The 1978–79 Major Indoor Soccer League season was the first in league history and would end with the New York Arrows winning the first MISL title. Recap The league would begin with six teams and a 24-game schedule beginning in December 1978 and ending in March 1979. The top four teams would advance to a single-game semifinal and a best of three championship series. League attendance would average 4,453 per game. Signs were good that the league would have a long-time presence. The early games drew strong crowds, as Philadelphia sold out the Spectrum for their opener, leading the league in attendance. The first expansion team was announced on December 13, nine days before the first game in league history, as the Buffalo Stallions were slated to start play in the 1979-80 season. 10,386 fans were in the Nassau Coliseum to see the Cincinnati Kids play the Arrows in the league's first game. Despite finishing in a solid third place, Cincinnati folded after the season. Teams Regular season Schedule The 1978–79 regular season schedule ran from December 22, 1978, to March 18, 1979. Each team played a schedule of 24 games. Final standings Playoff teams in bold. Team attendance Regular season statistics Scoring leaders GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points Goalkeeping leaders Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses Playoffs Bracket Semifinals Championship Series Playoff statistics Playoff scoring GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points Playoff goalkeeping Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses League awards Most Valuable Player: Steve Zungul, New York Scoring Champion: Fred Grgurev, Philadelphia Pass Master: Fred Grgurev, Philadelphia Goalkeeper of the Year: Paul Hammond, Houston Coach of the Year: Timo Liekoski, Houston Championship Series Most Valuable Player: Shep Messing, New York All-MISL team References External links The Year in American Soccer – 1978 The Year in American Soccer - 1979 1978-79 summary at The MISL: A Look Back Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) seasons Major Major