Futsal On-Line
MISL Should Join the Rest of the World and Use Side and End Lines

Commentary from Tim Sheldon
RICHMOND, Va. (7-11-08) - I'll say it again: the Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL) should switch to the World Indoor Game, and in some ways it already has.

The MISL plays six-a-side indoor soccer with dasher boards for its league games,
but it also plays Futsal regularly in international competition. Virtually the
entire roster of most U.S. Futsal selections is comprised of MISL players.
 
Futsal is the unchallenged World Indoor Game. Several years ago, there was some
brief discussion about using dasher boards in international competition, but the
idea was summarily dropped. 

The MISL could easily drop the dasher boards and adopt the side and end lines
used by the rest of the world.We realize MISL is a business, and if they're
succeeding with a certain set of rules they would not want to tamper with it.
But we feel that by adopting the univerally accepted international rules MISL
would retain the best of what they have now and get even better.
 
(Photo: Action with walls in the MISL. The boards are not necessary in indoor
soccer.)
 
In the transitional stage, MISL would not necessarily have the call their game
Futsal if that created marketing problems, and, for similar reasons, they could
continue to use the turf and six players. But it would be a major step forward
if the league dropped the anachronistic dasher boards and joined the rest of the
world with side and end lines.
The world indoor game is Futsal.
 
It was developed by Juan Carlos Ceriani in Uruguay in 1930 for use in YMCAs and
became very popular in Brazil and other South American Countries. All of the
great Brazilian stars, including Ronaldo, grew up playing Futsal. Ronaldo has
called the game his "first love" and has said that it is the key to his success
on the outdoor field. Futsal is now played all over the world, and UEFA, in
particular, has made great strides developing the sport. Asia is producing
excellent national teams, and Oceania just completed an impressive FIFA Futsal
qualifying tournament.
 
The indoor wall game was developed by U.S. marketers who thought erroneously
that the walls would add speed and excitement to the game. The walls actually
slow down the game, deprive it of its natural focus and beauty and hinder the
spectators' view of the action. Basically, the MISL game is pseudo dynamic.
Coverage of the MISL is often filled with Futsal news, because MISL players are
being chosen for the U.S. Team. A league feature, a league highlight, is that it
plays Futsal, the world indoor game, in international competitions. The next
step is for them to make it their league game, as well.
---------------
Tim Sheldon is former associate editor of Soccer America Magazine and has served
as soccer correspondent for the San Francisco Examiner and United Press
International.

Futsal On-Line

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