1981 North American Soccer League season
From AthletiPedia
| 1980 | 1981 | 1982 |
Teams and Alignment
| Division | Team | Primary Venue | Municipality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Division | Chicago Sting | Comiskey Park | Chicago |
| Dallas Tornado | Texas Stadium | Irving, Texas | |
| Minnesota Kicks | Metropolitan Stadium | Bloomington, Minnesota | |
| Tulsa Roughnecks | Skelly Field @ H.A. Chapman Stadium | Tulsa, Oklahoma | |
| Eastern Division | Manic de Montréal | Stade olympique | Montréal |
| New York Cosmos | Giants Stadium | East Rutherford, New Jersey | |
| Toronto Blizzard | Canadian National Exhibition Stadium | Old Toronto, Toronto | |
| Washington Diplomats | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | Washington | |
| Northwest Division | Calgary Boomers | McMahon Stadium | Calgary, Alberta |
| Edmonton Drillers | Commonwealth Stadium | Edmonton, Alberta | |
| Portland Timbers | Providence Park | Portland, Oregon | |
| Seattle Sounders | The Kingdome | Seattle | |
| Vancouver Whitecaps | Empire Stadium | Vancouver, British Columbia | |
| Southern Division | Atlanta Chiefs | Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium | Atlanta |
| Ft. Lauderdale Strikers | Lockhart Stadium | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | |
| Jacksonville Tea Men | Gator Bowl Stadium | Jacksonville, Florida | |
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | Tampa Stadium | Tampa, Florida | |
| Western Division | California Surf | Angel Stadium | Anaheim, California |
| Los Angeles Aztecs | United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Los Angeles | |
| San Diego Sockers | San Diego Stadium | San Diego | |
| San Jose Earthquakes | CEFCU Stadium | San José, California |
Changes
- League realigned into Central Division, Eastern Division, Northwest Division, Southern Division, and Western Division.
- Atlanta Chiefs realigned from National Conference Central Division to Southern Division.
- California Surf realigned from American Conference Western Division to Western Division.
- Chicago Sting realigned from American Conference Central Division to Central Division.
- Dallas Tornado realigned from National Conference Central Division to Central Division.
- Detroit Express relocate from Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, renamed Washington Diplomats, replacing existing team, and realigned from American Conference Central Division to Eastern Division.
- Edmonton Drillers realigned from American Conference Western Division to Northwest Division.
- Ft. Lauderdale Strikers realigned from American Conference Eastern Division to Southern Division.
- Houston Hurricane fold.
- Los Angeles Aztecs relocate from The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles and realigned from National Conference Western Division to Western Division.
- Memphis Rogues relocate from Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee to McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alberta, renamed Calgary Boomers, and realigned from American Conference Central Division to Northwest Division.
- Minnesota Kicks realigned from National Conference Central Division to Central Division.
- New England Tea Men relocate from Foxboro Stadium in unincorporated Norfolk County, Massachusetts to Gator Bowl Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, renamed Jacksonville Tea Men, and realigned from American Conference Eastern Division to Southern Division.
- New York Cosmos realigned from National Conference Eastern Division to Eastern Division.
- Philadelphia Fury relocate from Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia to Stade olympique in Montréal, renamed Manic de Montréal, and realigned from American Conference Eastern Division to Eastern Division.
- Portland Timbers realigned from National Conference Western Division to Northwest Division.
- Rochester Lancers fold.
- San Diego Sockers realigned from American Conference Western Division to Western Division.
- San Jose Earthquakes realigned from American Conference Western Division to Western Division.
- Seattle Sounders realigned from National Conference Western Division to Northwest Division.
- Tampa Bay Rowdies realigned from American Conference Eastern Division to Southern Division.
- Toronto Blizzard realigned from National Conference Eastern Division to Eastern Division.
- Tulsa Roughnecks realigned from National Conference Central Division to Central Division.
- Vancouver Whitecaps realigned from National Conference Western Division to Northwest Division.
- Washington Diplomats fold, replaced by relocated Detroit Express.
