The Major Soccer League will be playing outdoor games as early as this summer, Kansas City owner Chris Clouser and St. Louis owner Milan Mandaric announced yesterday during MSL meetings in Kansas City, Mo.
"We all know our main product is indoor soccer," said Mandaric. "But, at the same time, soccer is being played outdoors and we can not ignore that. We want to participate in a professional and economic way. Our recommendation is participation in some form this summer. We will have more details [as the meetings continue]."
Commissioner Earl Foreman said at least one league team already has scheduled an outdoor game, but refused to elaborate.
* EXPANSION ON WAY: The board of directors told Foreman to concentrate his efforts on getting Pittsburgh and Buffalo into the league for the 1991-92 season. Foreman said the league is asking for an expansion franchise fee of $250,000. He said he believed he could have a report ready that could include official membership applications within 60 days.
Foreman said Buffalo is definitely interested, with three groups there vying for the franchise. Pittsburgh is a little further along in the entry process, but is slightly behind its own schedule due to one partner in the group dropping out.
* EUROPEAN OPPORTUNITY: The MSL has asked Graham Walker, who has public relations and marketing ties in England and the United States, to prepare a report on MSL opportunities to expand the indoor game in England and on the Continent.
The report also is to look into the possibilities of more international games in the United States and the viability of indoor games on European television, where studies have shown the indoor version to be "equally or even more" popular than the outdoor game on British TV, according to Walker.
* GREYHOUND STAR: When the College All-Star Showcase game is played tonight in Kansas City, Loyola College forward Doug Miller will be playing for the East. Miller, 5 feet 6 and 140 pounds, got the call Saturday as the first alternate. Blast officials watching practice yesterday said they were impressed by Miller's play.
The college draft will be held tomorrow morning.
* MSL ALL-STARS READY: Kansas City midfielder Kim Roentved (water on the knee) and defender Iain Fraser (Achilles' heel bruise) said yesterday they will play in tomorrow night's All-Star Game, despite nagging injuries.
More than 12,500 tickets already have been sold for the game, which will be carried by WCAO-AM 600 at 8:30 p.m.