1983–84 NASL Indoor season


The 1983–84 North American Soccer League indoor season was the fourth and last in league history. The San Diego Sockers defeated the New York Cosmos for their third straight indoor title, having won the NASL Indoor title in 1981–82 and the MISL title in 1982–83.

Season recap

The NASL was struggling for life at this point, and finding teams to play the indoor season would be difficult. While San Diego, the Chicago Sting and the Golden Bay Earthquakes were committed to the league, filling out the ranks would be problematic. With the league making plain their desire to have both an indoor and outdoor element going forward, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers decided to move to Minnesota for the 1984 NASL season due to a lack of suitable arenas in the local area.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies were unsure whether or not they would be able to play, as the previous owners had committed to play in the indoor season and then sold the team. This left the new owners in the lurch. The lack of a suitable arena was also an issue, eventually forcing Rowdies' home games to be split among three sites. The Tulsa Roughnecks were only in the league thanks to a fundraiser that put $65,000 in the team's coffers, even though the team had won the outdoor Soccer Bowl just weeks earlier.
Despite the uncertainty, this would be the largest NASL Indoor season ever as a 32-game regular season, a best-of-three semifinal round and a best-of-five championship series were on the schedule. Also, the first All-Star Game in NASL history took place on February 8 at Chicago Stadium. The hometown Chicago Sting took on an All-Star team of the six other squads. Despite four goals from Chicago's Karl-Heinz Granitza, the All-Stars won 9–8.
Not surprisingly, the teams with steady management performed best through the season. The Sockers averaged over 11,000 for their home games and finished first, overcoming a slow 8-8 start. The hot streak continued in the playoffs as the team won all five of their postseason games en route to the NASL title.
The NASL confirmed plans for 40-game indoor seasons in 1985 and 1986 near the end of the season, but folded for good in March 1985. By then, San Diego, Minnesota, New York and Chicago had joined the MISL. While the Sockers, Strikers and Sting experienced success in the MISL, the Cosmos would start the season but drop out on February 22, 1985.

Teams

Regular season

The 1983–84 regular season schedule ran from November 11, 1983, to March 25, 1984. The 32 games per team was almost double the length of previous NASL Indoor seasons.
W = Wins, L = Losses, GB = Games Behind 1st Place, Pct. = Winning Percentage, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against
Final StandingsWLPct.GBGFGAHomeRoad
San Diego Sockers2111.656–19614814–27–9
New York Cosmos2012.625121919813–37–9
Chicago Sting2012.625118314812–48–8
Golden Bay Earthquakes1913.594220619012–47–9
Vancouver Whitecaps1220.37591872096–106–10
Tulsa Roughnecks1121.344101662167–94–12
Tampa Bay Rowdies923.281121772255–114–12

Regular season statistics

Scoring leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
PlayerTeamGPGAPts
Steve ZungulGolden Bay Earthquakes326356119
Karl-Heinz GranitzaChicago Sting32593392
Juli VeeeSan Diego Sockers28452974
Carl ValentineVancouver Whitecaps32442670
Chico BorjaNew York Cosmos31293766
Godfrey IngramGolden Bay Earthquakes32382563
TatuTampa Bay Rowdies30491160
Stan TerleckiNew York Cosmos23342357
Peter WardVancouver Whitecaps28421254
Kaz DeynaSan Diego Sockers27282452

Leading goalkeepers

Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses
PlayerTeamGPMinGAGAAWL
Jim GorsekSan Diego Sockers181074734.08144
Victor NogueiraChicago Sting3218731364.362010
Bob RigbyGolden Bay Earthquakes3118901845.841813
David BrcicNew York Cosmos2615701555.92188
Jürgen StarsTampa Bay Rowdies2615061716.81818
Winston DuBoseTulsa Roughnecks2214161616.82715

1984 NASL All-Star Game

On February 8, the city of Chicago hosted what turned out to be the only All-Star game in NASL history. The Chicago Sting battled a team of All-Stars from the other six teams for the benefit of Chicago Tribune Charities. The starters were voted on by the players, while San Diego coach Ron Newman selected the reserves. The All-Stars outdueled the Sting 9–8 before 14,328 fans at Chicago Stadium, despite an MVP performance by Chicago's Karl-Heinz Granitza. Granitza scored four goals on the night.
All-Star Game Starters Position All-Star Game Reserves
*Alan Mayer, San DiegoGDavid Brcic, New York • Tino Lettieri Vancouver
Barry Wallace, TulsaDAngelo DiBernardo, New York • Frantz Mathieu, Tampa Bay
Fernando Clavijo, Golden BayDMike Connell, Tampa Bay • Gert Wieczorkowski, San Diego
Steve Zungul, Golden BayFCarl Valentine, Vancouver • ^Stan Terlecki, New York
Kaz Deyna, San DiegoFJean Willrich, San Diego • Zequinha, Tulsa
Juli Veee, San DiegoFPeter Ward, Vancouver

*Alan Mayer of San Diego was originally selected as a starter but due to a broken finger was unable to play. Tino Lettieri of Vancouver was named as his replacement.^Stan Terlecki of New York was originally selected as a reserve but due to injury was unable to play. Zequinha of Tulsa was named as his replacement.

Match report

NASL All-Stars

During the finals the NASL announced the traditional All-NASL team of All-Stars, as voted on by the players at the end of the regular season.
First Team Position Second Team
Victor Nogueira, ChicagoGDavid Brcic, New York
Fernando Clavijo, Golden BayDDan Canter, New York
Gert Wieczorkowski, San DiegoDMartin Donnelly, San Diego
Kaz Deyna, San DiegoMJuli Veee, San Diego
Steve Zungul, Golden BayFCarl Valentine, Vancouver
Karl-Heinz Granitza, ChicagoFPato Margetic, Chicago • Stan Terlecki, New York

Playoffs

Bracket

Semifinals

Best of three series

Championship Series

Best of five series

Championship match reports

1983–84 NASL Indoor Champions: San Diego Sockers

Post-season awards