Kansas City Comets

The Kansas City Comets were a professional indoor soccer

Indoor soccer

Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...

team based for most of its existence in Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...

. They played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL; later the Major Soccer League) from 1979–1991, when they folded. They played their home games in Kemper Arena

Kemper Arena

Kemper Arena is a 19,500 seat indoor arena, in Kansas City, Missouri.It is named for R. Crosby Kemper Sr., a member of the powerful Kemper financial clan and who donated $3.2 million, from his estate for the arena...

.

The team originated as the Detroit Lightning, which joined the MISL as an expansion team

Expansion team

An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...

in the 1979–1980 season. After a year in Detroit the team relocated to San Francisco, California

San Francisco, California

San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...

, becoming the San Francisco Fog. They moved to Kansas City in 1981, where they remained for ten years. In Kansas City the team went to the league playoffs seven times, advancing to the division finals three times.

History

In 1979 the Major Indoor Soccer League placed an expansion franchise in Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

. The team, then known as the Detroit Lightning, failed to make the playoffs, and at the end of the season were purchased by entrepreneur David Schoenstadt, later the founder of Discovery Zone

Discovery Zone

Discovery Zone was a chain of entertainment facilities featuring games and elaborate indoor mazes designed for young children, including slides, climbing play structures and ball pits. The chain was founded by Ronald Matsch, Jim Jorgensen, Mike Geselbracht and Dr. David Schoenstadt in 1989. The...

. Schoenstadt relocated the team to San Francisco, California

San Francisco, California

, where they were renamed the San Francisco Fog. They again failed to make the playoffs, and Schoenstadt moved the team once more, this time to Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri

, rebranding them the Kansas City Comets.

The Comets failed to qualify for the playoffs in the 1981–1982 season, but were thereafter consistent playoff contenders, making a total of seven playoff appearances in ten seasons. They advanced to the quarterfinals in 1985, the division semifinals in 1987, and the division finals in 1988, 1990, and 1991. They had enjoyed a strong attendance in their early years, but ticket sales declined later in their run, dropping from an average high of 15,786 in the 1983–1984 season to a low of 7,103 in the 1990–1991 season. Though they finished second in the league in their last two seasons of operations, the Comets could not withstand the drop in revenue, and folded at the end of the 1990–1991 season.

The Comets were followed the next season by the Kansas City Attack

Kansas City Attack

The Kansas City Attack, previously the Atlanta Attack and later known as the Kansas City Comets, were an indoor soccer team based for most of its existence in Kansas City, Missouri. In its various incarnations the franchise played in the National Professional Soccer League from 1989–2001 and the...

of the National Professional Soccer League; this team was known as the "Kansas City Comets" from 2001–2005. In 2010 the Missouri Comets

Missouri Comets

The Missouri Comets are an indoor soccer team based in Independence, Missouri, near Kansas City. They joined the new Major Indoor Soccer League as an expansion team in the 2010–2011 season. They play their home games at the Independence Events Center....

, based in nearby Independence

Independence, Missouri

Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...

, joined the new Major Indoor Soccer League, carrying on the legacy of the original Comets.

Stars and fan favorites included Enzo DiPede

Enzo DiPede

Enzo DiPede was a goalkeeper who played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League .Di Pede was a member of the MISL Champion New York Arrows as a backup goalkeeper in 1979–1980. Di Pede won MISL Goalkeeper of the Year honors in 1981 as a member of the Chicago Horizon and later played for the...

, Billy Gazonas

Billy Gazonas

Billy Gazonas is a former U.S. soccer midfielder who won the 1977 Hermann Trophy as the top collegiate soccer player of the year. He four seasons in the North American Soccer League and several in Major Indoor Soccer League.-Youth:...

, Gino Schiraldi, Greg Makowski

Greg Makowski

Gregory "Greg" Makowski is a retired U.S. soccer defender. He was a three time first team collegiate All American and was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic soccer team which was prevented from competing in the Moscow Olympics due to President Carter's boycott of the games. He also earned fourteen...

