1976 North American Soccer League season
From AthletiPedia
| 1975 | 1976 | 1977 |
Teams and Alignment
| Conference | Division | Team | Primary Venue | Municipality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Conference | Eastern Division | Miami Toros | Tamiami Stadium | Westchester, Florida |
| New York Cosmos | Yankee Stadium (1923) | The Bronx, New York | ||
| Philadelphia Atoms | Veterans Stadium | Philadelphia | ||
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | Tampa Stadium | Tampa, Florida | ||
| Washington Diplomats | Pat Cunningham Stadium | Fairfax County, Virginia | ||
| Northern Division | Boston Minutemen | Veteran's Memorial Stadium | Quincy, Massachusetts | |
| Chicago Sting | Soldier Field (1924) | Chicago | ||
| Hartford Bicentennials | Trinity Health Stadium | Hartford, Connecticut | ||
| Rochester Lancers | Holleder Memorial Stadium | Rochester, New York | ||
| Toronto Metros-Croatia | Varsity Stadium (1911) | Old Toronto, Toronto | ||
| Pacific Conference | Southern Division | Dallas Tornado | Ownby Stadium | University Park, Texas |
| Los Angeles Aztecs | Featherstone Field | Alondra Park, California | ||
| San Antonio Thunder | Alamo Stadium | San Antonio | ||
| San Diego Jaws | Aztec Bowl | San Diego | ||
| San Jose Earthquakes | CEFCU Stadium | San José, California | ||
| Western Division | Minnesota Kicks | Metropolitan Stadium | Bloomington, Minnesota | |
| Portland Timbers | Providence Park | Portland, Oregon | ||
| Seattle Sounders | The Kingdome | Seattle | ||
| St. Louis Stars | Francis Olympic Field | St. Louis County, Missouri | ||
| Vancouver Whitecaps | Empire Stadium | Vancouver, British Columbia |
Changes
- League realigned into Atlantic Conference, divided into Eastern Division and Northern Division, and Pacific Conference, divided into Southern Division and Western Division.
- Baltimore Comets relocate from Burdick Field in Towson, Maryland to Aztec Bowl in San Diego, renamed San Diego Jaws, and realigned from Eastern Division to Pacific Conference Southern Division.
- Boston Minutemen relocate from Nickerson Field in Boston to Veteran's Memorial Stadium in Quincy, Massachusetts and realigned from Northern Division to Atlantic Conference Northern Division.
- Chicago Sting realigned from Central Division to Atlantic Conference Northern Division.
- Dallas Tornado relocate from Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas to Ownby Stadium in University Park, Texas and realigned from Central Division to Pacific Conference Southern Division.
- Denver Dynamos relocate from Mile High Stadium in Denver to Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota, renamed Minnesota Kicks, and realigned from Central Division to Pacific Conference Western Division.
- Hartford Bicentennials realigned from Northern Division to Atlantic Conference Northern Division.
- Los Angeles Aztecs realigned from Western Division to Pacific Conference Southern Division.
- Miami Toros relocate from Miami Orange Bowl in Miami to Tamiami Stadium in Westchester, Florida and realigned from Eastern Division to Atlantic Conference Eastern Division.
- New York Cosmos relocate from Downing Stadium in Manhattan, New York to Yankee Stadium (1923) in The Bronx, New York and realigned from Northern Division to Atlantic Conference Eastern Division.
- Philadelphia Atoms relocate from Veterans Stadium to Franklin Field and realigned from Eastern Division to Atlantic Conference Eastern Division.
- Portland Timbers realigned from Western Division to Pacific Conference Western Division.
- Rochester Lancers realigned from Northern Division to Atlantic Conference Northern Division.
- San Antonio Thunder relocate from Comalander Stadium to Alamo Stadium and realigned from Central Division to Pacific Conference Southern Division.
- San Jose Earthquakes realigned from Western Division to Pacific Conference Southern Division.
- Seattle Sounders relocate from Memorial Stadium to The Kingdome and realigned from Western Division to Pacific Conference Western Division.
- St. Louis Stars realigned from Central Division to Pacific Conference Western Division.
- Tampa Bay Rowdies realigned from Eastern Division to Atlantic Conference Eastern Division.
- Toronto Metros-Croatia realigned from Northern Division to Atlantic Conference Northern Division.
- Vancouver Whitecaps realigned from Western Division to Pacific Conference Western Division.
- Washington Diplomats realigned from Eastern Division to Atlantic Conference Eastern Division.
