{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"103: MISL Indoor Soccer's Origin Story \u2013 With Co-Founder Ed Tepper","description":"We celebrate our second anniversary with the intriguing background story of the original Major Indoor Soccer League, with the man who started it all \u2013 Ed Tepper.&amp;nbsp; A commercial real estate developer by trade, Tepper actually got his start in pro sports ownership as the owner of the original National Lacrosse League\u2019s Philadelphia Wings \u2013 only to switch allegiances to an inchoate indoor offshoot of the world\u2019s most popular sport after a chance exhibition (between the 1973 NASL champion Atoms and the Russian CSKA \u201cRed Army\u201d team) at Philadelphia\u2019s Spectrum on February 11, 1974.&amp;nbsp; Originally interested in the game\u2019s bespoke Astroturf-covered surface as a potential improvement for his fledgling box lacrosse club, Tepper (along with 11,700+ enthusiastic curiosity-seekers) instead became instantly attracted to the fast-paced action and high scoring of \u201cindoor soccer\u201d \u2013 and quickly resolved to make a professional sport out of it. In this illuminating interview, Tepper recounts some of the notable events and influential people along the journey from concept to the MISL\u2019s official debut kick (by Cincinnati Kids part-owner Pete Rose, no less) on December 22, 1978 at Uniondale, Long Island\u2019s Nassau Coliseum \u2013 including:  Convincing ABA Virginia Squires owner (and eventual MISL commissioner) Earl Foreman of the game\u2019s potential; The instant credibility boost of signing American superstar goalkeeper Shep Messing; NASL commissioner Phil Woosnam\u2019s on-again, off-again interest in the indoor game; How (and why) NFL owners Carroll Rosenbloom and Al Davis wanted in; AND The unsung role of TV executive Bob Wussler in garnering attention for the fledgling circuit.  PLUS: The untold tale of Tepper\u2019s very own (barely one-season long) MISL franchise \u2013 the New Jersey Rockets! Support the show by considering a purchase from one of our great sponsors: 503 Sports, Audible, SportsHistoryCollectibles.com, Streaker Sports, and Old School Shirts! ","author_name":"Good Seats Still Available","author_url":"https:\/\/goodseatsstillavailable.com","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/8929829\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/aa0926\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/36420842"}