Indoor soccer

The Major Indoor Soccer League will be operated by United Soccer Leagues starting in the 2011-12 season and will consist of at least seven teams.

The Blast will be joined by fellow MISL holdovers in Milwaukee, Kansas City and Wichita, Kan., as well as first-year USL indoor franchises in Norfolk, Va., Rochester, N.Y., and Syracuse, N.Y.

The league will be led by Chris Economides, senior director of USL's professional leagues.

Scheduling, competition and playoff format and rules for the MISL will be determined by the league's board of governors.

USL intends to seek affiliation under the U.S. Soccer Federation umbrella, consistent with its other league properties.

"We are all pleased to join USL, which has many strong leagues and numerous franchises," said Ed Hale, the Blast owner and MISL chairman.

USL, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, is the largest organization of elite-level soccer leagues in North America.