1981 North American Soccer League season

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North American Soccer League 1981 season
Season1981
Champions Chicago Sting
Premiers New York Cosmos
(5th title)
Matches played336
Goals scored1,234 (3.67 per match)
Top goalscorer Giorgio Chinaglia
(29 goals)
Highest attendance50,755
Washington at Montreal
(August 18)
Lowest attendance1,861
Dallas at Chicago
(May 10)
Average attendance14,084
← 1980
1982 →

Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1981. This was the 14th season of the NASL.

Contents

Overview

There were a total of 21 teams participating. Three teams (Houston, Rochester and Washington) folded, while four others (Memphis, Detroit, New England and Philadelphia) moved to new cities. Playoff series were switched from the two matches plus a mini-game tiebreaker used since 1977, to a best-of-three full matches played on three separate dates. The Chicago Sting defeated the New York Cosmos in Soccer Bowl '81 on September 26 to win the championship.

When Major League Baseball players went on strike on June 12, there was speculation that other sports, especially soccer, would see larger crowds. However, the 157 NASL matches played during the baseball work stoppage (which ended August 9) drew an average attendance of only 13,419, less than the full-season average of 14,084.

Changes from the previous season

New teams

Teams folding

Teams moving

Name changes

Regular season

W = Wins, L = Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PT= point system

6 points for a win in regulation and overtime, 4 point for a shootout win, 0 points for a loss, 1 bonus point for each regulation goal scored, up to three per game. [1]

 -Premiers (most points).  -Other playoff teams.
Eastern DivisionWLGFGAPT
New York Cosmos 2398049200
Montreal Manic 15176357141
Washington Diplomats 15175958135
Toronto Blizzard 725398277
Southern DivisionWLGFGAPT
Atlanta Chiefs 17156260151
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 18145446144
Jacksonville Tea Men 18145146141
Tampa Bay Rowdies 15176364139
Central DivisionWLGFGAPT
Chicago Sting 2398450195
Minnesota Kicks 19136357163
Tulsa Roughnecks 17156049154
Dallas Tornado 527277154
Western DivisionWLGFGAPT
San Diego Sockers 21116749173
Los Angeles Aztecs 19135355160
California Surf 11216077117
San Jose Earthquakes 11214478108
Northwest DivisionWLGFGAPT
Vancouver Whitecaps 21117443186
Calgary Boomers 17155954151
Portland Timbers 17155249141
Seattle Sounders 15176062137
Edmonton Drillers 12206079123

NASL All-Stars

First Team [2] PositionSecond Team [3] Honorable Mention [4]
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jan van Beveren, Fort Lauderdale G Flag of Germany.svg Hubert Birkenmeier, New York Flag of Germany.svg Volkmar Gross, San Diego
Flag of Haiti (1964-1986).svg Frantz Mathieu, Chicago D Flag of England.svg Barry Wallace, Tulsa Flag of Luxembourg.svg Nick Rohmann, San Diego
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Wim Rijsbergen, New YorkD Flag of England.svg Kevin Bond, Seattle Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Robert Iarusci, New York
Flag of Germany.svg Peter Nogly, EdmontonD Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Mihalj Keri, Los Angeles Flag of Jersey.svg Dave Huson, Chicago
Flag of Scotland.svg John Gorman, Tampa BayD Flag of Ireland.svg Pierce O'Leary, Vancouver Flag of Brazil.svg Carlos Alberto, California
Flag of Germany.svg Arno Steffenhagen, Chicago M Flag of England.svg Alan Hudson, Seattle Flag of the United States.svg Juli Veee, San Diego
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Vladislav Bogićević, New YorkM Ulster Banner.svg George Best, San Jose Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Jomo Sono, Toronto
Flag of Peru.svg Teófilo Cubillas, Fort LauderdaleM Flag of Scotland.svg Peter Lorimer, Vancouver Flag of England.svg Duncan McKenzie, Tulsa
Flag of England.svg Brian Kidd, Atlanta F Flag of Germany.svg Karl-Heinz Granitza, Chicago Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mike Stojanović, San Diego
Flag of England.svg Gordon Hill, MontrealF Flag of Paraguay.svg Roberto Cabañas, New York Flag of Argentina.svg Pato Margetic, Chicago
Flag of Italy.svg Giorgio Chinaglia, New YorkF Flag of Germany.svg Franz Gerber, Calgary Flag of England.svg Alan Green, Jacksonville • Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Steve Wegerle, New York

Playoffs

15 teams qualified for the playoffs – each first and second-place team across the divisions plus the five next best teams. Division winners were seeded 1 through 5, the second-place teams were seeded 6 through 10, and the last five teams were seeded 11 through 15 regardless of division placing. [5] The top seed received a bye, and the remaining 14 teams paired off to play the first round. Series winners would be reseeded by season point total after each round.

The 'best of two' format used from 1978 to 1980 was discarded for a more straightforward best of three games format in the first three rounds.

