Soccer Bowl

The NASL Championship was the annual championship competition of the North American Soccer League, which ran from 1968 to 1984. There, the two top teams from the playoffs face off in the final to determine the winner of the NASL Trophy.[1] From 1975 through 1983, the championship game itself was also known as the Soccer Bowl.

This article is about 1967–1984 playoffs tournament. For the 2010s playoffs tournament, see Soccer Bowl (2011–2017).
This article is about a soccer league championship trophy. For the U.S. college soccer tournament played in 1950–52, see Soccer Bowl (1950–52).

NASL Championship
NASL Trophy
Organising bodyNorth American Soccer League
Founded1967
Abolished1984
Last championsChicago Sting
Most successful club(s)New York Cosmos (5 titles)

After the 1966 World Cup was successfully televised in the United States, two new leagues were formed.[2] With international and national sanctioning from FIFA, the CFSA and USSFA, the United Soccer Association was created by a consortium known as the North American Soccer League. The second, independent league, enacted without sanction, was the National Professional Soccer League. By the following year, the two leagues merged and created the original North American Soccer League. Between 1968 and 1974 the championship game, or series (on three occasions), was titled the NASL Final, and no title match was held in 1969. From 1975 to 1984 it became the Soccer Bowl. The winner of the NASL Finals received the NASL trophy. During the Soccer Bowl years the trophy was interchangeably regarded by association as the Soccer Bowl trophy, though the official title remained the same.

The concept for the Soccer Bowl began in 1975 by then NASL Commissioner Phil Woosnam, who was trying to build a neutral-site championship event in the mold of the NFL's Super Bowl. Unlike the Super Bowl, the annual numbering scheme of the match did not use Roman numerals (e.g., Super Bowl XXI) but instead used the last two digits of the year played (e.g., Soccer Bowl '78). The original NASL's last Soccer Bowl took place in early October 1984 in a best-of-three series, as the league ceased operation in 1985.[3][4]

With the formation of the new North American Soccer League in 2009 and their commencement of play in 2011, the Soccer Bowl name was used as the name of both the championship match and championship trophy of the new league. Beginning with the 2014 season, a new format was introduced, called the NASL Championship, with the final game being called the NASL Championship Final and the trophy's name remaining as the Soccer Bowl.[1]

Format

Among the championship matches, there have been different formats used, mostly influenced by the original two leagues. The 1967 NPSL Final, and the 1968 and 1970 NASL Finals were contested by two-game aggregate goals. After 1971, the initial parameters by the United Soccer Association were used. The 1967 USA Final, and the 1972 through 1983 NASL Finals were all single-games. There was no 1969 NASL Final match contested. Instead, as in many leagues in Europe, the championship was awarded to the league winner; the team with the most points at season's end. The 1971 and 1984 NASL Finals were played in a best-of-three series.

Results

Sources: WildStat,[5] NASL,[6] Steve Dimitry,[7] Soccer Times[8]

NASL Championship (1967–1984)
Event Game Venue Location Champions[9] Score[9] Runners-up[9] Attendance Television MVP Notes
United Soccer Association Final 1967
(USA Final 1967)

July 14

 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles Los Angeles Wolves 6–5
(OT)		 Washington Whips 17,842 CBS Teams tied 4–4 at end of regulation. Both scored in extra time. After 120 min. match moved to golden goal time. Wolves win on an OG.
National Professional Soccer League Final 1967
(NPSL Final 1967)

September 3, 9

 Memorial Stadium

Oakland-Alameda Coliseum

 Baltimore

Oakland, California

 Oakland Clippers 0–1
4–1
Aggregate
4–2
 Baltimore Bays 16,619

9,037

 CBS Two-game aggregate goals series.
NASL Final 1968
(NASL Final 1968)

September 21, 28

 Balboa Stadium

Atlanta Stadium

 San Diego

Atlanta

 Atlanta Chiefs 0–0
3–0
Aggregate
3–0		 San Diego Toros 9,360

14,994

 CBS Two-game aggregate goals series.
NASL Final
(no match)		 1969
(NASL Final 1969)		 n/a n/a Kansas City Spurs n/a Atlanta Chiefs n/a n/a n/a Championship awarded to team with the most points at the end of the season
NASL Final 1970
(NASL Final 1970)

September 2, 13

 Aquinas Memorial Stadium

Brookland Stadium

 Rochester, New York

Washington, D.C.