Regular Season Results
| Division | Team | W | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Division | Chicago Sting | 23 | 9 | 195 |
| Minnesota Kicks | 19 | 13 | 163 | |
| Tulsa Roughnecks | 17 | 15 | 154 | |
| Dallas Tornado | 5 | 27 | 54 | |
| Eastern Division | New York Cosmos | 23 | 9 | 200 |
| Manic de Montréal | 15 | 17 | 141 | |
| Washington Diplomats | 15 | 17 | 135 | |
| Toronto Blizzard | 7 | 25 | 77 | |
| Northwest Division | Vancouver Whitecaps | 21 | 11 | 186 |
| Calgary Boomers | 17 | 15 | 151 | |
| Portland Timbers | 17 | 15 | 141 | |
| Seattle Sounders | 15 | 17 | 137 | |
| Edmonton Drillers | 12 | 20 | 123 | |
| Southern Division | Atlanta Chiefs | 17 | 15 | 151 |
| Ft. Lauderdale Strikers | 18 | 14 | 144 | |
| Jacksonville Tea Men | 18 | 14 | 141 | |
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | 15 | 17 | 139 | |
| Western Division | San Diego Sockers | 21 | 11 | 173 |
| Los Angeles Aztecs | 19 | 13 | 160 | |
| California Surf | 11 | 21 | 117 | |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 11 | 21 | 108 |
Postseason Results
| Team (Best-of-Three) | Team (Best-of-Three) | Team (Best-of-Three) | Team (Single-Game) | Champions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Cosmos | 2 | New York Cosmos | 2 | New York Cosmos | 0 | Chicago Sting | ||
| Vancouver Whitecaps | 0 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 1 | |||||
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | 2 | |||||||
| Minnesota Kicks | 2 | Minnesota Kicks | 0 | Ft. Lauderdale Strikers | 0 | |||
| Tulsa Roughnecks | 0 | |||||||
| Calgary Boomers | 0 | Ft. Lauderdale Strikers | 2 | |||||
| Ft. Lauderdale Strikers | 2 | |||||||
| Chicago Sting | 2 | Chicago Sting | 2 | Chicago Sting | 2 | Chicago Sting | 1 | |
| Seattle Sounders | 1 | |||||||
| Los Angeles Aztecs | 1 | Manic de Montréal | 1 | |||||
| Manic de Montréal | 2 | |||||||
| San Diego Sockers | 2 | San Diego Sockers | 2 | San Diego Sockers | 1 | |||
| Portland Timbers | 1 | |||||||
| Atlanta Chiefs | 0 | Jacksoville Tea Men | 1 | |||||
| Jacksonville Tea Men | 2 | |||||||
Markets and Venues
| Combined Statistical Area | Metropolitan Statistical Area | Metropolitan Division | County / Equivalent | Municipality | Venue | Team / Event | Regular | Postseason | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL Combined Statistical Area | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA Metropolitan Division | Fulton County, Massachusetts | Atlanta | Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium | Atlanta Chiefs | 16 | One | 17 |
| Calgary Census Metropolitan Area | Calgary, Alberta | McMahon Stadium | Calgary Boomers | 16 | 16 | ||||
| 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 | 10 | Four | 14 |
| Wrigley Field | Chicago Sting | Six | Two | Eight | |||||
| 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 | Irving, Texas | Texas Stadium | Dallas Tornado | 16 | 16 | |
| Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area | Edmonton, Alberta | Commonwealth Stadium | Edmonton Drillers | 16 | 16 | ||||
| Jacksonville-Kingsland-Palatka, FL-GA Combined Statistical Area | Jacksonville, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area | Duval County, Florida | Jacksonville, Florida | Gator Bowl Stadium | Jacksonville Tea Men | 16 | Two | 18 | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA Combined Statistical Area | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area | Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division | Orange County, California | Anaheim, California | Angel Stadium | California Surf | 16 | 16 | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | Los Angeles County, California | Los Angeles | United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Los Angeles Aztecs | 16 | Two | 18 | ||
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL Combined Statistical Area | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area | Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Sunrise, FL Metropolitan Division | Broward County, Florida | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | Lockhart Stadium | Ft. Lauderdale Strikers | 16 | Four | 20 |
| 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 | 16 | One | 17 | |
| Minneapolis | Memorial Stadium | Minnesota Kicks | One | One | |||||
| Montréal Census Metropolitan Area | Montréal | Stade olympique | Manic de Montréal | 16 | Two | 18 | |||
| 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 | Bergen County, New Jersey | East Rutherford, New Jersey | Giants Stadium | New York Cosmos | 16 | Three | 19 |
| 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 | 16 | One | 17 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area | San Diego County, California | San Diego | San Diego Stadium | San Diego Sockers | 16 | Five | 21 | ||
| 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 | 16 | 16 | ||
| 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 | 16 | One | 17 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area | Tampa, FL Metropolitan Division | Hillsborough County, Florida | Tampa, Florida | Tampa Stadium | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 16 | Two | 18 | |
| Toronto Census Metropolitan Area | Old Toronto, Toronto | Canadian National Exhibition Stadium | Toronto Blizzard | 16 | 16 | ||||
| New York Cosmos | One | One | |||||||
| Tulsa-Bartlesville-Muskogee, OK Combined Statistical Area | Tulsa, OK Metropolitan Statistical Area | Tulsa County, Oklahoma | Tulsa, Oklahoma | Skelly Field @ H.A. Chapman Stadium | Tulsa Roughnecks | 16 | One | 17 | |
| Vancouver Census Metropolitan Area | Vancouver, British Columbia | Empire Stadium | Vancouver Whitecaps | 16 | One | 17 | |||
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area | Washington, DC-MD Metropolitan Division | District of Columbia | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | Washington Diplomats | 16 | 16 | ||
| Total | 336 | 34 | 370 | ||||||