Bracket

First Round
(Best-of-3)		Quarterfinals
(Best-of-3)		Semifinals
(Best-of-3)		 Soccer Bowl '81
(Single match)
            
1 New York 2
14 Tampa Bay 1
3 Vancouver 0
14 Tampa Bay 2
1 New York 2
9 Fort Lauderdale 0
6 Minnesota 2
11 Tulsa 0
6 Minnesota 0
9 Fort Lauderdale 2
8 Calgary 0
9 Fort Lauderdale 2
1 New York 0
2 Chicago 1
2 Chicago 2
15 Seattle 1
2 Chicago 2
10 Montreal 1
7 Los Angeles 1
10 Montreal 2
2 Chicago 2
4 San Diego 1
4 San Diego 2
13 Portland 1
4 San Diego 2
12 Jacksonville 1
5 Atlanta 0
12 Jacksonville 2

First round

Lower seedHigher seedGame 1Game 2Game 3(higher seed hosts Games 2 and 3)
Tulsa Roughnecks - Minnesota Kicks 1–30–1 (SO, 4–5)xAugust 22 • Skelly Stadium • 16,205
August 26 • Metropolitan Stadium • 10,722
Portland Timbers - San Diego Sockers 2–11–50–2August 22 • Civic Stadium • 16,003
August 26 • Jack Murphy Stadium • 12,039
August 30 • Jack Murphy Stadium • 15,244
Jacksonville Tea Men - Atlanta Chiefs 3–2 (OT)2–1xAugust 23 • Gator Bowl • 9,287
August 25 • Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium • 6,572
Fort Lauderdale Strikers - Calgary Boomers 3–1#2–0xAugust 23 • Lockhart Stadium • 12,196
#August 26 • Lockhart Stadium • 11,494
Tampa Bay Rowdies - Vancouver Whitecaps 4–11–0xAugust 23 • Tampa Stadium • 21,192
August 26 • Empire Stadium • 28,896
Seattle Sounders - Chicago Sting 2–3*2–02–3August 23 • Comiskey Park • 14,643
*August 26 • Kingdome • 15,176
August 30 • Wrigley Field • 24,080
Montreal Manic - Los Angeles Aztecs 5–32–32–1 (OT)August 24 • Olympic Stadium • 46,682
August 27 • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • 7,529
August 30 • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • 8,812
(first round bye) New York Cosmos ••••

#Due to a scheduling conflict between the Calgary Boomers and the Billy Graham Crusade, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers hosted both Games 1 and 2 (instead of Game 1 only), there-by gaining home field advantage even though they were the lower seed. [6]

*Seattle Sounders hosted Game 2 (instead of Game 1) due to a scheduling conflict with the Mariners baseball club. [7]

Quarterfinals

Lower seedHigher seedGame 1Game 2Game 3(higher seed hosts Games 2 and 3)
Tampa Bay Rowdies - New York Cosmos 3–63–2 (SO, 4–2)0–2September 2 • Tampa Stadium • 29,224
September 5 • Giants Stadium • 38,691
September 9 • Giants Stadium • 33,754
Montreal Manic - Chicago Sting 3–22–42–4September 2 • Olympic Stadium • 58,542
September 5 • Wrigley Field • 24,648
September 10 • Comiskey Park • 27,489
Fort Lauderdale Strikers - Minnesota Kicks 3–13–0xSeptember 2 • Lockhart Stadium • 11,918
September 6 • Memorial Stadium • 10,278
Jacksonville Tea Men - San Diego Sockers 2–1 (OT)1–21–3September 2 • Gator Bowl • 12,252
September 6 • Jack Murphy Stadium • 14,428
September 9 • Jack Murphy Stadium • 14,015

Semifinals

Lower seedHigher seedGame 1Game 2Game 3(higher seed hosts Games 2 and 3)
Fort Lauderdale Strikers - New York Cosmos 3–41–4xSeptember 12 • Lockhart Stadium • 18,814
September 16 • Giants Stadium • 31,172 [8]
San Diego Sockers - Chicago Sting 2–11–20–1 (SO, 2–3)September 12 • Jack Murphy Stadium • 18,192
September 16 • Comiskey Park • 21,760
September 21 • Comiskey Park • 39,623

Soccer Bowl '81

1981 NASL Champions: Chicago Sting

*From 1977 through 1984 the NASL had a variation of the penalty shoot-out procedure for tied matches. The shoot-out started 35 yards from the goal and allowed the player 5 seconds to attempt a shot. The player could make as many moves as he wanted in a breakaway situation within the time frame. Even though this particular match was a scoreless tie after overtime, NASL procedure also called for the box score to show an additional "goal" given to the winning team. [9] [10]

Post season awards

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References

  1. ↑ "St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search".
  2. ↑ Cote, Greg (September 11, 1981). "Strikers open at home against Cosmos Saturday". Miami Herald. p. 4F. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  3. ↑ "NASL All-Stars". The Evening Independent. September 11, 1981. p. 2-C. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  4. ↑ "NASL All-Star Team". The Tampa Times. September 11, 1981. p. 2C. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  5. ↑ Scheiber, Dave (August 3, 1981). "NASL's playoff system hurts its credibility". St. Petersburg Times. p. 3C. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  6. ↑ Scheiber, Dave (September 1, 1981). "Rowdies cashing in on their new underdog label". St. Petersburg Times. p. 3, sec. 4. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  7. ↑ Conklin, Mike (September 27, 1981). "Sting hopes for even more success in playoffs". Chicago Tribune. p. 3, sec. 4. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  8. ↑ Bonapace, Ruth (September 17, 1981). "Chinaglia Pulls It Out Of The Hat For Cosmos". Evening Independent. p. 4, sec. C. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  9. ↑ "This Day In 1981 : Soccer Bowl Edition | Chicago Fire Confidential". Archived from the original on September 20, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  10. ↑ "The Year in American Soccer - 1977". Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  11. ↑ "The Calgary Herald - Google News Archive Search".
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