 Rochester Lancers 3–0
1–3
Aggregate
4–3		 Washington Darts 9,321

5,543

 Two-match aggregate goals series.
NASL Final 1971
(NASL Final 1971)

September 12, 15, 19

 Atlanta Stadium
(G1, G3)

Franklin Stadium
(G2)

 Atlanta
(G1, G3)

Dallas, Texas
(G2)

 Dallas Tornado[10] 1–2
(OT)
4–1
2–0
Series
2–1		 Atlanta Chiefs (G1): 3,218
(G2): 6,456
(G3): 4,687		 Best two out of three wins
NASL Final 1972
(NASL Final 1972)

August 26

 Hofstra Stadium Hempstead, New York New York Cosmos 2–1 St. Louis Stars 6,102 Josef Jelínek converts game winning penalty kick in the 86th min.
NASL Final 1973
(NASL Final 1973)

August 25

 Texas Stadium Irving, Texas Philadelphia Atoms 2–0 Dallas Tornado 18,824 Dallas concedes an OG in 66 min. Bill Straub scores in 85 min. to secure win.
NASL Final 1974
(NASL Final 1974)

August 25

 Orange Bowl Miami, Florida Los Angeles Aztecs 4–3
PSO
5–3		 Miami Toros 15,507 CBS Match went directly to penalties after 90 min. Tony Douglas scores fifth and securing shot on a re-try.[11]
Soccer Bowl 1975 (Soccer Bowl '75)

August 24

 Spartan Stadium San Jose, California Tampa Bay Rowdies 2–0 Portland Timbers 17,483 CBS Stewart Jump[12] Arsène Auguste scored game winner in the 66th min. Clyde Best also scored in 88th min.[13]
Soccer Bowl 1976 (Soccer Bowl '76)

August 28

 Kingdome Seattle Toronto Metros-Croatia 3–0 Minnesota Kicks 25,765 CBS, CBC Wolfgang Sühnholz[14] Eusébio scored game winner on free kick in 41st min.[15]
Soccer Bowl 1977 (Soccer Bowl '77)

August 28

 Civic Stadium Portland, Oregon New York Cosmos 2–1 Seattle Sounders 35,548 TVS Steve Hunt[16] Stephen Hunt scored in 19th min. and assisted on Giorgio Chinaglia's game winner in 78th min.
Soccer Bowl 1978 (Soccer Bowl '78)

August 27

 Giants Stadium East Rutherford, New Jersey New York Cosmos 3–1 Tampa Bay Rowdies 74,091 TVS Dennis Tueart[17] Dennis Tueart scored in the 30th and 76th min. Giorgio Chinaglia scored game winner in 44th min.[18]
Soccer Bowl 1979 (Soccer Bowl '79)

September 8

 Giants Stadium East Rutherford, New Jersey Vancouver Whitecaps 2–1 Tampa Bay Rowdies 50,699 ABC, CTV Alan Ball[19] Trevor Whymark scored in 12th and 59th min.[20]
Soccer Bowl 1980 (Soccer Bowl '80)

September 21

 RFK Stadium Washington, D.C. New York Cosmos 3–0 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 50,768 ABC, CTV Giorgio Chinaglia[21] Julio César Romero scored the game winner in 48th min. Giorgio Chinaglia added goals in the 70th and 87th mins.[22]
Soccer Bowl 1981 (Soccer Bowl '81)

September 26

 Exhibition Stadium Toronto Chicago Sting 1–0
(OT)
(Shootout: 2–1)		 New York Cosmos 36,971 ABC, CTV Frantz Mathieu[23] Sting won in shootout. Karl-Heinz Granitza and Rudy Glenn converted for Sting.[24]
Soccer Bowl 1982 (Soccer Bowl '82)

September 18

 Jack Murphy Stadium San Diego New York Cosmos 1–0 Seattle Sounders 22,634 USA, CTV Giorgio Chinaglia[25] Giorgio Chinaglia scored game winner in 31st min.[26][27]
Soccer Bowl 1983 (Soccer Bowl '83)

