Earl Foreman Awards
As the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) offseason rolls on, the league announced the winners of the 1st Annual Earl Forman Awards. Named after the legendary architect of arena soccer, the Earl Foreman Awards recognize the best off-the-field performances from across the league.
“This was one of the most successful seasons of arena soccer in recent history,” said Commissioner Joshua Schaub. “Obviously the players provided us with some memorable games, but some of the great performances happened behind the scenes. I’m excited to recognize these winners for their great seasons.”
Organization of the Year – Harrisburg Heat
The first Earl Foreman Award was actually presented prior to the MASL Championship Series last month. The Harrisburg Heat, led by Carl Delmont, took home the inaugural award. In 2015-2016, the Harrisburg Heat lived at the bottom of the MASL table. In the offseason, Delmont and his crew took over operations of the team, brought in Denison Cabral to coach the team and signed a mixture of veteran and young players. Together they turned around the franchise and qualified for the 2016-2017 playoffs.
Branding Theme – Tacoma Stars
What a Feelin’ it was for the Tacoma Stars in 2016-2017. The team saw tremendous growth both on the field and off. Their ‘What a Feelin’ campaign (http://bit.ly/2oF9fuP) set the tone for the season as fans across the league saw the Stars play the game with exciting passion and energy each week.
Social Media Team – San Diego Sockers
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter…the Sockers had them all covered with great content throughout the season. Followers of the Sockers are always in the know about the latest game action, player appearances and community events with timely content and great graphics.
Best Promotions – Milwaukee Wave
Milwaukee provided a different theme each night of the regular season, with returning favorites Star Wars Night, Princess and Superheroes night and WWE Night. The highlight of the season was the Border War Night against the Chicago Mustangs on March 5th that saw 6,610 fans in the building that night.
Broadcast Team (English) – Milwaukee Wave
The legendary team of Tom Wynn and Art Kramer once again kept fans engaged in Milwaukee Wave broadcasts all season. Kramer’s analysis of the Wave and their opponents helped fans understand the game as if they were on the bench with the coaches. Meanwhile, Wynn’s understanding of the game and knowledge of the players showed a love and passion for arena soccer that fans could directly relate to in every game.
Broadcast Team (Spanish) – Soles de Sonora
The Western Conference Champions excited fans all season long with their dynamic offense and explosive firepower. Fans had no issues watching the games on MASLtv, despite the broadcast being primarily in Spanish. The team of José de Jesús Ruiz, Ernesto Almaraz, Fernando Palafox, Ariadna Ibarra portrayed the excitement of each game and helped fans truly experience what arena soccer is like in Hermosillo.
Sales Team – Baltimore Blast
The Baltimore Blast led the league in total and average attendance all season long. On February 4th, the Blast hosted a season-high 9,722 fans for their 5-2 win over the Milwaukee Wave. They had nearly 75,000 fans through the turnstiles at Royal Farms Arena between the regular season and the playoffs.
Team Executive – Luis Paz, Soles de Sonora
Soles de Sonora reached the MASL Championship Series for the second straight season. Their General Manager, Luis Paz, has put together a team of mostly local players who adapted to arena soccer and quickly placed their team among the league’s elite. Paz and his team have hosted the final game each of the past two years, providing two of the most memorable games in MASL history.