily accurate. (“Official” just means “from the office,” after all, not “completely accurate.”) In the pre-Excel days, there are addition errors and transpositions, and some of them were just carried over from year to year. Whenever possible, we’ve gone with the contemporaneous figures that were announced at the time, not what was necessarily published the next season, and re-done all the math.
We’re missing one Phoenix Inferno game, two San Francisco Fog games, and three Hartford Hellions games. Not bad for 3,329 regular-season games over 14 seasons.
If there are source errors, great. But until and unless we can find those six figures (which is doubtful), we’re not doing extrapolating based on league-announced totals, because their numbers are not trustworthy in all cases.
Hi Kenn, would it be OK if I use some of this info for the site I am currently making?
Sure, with credit and a link back. Both would be greatly appreciated.