Regular Season Results
| Conference | Division | Team | W | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Conference | Eastern Division | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 18 | 6 | 154 |
| New York Cosmos | 16 | 8 | 148 | ||
| Washington Diplomats | 14 | 10 | 126 | ||
| Philadelphia Atoms | 8 | 16 | 80 | ||
| Miami Toros | 6 | 18 | 63 | ||
| Northern Division | Chicago Sting | 15 | 9 | 132 | |
| Toronto Metros-Croatia | 15 | 9 | 123 | ||
| Rochester Lancers | 13 | 11 | 114 | ||
| Hartford Bicentennials | 12 | 12 | 107 | ||
| Boston Minutemen | 7 | 17 | 74 | ||
| Pacific Conference | Southern Division | San Jose Earthquakes | 14 | 10 | 123 |
| Dallas Tornado | 13 | 11 | 117 | ||
| Los Angeles Aztecs | 12 | 12 | 108 | ||
| San Antonio Thunder | 12 | 12 | 107 | ||
| San Diego Jaws | 9 | 15 | 82 | ||
| Western Division | Minnesota Kicks | 15 | 9 | 138 | |
| Seattle Sounders | 14 | 10 | 123 | ||
| Vancouver Whitecaps | 14 | 10 | 120 | ||
| Portland Timbers | 8 | 16 | 71 | ||
| St. Louis Stars | 5 | 19 | 58 |
Postseason Results
| Team (Single-Game) | Team (Single-Game) | Team (Single-Game) | Team (Single-Game) | Champions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | 3 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 0 | Toronto Metros-Croatia | 3 | Toronto Metros-Croatia | ||
| New York Cosmos | 2 | New York Cosmos | 1 | |||||
| Washington Diplomats | 0 | |||||||
| Chicago Sting | 2 (1) | Toronto Metros-Croatia | 2 | |||||
| Toronto Metros-Croatia | 2 | Toronto Metros-Croatia | 2 (3) | |||||
| Rochester Lancers | 1 | |||||||
| San Jose Earthquakes | 2 | San Jose Earthquakes | 1 | Minnesota Kicks | 0 | |||
| Dallas Tornado | 2 | Dallas Tornado | 0 | |||||
| Los Angeles Aztecs | 0 | |||||||
| Minnesota Kicks | 3 | Minnesota Kicks | 3 | |||||
| Seattle Sounders | 1 | Seattle Sounders | 0 | |||||
| Vancouver Whitecaps | 0 | |||||||
Markets and Venues
| Combined Statistical Area | Metropolitan Statistical Area | Metropolitan Division | County / Equivalent | Municipality | Venue | Team / Event | Regular | Postseason | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH Combined Statistical Area | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metropolitan Statistical Area | Boston, MA Metropolitan Division | Norfolk County, Massachusetts | Quincy, Massachusetts | Veteran's Memorial Stadium | Boston Minutemen | Nine | Nine | |
| Unincorporated | Foxboro Stadium | Boston Minutemen | One | One | |||||
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metropolitan Statistical Area | Bristol County, Massachusetts | New Bedford, Massachusetts | Sargent Field | Boston Minutemen | Two | Two | |||
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI Combined Statistical Area | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area | Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg, IL Metropolitan Division | Cook County, Illinois | Chicago | Comiskey Park | Chicago Sting | One | One | |
| Soldier Field (1924) | Chicago Sting | 11 | One | 12 | |||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK Combined Statistical Area | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area | Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | Dallas County, Texas | University Park, Texas | Ownby Stadium | Dallas Tornado | 12 | One | 13 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA Combined Statistical Area | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | Los Angeles County, California | Alondra Park, California | Featherstone Field | Los Angeles Aztecs | 12 | 12 | |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL Combined Statistical Area | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area | Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division | Miami-Dade County, Florida | Westchester, Florida | Tamiami Stadium | Miami Toros | 12 | 12 | |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI Combined Statistical Area | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area | Hennepin County, Minnesota | Bloomington, Minnesota | Metropolitan Stadium | Minnesota Kicks | 12 | Two | 14 | |
| New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury, CT Combined Statistical Area | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area | Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut | Hartford, Connecticut | Trinity Health Stadium | Hartford Bicentennials | 12 | 12 | ||
| New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area | New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | Bronx County, New York | The Bronx, New York | Yankee Stadium (1923) | New York Cosmos | 12 | 12 | |
| Queens County, New York | Queens, New York | Shea Stadium | New York Cosmos | One | One | ||||
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD Combined Statistical Area | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area | Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Franklin Field | Philadelphia Atoms | 12 | 12 | |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA Combined Statistical Area | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area | Multnomah County, Oregon | Portland, Oregon | Providence Park | Portland Timbers | 12 | 12 | ||
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY Combined Statistical Area | Rochester, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area | Monroe County, New York | Rochester, New York | Holleder Memorial Stadium | Rochester Lancers | 12 | 12 | ||
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Kerrville, TX Combined Statistical Area | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area | Bexar County, Texas | San Antonio | Alamo Stadium | San Antonio Thunder | 12 | 12 | ||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area | San Diego County, California | San Diego | Aztec Bowl | San Diego Jaws | 12 | 12 | |||
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA Combined Statistical Area | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area | Santa Clara County, California | San José, California | CEFCU Stadium | San Jose Earthquakes | 12 | One | 13 | |
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA Combined Statistical Area | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metropolitan Statistical Area | Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, WA Metropolitan Division | King County, Washington | Seattle | The Kingdome | Seattle Sounders | 12 | One | 13 |
| Minnesota Kicks | One | One | |||||||
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL Combined Statistical Area | St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area | St. Louis County, Missouri | Unincorporated | Francis Olympic Field | St. Louis Stars | 12 | 12 | ||
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area | Tampa, FL Metropolitan Division | Hillsborough County, Florida | Tampa, Florida | Tampa Stadium | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 12 | Two | 14 | |
| Toronto Census Metropolitan Area | Old Toronto, Toronto | Varsity Stadium (1911) | Toronto Metros-Croatia | 12 | One | 13 | |||
| Vancouver Census Metropolitan Area | Vancouver, British Columbia | Empire Stadium | Vancouver Whitecaps | 12 | 12 | ||||
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area | Arlington-Alexandria-Reston, VA-WV Metropolitan Division | Fairfax County, Virginia | Unincorporated | Pat Cunningham Stadium | Washington Diplomats | 12 | 12 | |
| Total | 240 | 11 | 251 | ||||||
