CLEVELAND CRUNCH TO JOIN NEWLY FORMED MAJOR LEAGUE INDOOR SOCCER (MLIS) FOR THE 2022-23 SEASON

CLEVELAND, OHIO - The Cleveland Crunch has announced that it will join the newly formed Major League Indoor Soccer (MLIS) for the 2022-2023 season following its recent departure from the Major Arena Soccer League 2 (MASL 2). The Crunch are among the first handful of teams to commit to the MLIS for its inaugural season and are joined by former MASL 2 divisional opponents: Chicago Mustangs and Cincinnati Swerve.

“Substantial consideration and effort went into evaluating our options available and we determined that the MLIS model provides the best opportunities for sustainable growth and long-term success of the team and for the fans,” said Luciano V. Ruscitto, Cleveland Crunch Owner and Founder. 

The Cleveland Crunch are thrilled to pursue this new endeavor to continue the progression of the Crunch brand, provide a high quality fan experience, and support the growth of professional indoor soccer. We would like to thank the MASL 2 for their time and support in our efforts to revitalize the Cleveland Crunch brand and for providing an opportunity to compete and return a beloved and historic franchise to northeast Ohio.

The MLIS season will kick off in December 2022 and each team will play a 12-game schedule that includes 6 home and 6 away games. For more information about Major League Indoor Soccer visit www.mlispro.com.

Additionally, the organization is working to finalize an agreement to play 4 home games at the International Exposition Center (IX Center) during the 2022-23 season. An official announcement is expected to be made within the coming weeks.