, Victor Petroni

Victor Petroni

Victor Petroni is a retired Canadian soccer goalkeeper who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League and American Indoor Soccer Association.-Player:...

, Jan Goossens

Jan Goossens

Jan Goossens is a former star American indoor soccer player. He was the original MISL's sixth all-time leading scorer with 682 points during his 7 years in the league....

, Kia

Kia Zolgharnain

Kia Zolgharnain was an Iranian-U.S. soccer forward who led the American Indoor Soccer Association in scoring during the 1986-1987 season. He currently coaches youth soccer in Cleveland...

, Dale Mitchell

Dale Mitchell (soccer)

Dale William Dink Mitchell is a former top-level professional association football striker who played for several North American teams in the 1980s and 1990s....

, Alan Mayer

Alan Mayer

Alan Mayer, a native of Islip, New York is a retired soccer goalkeeper from the United States. He played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League and earned six caps with the United States men's national soccer team....

, Zoran Savic

Zoran Savic (soccer)

Zoran Savic is a retired Yugoslavian soccer forward who played professionally in the first Major Indoor Soccer League, second and third American Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League and American Indoor Soccer Association...

, Jim Schwab

Jim Schwab

Jim Schwab is a retired American soccer defender who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League and National Professional Soccer League...

, Gordon Hill, Tasso Koutsoukos

Tasso Koutsoukos

Tasso Koutsoukos is a retired Canadian soccer player who played professionally in the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League and Canadian Soccer League. He also coached in the Montreal Impact in the National Professional Soccer League.-Player:Koutsoukos played collegiate soccer...

, Manny Schwartz

Manny Schwartz

Manny Schwartz is a retired Israeli soccer goalkeeper who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League....

, David Doyle

David Doyle

David Fitzgerald Doyle was an American actor.-Early life:Doyle was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the son of Mary Ruth and Lewis Raymond Doyle, an attorney. His maternal grandfather, John Fitzgerald, was a prominent railroad builder and banker in Nebraska...

, Tim Clark

Tim Clark (soccer)

Tim Clark is a retired American soccer defender who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League.-Youth:...

, Elson Seale

Elson Seale

Elson Seale was a Barbados-American soccer forward who played in the North American Soccer League, American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He is currently an independent businessman in the Kansas City area....

, Yilmaz Orhan

Yilmaz Orhan

Yilmaz Orhan is a former football forward who played professionally in the United States and England.Spotted by Terry Matthews while playing for Aveley, Orhan made his First Division debut for West Ham United in January 1976...

, and Ty Keough

Ty Keough

William “Ty” Keough is a former U.S. soccer player and coach who has served as a soccer broadcaster for several networks. He earned seven caps with the U.S. national team in 1979 and 1980. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic soccer team which qualified for the 1980 Summer Olympics. However, he...

as well as coaches Pat McBride

Pat mcbride

Patrick "Pat" McBride is a retired American soccer midfielder and indoor soccer coach. He earned five caps with the U.S. national team and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame....

and Rick Benben.

Staff

Dick Berg
Dick Berg
Richard Berg was an American screenwriter as well as a film and television producer. Among his credits is the 1985 miniseries Space and Wallenberg: A Hero's Story....

General manager
Peter Simon
Peter Simon
Peter Simon is an English shopping television presenter and former children's television personality.-Career:Simon's career began at the age of 12, when he became a presenter for Yorkshire Television's Junior Showtime...

Public Relations Director
Brad Jacobs Marketing Director Tim Leiweke
Tim Leiweke
Timothy Leiweke is President of Anschutz Entertainment Group , which owns the Los Angeles Kings, the Los Angeles Galaxy. part of the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as multiple sporting and entertainment venues around the world-References:...

