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Cleveland Force Investor/Operator to Sell Majority Ownership

March 29, 2005 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2) News Release


WESTPORT, Conn. (Tuesday, March 29, 2005) – The Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and Cleveland Force President and General Manager Paul Garofolo announced today that Investor/Operator Dick Dietrich intends to sell his majority ownership in North Coast Professional Sports, Ltd., the operating group of the Cleveland Force. No firm timetable for the sale of the Cleveland Force has been set.

"Dick has demonstrated his love and passion for indoor soccer over the last five years," stated MISL Commissioner Steve Ryan. "He has exhibited an unwavering commitment to the success of the MISL and has served the League in many capacities, including Chair of the Competition Committee in 2001-02, and Chair of the MISL Management Committee since November of 2002. Unfortunately, Dick has decided that he needs to devote more of his time to his other business interests. The League is working with Dick and Force management to identify prospective new investor/operators to keep the Force and its rich tradition in Cleveland."

"This is a sad day for me," said Dietrich. "This is certainly not what I want to have happen with the Force. I truly wish it weren't so." Mr. Dietrich began his involvement with the Cleveland Force as part of the ownership group that took over on December 10, 1999 when he purchased the Cleveland Crunch. Dietrich serves as the Chief Executive Officer of North Coast Professional Sports, Ltd.

Mr. Dietrich's foray into soccer began as a high school player and then on the collegiate level at Tufts University in Boston. He has been a club soccer player, coached youth soccer for 17 years, and served as a varsity coach at Cleveland Heights High School for seven seasons (1985-87 and 1990-93). In addition, he founded the Eastside Kicker Club in 1982, a youth soccer program in Cleveland Heights.

Currently, the Force (16-14) holds the fourth and final postseason position in the MISL Standings. Cleveland has nine games remaining in its 2004-05 schedule, four of which are at home, including a showdown with the first-place Milwaukee Wave on Saturday, April 2 at 7:05 p.m. EST at the Wolstein Convocation Center.

The Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) is a single-entity organization featuring a coast-to-coast presence with seven teams located across the United States. On February 27, 2004, the MISL announced an expansion team in Stockton, CA, that will begin play in 2005-06. On May 4, 2004, the MISL announced plans for an expansion team in Newark, NJ, that will begin play in 2007-08. The 2004-05 regular season concludes on Sunday, April 24. The top four teams in the standings qualify for the 2005 MISL Championship Series, which commences with the Semifinal Round on the weekend of April 29-May 1. The 2005 MISL Championship Series Finals are scheduled for Saturday, May 14 at U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee (Game One) and Saturday, May 21 at Savvis Center in St. Louis (Game Two). For more information on the MISL, visit the League's website at www.MISL.net.

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