The 2016–17 Major Arena Soccer League season was the ninth season for the league and the third since six teams from the former Major Indoor Soccer League defected to what was formerly called the Professional Arena Soccer League. The regular season started on October 29, 2016, and ended on March 5, 2017.[4] Each team played a 20-game schedule. The defending champions were the Baltimore Blast. The Blast repeated in 2016–17, defeating the Sonora Suns in the Ron Newman Cup, 2–1.
In the offseason, the Baltimore Blast, Harrisburg Heat, St. Louis Ambush left the MASL, and joined the expansion Tropics to form the Indoor Professional League.[5] The Blast, Heat and Ambush re-joined the MASL in August 2016, with the Tropics being considered an expansion franchise for the MASL.[6] Additionally the Missouri Comets announced in September 2016 that they were renaming themselves the Kansas City Comets.[7]
Standings
Final as of March 6, 2017 2016-17 League Championship 2016-17 Playoff Team (Bold) Division Winner
The Ron Newman Cup playoffs began after the regular season ended on March 5, 2017. The top two teams from each division qualified for the post-season, with each round being a 2-game home and home series, with a 15-minute mini-game played immediately after Game 2 if the series is tied.[8]
^"MASL Soccer Game Results". Major Arena Soccer League.
^"MASL Soccer Game Results". Major Arena Soccer League. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
^"MASL Soccer Statistics". Major Arena Soccer League. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
^"MASL League Schedule". MASL. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
^Graham, Glenn (February 18, 2016). "Baltimore Blast owner Ed Hale plans to remove team from MASL, form new league". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
^"MAJOR ARENA SOCCER LEAGUE EXPANDS TO THE SUNSHINE STATE". MASL. Archived from the original on September 2, 2016. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
^"NEWS: Comets reclaim Kansas City in 2016-17 rebranding - Major Arena Soccer League".[permanent dead link]
^"MASL PLAYOFF SCENARIOS". MASL Soccer. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
^"MASL ANNOUNCES MAJOR AWARDS". MASL Soccer. April 6, 2017. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
^"MAJOR ARENA SOCCER LEAGUE ANNOUNCES 1ST TEAM ALL-MASL". MASL Soccer. April 5, 2017. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
^"MASL ANNOUNCES 2ND AND 3RD TEAM AWARDS". MASL Soccer. April 4, 2017. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
^"MASL ANNOUNCES 2ND AND 3RD TEAM AWARDS". MISL Soccer. April 4, 2017. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
^"MASL HONORS 2016-2017 AWARD WINNERS". MASL Soccer. April 3, 2017. Retrieved April 10, 2017.