- General Manager (1981–84) President (1986–88)

Head coaches

Terry Fisher (1979–80)

Johnny Moore

Johnny Moore (soccer)

Johnny Moore is a former Scottish-U.S. soccer player who spent several years in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He has also served in various administrative positions, including general manager of the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer. Moore also earned...

(1980–81) Luis Dabo (1981) Pat McBride

Pat mcbride

Patrick "Pat" McBride is a retired American soccer midfielder and indoor soccer coach. He earned five caps with the U.S. national team and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame....

(1981–84) Rick Benben (1984–87) Dave Clements

Dave Clements

Dave Clements in Larne in County Antrim, was a football player and manager from Northern Ireland. He started his career as a left winger but also played as a defensive midfielder and left full back throughout a career which lasted from 1964 to 1976 in which time he played for Coventry City,...

(1987–91)

San Francisco Fog

Year	League	Record	Reg. Season	Playoffs
1980-81	MISL	11-29	4th West	Failed to Qualify

Year	Division	League	Reg. Season	Playoffs	Avg. Attendance
1981/82	Western	MISL	6th	Did not qualify	11,058
1982/83	Western	MISL	3rd	1st Round	14,692
1983/84	Western	MISL	4th	1st Round	15,786
1984/85	Western	MISL	4th	Quarterfinals	12,917
1985/86	Western	MISL	5th	Did not qualify	12,428
1986/87	Western	MISL	2nd	Division Semifinals	12,447
1987/88	Western	MISL	3rd	Division Finals	11,211
1988/89	N/A	MISL	7th	Did not qualify	9,228
1989/90	Eastern	MISL	2nd	Division Finals	10,475
1990/91	Eastern	MSL	2nd	Division Finals	7,103

Honors

Rookie of the Year

1986: David Boncek
1988: David Doyle
David Doyle (soccer)
David Doyle is an Irish soccer forward who spent seventeen seasons playing indoor soccer in the United States...

Coach of the Year

1983: Pat McBride

San Francisco Fog Roster

Kansas City Comets

Emilio John

Emilio John is a retired Nigerian soccer forward. He played professionally in the American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League, andwas the 1978 ASL Rookie of the Year. He was also a member of the Nigeria national football team.-Career:...

Laurie Abrahams

Lawrence Adam Michael "Laurie" Abrahams is a retired English professional footballer who played as a striker in England, the United States, and Australia...

(1984–85) John Bain

John Bain

John Bain is a retired Scottish-U.S. soccer midfielder who currently coaches youth soccer in the U.S. Bain began his professional career in England before moving to the United States in 1978. Over his twenty year playing career, Bain played for numerous leagues and teams, both indoors and out...

(1985–86)

Boris Bandov Peter Baralic

Peter Baralić

Peter Baralic is a retired Yugoslavian soccer player who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He later coached the Phoenix Hearts of the Southwest Indoor Soccer League. He was the 1990 SISL Coach of the Year.-Player:In 1979, Baralic signed with...

Porfirio Armando Betancourt

Porfirio Armando Betancourt, born October 10, 1957 in Lima, Honduras, is a retired Honduran football player.-Youth:Betancourt grew up in a soccer family. His father, Porfirio Betancourt played for Club Deportivo Olimpia and his two uncles played for Club Deportivo Platense. As a youth player, he...

(1987–88) David Brcic

David Brcic

David Joseph Brcic is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He also competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics and earned four caps with the United States men's national soccer team.-Youth career:In 1976, Brcic...

(1987–89) David Boncek (1986-??) Charlie Carey John Cerin

Snješko Cerin

Snježan "Snješko" Cerin is a retired Croatian association football striker who spent most of his career playing for his hometown club Dinamo Zagreb in the Yugoslav First League in the 1970s and 1980s....

(1985–86) 3 Apps 1 Goal Tim Clark

Tim Clark (soccer)

Tim Clark is a retired American soccer defender who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League.-Youth:...

Stan Cummins

Stan Cummins was an English footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or forward....

