Upstart NISL Adjusting After Franchise Suspends Operations

A decision by the National Indoor Soccer League's (NISL) Orlando Sharks "to suspend operations at least for this season" means the NISL "has been reduced to four teams and is scrambling to revise its schedule," according to Kent Baker of the Baltimore SUN. NISL Baltimore Blast GM Kevin Healey: "No doubt this was a surprise because they (the Sharks) were part of putting this league together, then at the last minute they pull out because of arena problems." Owners of the remaining NISL franchises, the Blast, Philadelphia Kixx, Monterrey (Mexico) La Raza and Rockford Rampage, "will dicuss the options this week and settle on a new schedule." Healey: "We'll probably go with the four teams and stay with an 18-game schedule, playing everybody six times. The chance of transferring a team to another city is remote" (Baltimore SUN, 10/27).