October 1

 BC Place Stadium Vancouver, British Columbia Tulsa Roughnecks 2–0 Toronto Blizzard 53,326 USA, CTV Njego Pesa[28] Njego Pesa scored game winner (19 yard free kick) in 56th min.[29]
Soccer Bowl Series 1984 (Soccer Bowl Series '84)

October
1, 3

 Comiskey Park

Varsity Stadium

 Chicago

Toronto

 Chicago Sting 2–1
3–2
Series
2–0		 Toronto Blizzard 8,352

16,842

 Sportsvision
TSN		 Best two out of three wins. Game 1: Manuel Rojas 86th min game winner. Game 2: Pato Margetic 82nd min game winner.

*From 1977 through 1984 the NASL had a variation of the penalty shoot-out procedure for tied matches. The shoot-out started 35 yards from the goal and allowed the player 5 seconds to attempt a shot. The player could make as many moves as he wanted in a breakaway situation within the time frame. NASL procedure during this era called for the box score to show an additional "goal" given to the winning side of a shoot-out.[30][31]
*No championship game was held in 1969. Kansas City finished first in the regular season and was awarded the championship.

See also

References
  1. "NASL CLUBS TO COMPETE FOR 'THE CHAMPIONSHIP'". NASL.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  2. American Soccer History Archives. "North American Soccer League I (NASL) 1967-1984 - The Story Of The NASL". American Soccer History Archives.
  3. "NASL changes Soccer Bowl format". St. Petersburg Times. September 27, 1983. p. 6C. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  4. funwhileitlasted.com. "October 1, 1984 – Chicago Sting vs. Toronto Blizzard". Funwhileitlasted.com.
  5. WildStat.com. "USA-MLS-NASL". WildStat.com.
  6. North American Soccer League. "NASL 1968-1984 Yearly Results". North American Soccer League.
  7. Steve Dimitry's Extinct Sports League. "North American Soccer League (1968-1984) NASL". Steve Dimitry's Extinct Sports League.
  8. SoccerTimes.com. "NASL / North American Soccer League Championship". SoccerTimes.com.
  9. Litterer, David A. (May 12, 2010). "North American Soccer League". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  10. "Previo Campeones: Dallas Tornado Ganan Titulo en 1971". September 22, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  11. "Aztecs Win Soccer Title in Overtime". The Press-Courier. August 26, 1974 – via Google News Archive.
  12. "Rowdies Capture Soccer Bowl, 8/24/75". Tampa Sports History. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  13. NASL: Soccer Bowl '75. December 21, 2009 – via YouTube.
  14. "The Year in American Soccer – 1976". American Soccer History Archives. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  15. "Toronto Records Soccer Bowl Win". The Spokesman-Review. August 29, 1976 – via Google News Archive Search.
  16. "FAIRY TALE ENDING: Cosmos give Pele a championship sendoff". Big Apple Soccer. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  17. "NASL abandons indoor season". St. Petersburg Times. August 31, 1978. p. 7C. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  18. "Question of the day: Where was Sir Rodney?". St. Petersburg Times. August 28, 1978 – via Google News Archive Search.
  19. "Philly Soccer History – 1979". Philadelphia Union. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  20. NASL: Soccer Bowl '79. April 15, 2010 – via YouTube.
  21. Atkin, Ross (September 23, 1980). "Cosmos regain soccer title". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  23. "Sting Victorious In Soccer Bowl". Eugene Register-Guard. September 27, 1981. p. 14B. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  24. NASL Soccer Bowl Final 1981: Chicago Sting v New York Cosmos. June 8, 2008 – via YouTube.
  25. "Sounders Shut Out By Cosmos In Soccer Bowl". Tri-City Herald. September 19, 1982. p. 8C. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  26. "Cosmos Win Soccer Bowl". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. September 19, 1982 – via Google News Archive Search.
  28. "Roughnecks claim first NASL title". Lakeland Ledger. October 2, 1983. p. 8C. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  30. "This Day In 1981 : Soccer Bowl Edition | Chicago Fire Confidential". Archived from the original on September 20, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  31. "The Year in American Soccer – 1977". Archived from the original on January 23, 2010. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
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