(1988-89) 48 Apps 6 Goals Enzo Di Pede (1983–84) 39 Apps 0 Goals

Angelo DiBernardo

Angelo DiBernardo is a retired Argentine-American soccer player who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He also represented the United States at the 1984 Summer Olympics...

(1985–86)

Paul DiBernardo

Paul DiBernardo is a retired Argentine-American soccer midfielder who coaches youth soccer. He played professionally in the American Indoor Soccer Association and earned one cap with the United States men's national soccer team.-Youth:...

(1985–86) 22 Apps 18 Goals Mike Dowler

Mike Dowler

Mike Dowler is a retired Welsh professional football goalkeeper. He spent most of his career in the U.S. indoor leagues where he was named the 1995 Continental Indoor Soccer League Goalkeeper of the Year....

(1989–90) 28 Apps 0 Goals David Doyle

David Doyle (soccer)

David Doyle is an Irish soccer forward who spent seventeen seasons playing indoor soccer in the United States...

(1987–91) Ted Eck

Ted Eck

Ted Eck is a retired American soccer player who played for numerous clubs in the United States and Canada over a thirteen year professional career. He also earned thirteen caps with the U.S. national team between 1989 and 1996.He coached the Ogden Outlaws in the USL Premier Development League...

(1988–91) Charlie Fajkus

Charlie Fajkus

Charlie Fajkus is a former U.S. soccer midfielder who spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League and five in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned three caps with the U.S. national team between 1982 and 1985.-Youth and college:Fajkus grew up Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb of...

(1985–87)

Iain Fraser (1986–91) Billy Gazonas

Billy Gazonas

(1983–86) Ed Gettemeier

Ed Gettemeier

Ed Gettermeier is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League.-Youth:...

Jan Goossens

Jan Goossens is a former star American indoor soccer player. He was the original MISL's sixth all-time leading scorer with 682 points during his 7 years in the league....

(1986–91) 227 Apps 221 Goals Jim Gorsek

Jim Gorsek

James “Jim” or “Jimmy” Gorsek is a former U.S. soccer goalkeeper. He spent seven seasons in the North American Soccer League, seven seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League and two in the Continental Indoor Soccer League. He also earned two caps with the U.S...

(1989–90) 26 Apps 0 Goal Daryl Green

Daryl Green

Daryl Green is a retired U.S. soccer player who coaches youth soccer. He played four seasons in the Western Soccer Alliance, one in the American Professional Soccer League and two in Major Indoor Soccer League-Youth:...

(1989–90) Charlie Greene

Charlie Greene (soccer)

Charlie Greene is a retired American soccer player who played professionally in the North American Soccer League, American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League and American Indoor Soccer Association.-Professional:...

Damir Haramina (1986–87) 45 Apps 42 Goals Gordon Hill (1983–84) 41 Apps 46 Goals Kevin Hundelt

Kevin Hundelt

Kevin Hundelt is a retired American soccer player who spent his entire professional career playing in indoor leagues. These include the first Major Indoor Soccer League and second Major Indoor Soccer League, National Professional Soccer League and Continental Indoor Soccer League...

Greg Ion

Gregory "Greg" Stewart Ion is a retired Canadian soccer midfielder.-Professional:The son of Gordie Ion, Ion graduated from Burnaby North Secondary School. In 1981, the Portland Timbers selected him in the first round of the North American Soccer League draft. However, he lost the entire 1981...

(1987) Tom Kain

Tom Kain

Tom Kain is the Nike Director of Global Marketing . He is also a retired U.S. soccer midfielder. He played collegiate soccer at Duke University where he was named the 1985 Hermann Trophy winner as the top collegiate player. He also earned five caps with the U.S...

(1987–88) Chris Kenny

Chris Kenny

Chris Kenny is a retired American soccer defender who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League.-Youth:...

Ty Keough

(1985–86) Stuart Lee

Stuart Lee

Stuart Lee is a former English football forward. He played professionally in England, Wales and the United States.-Player:...

