MISL announces rules revisions for 2004-05

September 13, 2004 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2) News Release


(Westport, Conn., Sept. 13, 2004) – Major Indoor Soccer League Commissioner Steve Ryan announced on Thursday that he and the MISL Management Committee have approved a series of rules revisions for the upcoming 2004-05 season. Areas addressed include goalkeeper distribution, player substitution, timeouts, goal celebration, and simultaneous penalties.

"We have a great game that appeals to sports fans around the world," said MISL Commissioner Steve Ryan. "In our on-going effort to enhance the quality our game, further showcase the talents of our world-class athletes, and provide a greater fan experience, the MISL Competition Committees annually examines and evaluates our game rules and regulations. The Competition Committee recommended these rule changes to the MISL Management Committee, and I am pleased to report that all changes approved received the enthusiastic support of the Management Committee."

The first change, made in the interest of improving the quality of play, institutes a two-line penalty for goalkeepers. Under rule 11.3, goalkeepers will no longer be allowed to play "the ball, other than by hand, over two lines in the air towards his opponent's goal line, without it touching another player, the perimeter wall or a referee on the field of play between the yellow lines." The "lines" referred to in rule 11.3 include the yellow line on either side of the field of play, and the halfway line.

Revisions to allowable player substitutions, as well as timeout regulations, were done with the interest of improving the flow of the game by reducing stoppages, and reducing the length of remaining stoppages. Under revised rule 3.4, "Substitutions shall not be allowed following infractions whistled where the ball has not left the field of play. A warning shall be administered for the first violation and a 2 min Team time penalty shall be assessed for subsequent violations of this rule by the same team." In addition, the length of all timeout has been reduced to 60 seconds, and a total of four "official timeouts" have been eliminated from the course of a game.

A fourth revision, covered under rule 12.8(a) (10), restricts players from removing their jerseys as a form of celebration. Approved in compliance with a recent memorandum issued by the United States Soccer Federation, the rule requires that referees caution offenders for unsporting behavior.

A fifth revision recommended by the MISL Competition Committee and approved by the MISL Management Committee, extends to referees the ability to issue a two- minute blue card, regardless of whether or not the rules infraction occurred when the ball was in play. Formerly, two-minute blue cards could only be issued if the infraction was committed while the ball was in play. Revised rule 12.3 reads, "A two (2) minute power play time penalty may be assessed against players for committing any of the offenses outlined in Rule 12.1 (a) –(n) committed while the ball is in or out of play."

The Major Indoor Soccer League is a single-entity organization featuring a coast-to-coast presence with nine teams located across the United States and a tenth team in Monterrey, Mexico. On February 27, the League announced an expansion team in Stockton, CA, that will begin play in 2005-06. On May 4, the League announced plans for an expansion team in Newark, NJ, that will begin play in 2007-08. The MISL is the single major league of indoor soccer. In 2003-04 the League played a 162-game regular season schedule that concluded on April 5. The 2003-04 MISL Championship Series concluded on May 1, when the Baltimore Blast won their second consecutive MISL Championship. For more information on the MISL, visit the League's website at www.MISL.net.



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from September 13, 2004


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