Major Arena Soccer League 2 Explained

Major Arena Soccer League 2
Pixels:200
Country:United States
Other Countries:Mexico
Founded:2017
Teams:21
Levels:2
Champions:Iowa Demon Hawks (2023-24)
Most Champs:San Diego Sockers 2 (two titles)

The Major Arena Soccer League 2 is a North American indoor soccer league that serves as the developmental league of the Major Arena Soccer League.

History

M2 launched in 2017 to "provide an outlet for teams to either reorganize for a re-emergence in the MASL or an avenue for teams to compete in smaller markets in hopes of rising to MASL status."[1] It was announced that MASL 2 would have between 8 and 12 teams.[2]

The 2018–19 season brought the total number of teams participating in the season up from 10 to 15. Stockton, California was announced as a market and held a team naming contest, but all news stories from the league website and all mention of the Stockton franchised were dropped. The league changed from having "Conferences" to "Divisions." Expanding from the Eastern and Western conference's the MASL 2 now had the Eastern Division, Mountain Division, and Pacific Division.

On February 25, 2021, MASL 2 announced the return of the RGV Barracudas FC to the league to compete in the 2021–2022 season.[3]

On March 11, 2021, MASL 2 officially welcomed the Cleveland Crunch to the league.[4]

Sponsorship

The official game ball is made by Mitre,[5] [6] based in Wakefield, England.

Teams

DivisionTeamCity/StateArenaFoundedJoinedHead coachMASL affiliate
EastAtletico OrlandoOrlando, FloridaTBD20172023Alex Flores
Baltimore ArsenalTowson, MarylandSECU Arena20232023Tarik WalkerBaltimore Blast
East Rochester, New YorkTotal Sports Experience20102018Doug Miller
United Elite Krajisnik FCUtica, NYAdirondack Bank Center20172023Anel PajazetovicUtica City FC
NorthIowa Demon HawksDes Moines, IowaBuccaneer Arena20212022Francisco Fernandes, Jr.
Iowa Raptors FCCedar Rapids, IowaAlliant Energy PowerHouse20222022Curt LewisKansas City Comets
Muskegon RisersMuskegon, MichiganMercy Health Arena20142017Ben RitsemaMilwaukee Wave
St. Louis Ambush IISt Charles, MissouriFamily Arena20232023Donnie AlbertySt. Louis Ambush
MidwestAmarillo BombersAmarillo, TexasAmarillo Civic Center20182019Chad WebbMesquite Outlaws
Colorado Inferno FCColorado Springs, ColoradoSoccerHaus COS20172017John Wells
El Paso Rhino FCEl Paso, TexasLa Frontera Indoor Soccer2023
Kansas BanditsDodge City, KansasUnited Wireless Arena20222022Isais De La Torre
New Mexico RunnersRio Rancho, New MexicoRio Rancho Events Center20182018Steve Famiglietta
Wichita WingsWichita, KansasHartman Arena20192019Roger Downing
Western ConferenceChihuahua Savage IIChihuahua, ChihuahuaArena Corner Sport20192019Alan DomínguezChihuahua Savage
Empire JetsUpland, CaliforniaUpland Arena 20172017Anthony PerezEmpire Strykers
RGV Barracudas FCHidalgo, TexasPayne Arena20042021Genoni MartinezMonterrey Flash
San Diego Sockers 2San Diego, CaliforniaPechanga Arena20172017Rene OrtizSan Diego Sockers
Turlock Cal ExpressTurlock, CaliforniaTurlock Soccer Complex20112021Arturo Pulido
Planned Expansion
TeamCity/StateArenaFoundedJoinedHead coachMASL affiliate
Wisconsin ConquerorsMarshfield, WisconsinGreenheck Fieldhouse20232024
Minnesota BlizzardSt. Paul, MinnesotaWarner Coliseum20242024
Spice City FCDanbury, ConnecticutDanbury Ice Arena20242024Onua Obasi
Former/Defunct Teams
TeamCity/stateArenaYears played
Arizona ImpactGlendale, ArizonaArizona Sports Complex2017–2018
Arizona LightningAvondale, ArizonaRandall McDaniel Sports Complex2018–2019
Austin PowerAustin, TexasTravis County Expo Center2019–2020
Cincinnati SwerveFairfield, OhioGametime Training Center 2017–2019
Chicago MustangsHoffman Estates, IllinoisGrand Sports Arena2017–2019, 2021–2022
Cleveland CrunchNorth Olmsted, OhioSoccer Sportsplex2021–2022
Club Deportivo de Baja CaliforniaTijuana, Baja CaliforniaFurati Planet Gol2022–2023
Colorado Rumble FCDenver, ColoradoFoothills Fieldhouse2017–2020
Cuervos de JuarezEl Paso, TexasEl Paso County Coliseum2018–2019
Las Vegas Knights SCLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas SportsPark2017–2019
New Mexico EliteSanta Fe, New MexicoShellaberger Center2018–2019
Stockton RushStockton, CaliforniaStockton Arena2018–2019
Waza FloDetroit, MichiganDetroit City Fieldhouse2017–2019
Wichita Falls FlyersWichita Falls, TexasKay Yeager Coliseum2019

Champions

Season!scope="col"
ChampionsRunner-upScore(s)Playoffs / host
2017–18Chicago MustangsSan Diego Sockers 27–0Colorado Springs, Colorado
2018–19San Diego Sockers 2Cuervos de Juarez7–5Upland, California
Ontario, California
2019–20Chihuahua Savage II[7] Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19
2020–21Cleveland Crunch[8] Wichita Wings11–6[9] Wichita, Kansas
2021–22San Diego Sockers 2[10] Cleveland Crunch7–4Muskegon, Michigan
2022–23Chihuahua Savage IIIowa Raptors FC10–4Mesquite, Texas
2023–24Iowa Demon HawksRochester Lancers8–3Wichita, Kansas

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Schaub. Joshua. From the desk of Commissioner Schaub. MASL. 19 September 2017 . 15 January 2018.
  2. Web site: Digest (Sept. 19): MASL places Blast in Eastern Division. The Baltimore Sun. 19 September 2017 . 15 January 2018.
  3. Web site: MASL 2 WELCOMES BACK THE RETURN OF THE RGV BARRACUDAS FC FOR THE 2021-2022 SEASON. MASL 2 Website. 25 February 2021 . 17 March 2021.
  4. Web site: September 19, 2020 . Return of the Crunch: After nearly 20 years, professional indoor soccer is returning to Cleveland . News 5 Cleveland.
  5. Web site: Husted. Jeff. MASL ANNOUNCES LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP WITH MITRE. MASL. 13 October 2017 . 15 January 2018.
  6. Web site: MASL Announces Long-Term Partnership With Mitre. Harrisburg Heat. 13 October 2017. 15 January 2018.
  7. Web site: September 18, 2020 . Chihuahua 2019-20 regular season champs, M2 season completed . Major Arena Soccer League 2.
  8. Web site: July 19, 2021 . Cleveland Crunch wins title in its first season back . Spectrum News 1.
  9. Web site: July 19, 2021 . Led by Blue Streaks, Cleveland Crunch Wins MASL2 Championship . John Carroll Blue Streaks.
  10. Web site: April 11, 2022 . San Diego takes home MASL2 title after championship weekend in Muskegon, tops defending champs Cleveland . Local Sports Journal.