(1985–86) 13 Apps 4 Goals

Mark Liveric

Mirko “Mark” Liveric is a retired Yugoslavian-American soccer forward who spent eight years in the North American Soccer League and seven in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned sixteen caps, scoring three goals, with the U.S. national team.-NASL:...

(1984–85) 9 Apps 3 Goals Tasso Koutsoukos

Tasso Koutsoukos

(1983–84) 46 Apps 41 Goals Duncan MacEwan

Duncan MacEwan

Duncan MacEwan is a retired Scottish Association football player who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Indoor Soccer Association and third American Soccer League....

Greg Makowski

(1985–86) Patricio Margetic

Patricio Margetic

Patricio Germán "Pato" Margetic is a former Argentine footballer. He began his career in Argentina before playing five seasons in the North American Soccer League, as well as the Major Indoor Soccer League and...

(1986–87) 46 Apps 25 Goals Arnie Mausser

Arnie Mausser

Arnold "Arnie" Mausser is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who played with 8 different NASL teams from 1975-1984. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame....

(1985–86) Alan Mayer

Alan Mayer

(1985–92) 75 Apps 0 Goals Dale Mitchell

Dale Mitchell (soccer)

Dale William Dink Mitchell is a former top-level professional association football striker who played for several North American teams in the 1980s and 1990s....

(1985–90) 248 Apps 239 Goals Yilmaz Orhan

Yilmaz Orhan

Steve Pecher

Steve Pecher is a retired U.S. soccer defender who is currently the Director of the St. Louis/Busch Soccer Club.-Youth and college:...

Paul Peschisolido

Paolo Pasquale Peschisolido , commonly known as Paul Peschisolido, is a Canadian association football manager and former player...

(1990–91) Victor Petroni

Victor Petroni

Victor Petroni is a retired Canadian soccer goalkeeper who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League and American Indoor Soccer Association.-Player:...

(1982–83) 26 Apps 0 Goals Kim Roentved Carlos Salguero

Carlos Salguero

Carlos Salguero was an Argentine professional soccer forward. He died aged 51 from cancer in 2007. He spent one season in the North American Soccer League, one in the United Soccer League and nearly ten in various indoor leagues...

Dave Sarachan

Dave Sarachan is a former U.S. soccer coach and player. He spent two seasons in the North American Soccer League and four in Major Indoor Soccer League before retiring in 1982...

(1982) Zoran Savic

Zoran Savic (soccer)

Gino Schiraldi Jim Schwab

Jim Schwab

Jim Schwab is a retired American soccer defender who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League and National Professional Soccer League...

Manny Schwartz

Manny Schwartz is a retired Israeli soccer goalkeeper who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League....

(1984–85) 40 Apps 0 Goals Elson Seale

Elson Seale

(1983–85) John Stremlau

John Stremlau

John Stremlau is a retired U.S. soccer player who played five seasons in the North American Soccer League and at least six in the Major Indoor Soccer League.-College:...

(1983–84) Benny Tabak Tim Twellman

Tim Twellman

Timothy “Tim” Twellman is a retired American soccer player who spent seven years in the North American Soccer League and four in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1982. After retiring from playing professionally, he has coached high school and...

(1984–85)

Carl Valentine

Carl Howard Valentine is a former professional soccer player and coach who has had a long association with soccer in the Vancouver area ....

(1991–92) Barry Wallace

Barry Wallace (soccer)

Barry Wallace was an English football defender who played professionally in the Football League, North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. After his retirement from playing, Wallace spent the rest of his life coaching youth soccer teams.In 1975, Wallace signed with Queens Park...

Kia Zolgharnain

Kia Zolgharnain was an Iranian-U.S. soccer forward who led the American Indoor Soccer Association in scoring during the 1986-1987 season. He currently coaches youth soccer in Cleveland...

San Francisco Fog

Kansas City Comets

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