MISL Bosses, in Dire Straits, Call Meeting

NEW YORK — The Major Indoor Soccer League, down to six teams and facing the possibility of collapse, Sunday called for an emergency meeting in Cleveland Tuesday in an effort to save the league.

Commissioner Bill Kentling will be joined by the league’s board of directors and John Kerr, director of the MISL Players Assn. There’s also a good chance, Kentling said, that the Sockers will be represented at the meeting by either prospective buyer Ron Fowler or Ron Cady, Sockers’ president.

“I talked with Ron (Fowler) and he’s very interested in meeting Tuesday,” Kentling said. “If we can work it to where we can have an eight-team league, he’s indicated that he wants to be involved.”

Fowler couldn’t be reached for comment Sunday.

Tuesday’s meeting was called two days after both the Tacoma and Chicago franchises folded, and Fowler withdrew his offer to buy the Sockers out of bankruptcy.

Kentling said he talked with three new prospective buyers in Tacoma Sunday, but added that nothing concrete has been discussed.

“(Tuesday) we will explore the conditions under which the memberships in Tacoma and San Diego can be continued and discuss the real possibility of at least one other community participating in the league starting next season,” Kentling said.

“Two issues will be addressed: What economic environment the league needs to continue with six teams and what the realistic possibilities are of moving that number to eight.”