Soccer Defectors Follow Portland’s Lead

Dallas has joined Portland in defecting from the Continental Indoor Soccer League to form a new league.

Portland franchise officials predicted other teams would follow.

Formation of the Premier Soccer Alliance was announced in Portland on Friday. At the same time, the Dallas Sidekicks announced they were withdrawing from the Continental Indoor Soccer League to join the new league.

A month ago, the owners of the Portland Pride announced the franchise was withdrawing from the CISL.

Premier Soccer Alliance said in a news release that a number of team owners have expressed interest in joining the new league. The alliance said 12 to 16 teams are expected to become charter members.

“Our vision for this new association is to become the sole major indoor soccer organization uniting all of the teams currently playing professional indoor soccer in North America,” said Bill Lavelle, president of Portland Professional Soccer.

Portland Professional Soccer cited a lack of progression and exorbitant assessments as its reason for leaving the CISL. The team will change its name from the Pride, but no name has been selected.

The new league will be owned equally by each of its member teams.

In Dallas, a Sidekicks news release said the team will “pursue an exciting new opportunity in professional indoor soccer.”

“We have fought for 13 years to build this franchise to the position it is today,” said Sidekicks general manager Gordon Jago. “The new league will provide more stability league-wide and additional national sponsorship influence.”

CISL officials said they knew nothing of the Sidekicks’ plans until Friday.

“They didn’t directly notify us other than through receipt of their release,” said Chip Namiaf, league vice president for public affairs.