Draft:Pacific Conference (NASL)
The Western Conference of the original North American Soccer League was an athletic conference established for the league's inaugural season in 1968. The conference was dissolved in 1969 due to a lack of teams playing in the league's second season. In 1977, the conference was effectively re-established as the Pacific Conference. While the conference was in use, the conference champion would play in the annual NASL Final (Soccer Bowl) against the Atlantic or Eastern Conference champion. Prior to the start of the 1978 season, the conference was once again dissolved alongside its Atlantic counterpart following the league's realignment into the American and National conference structure, similar to that of the National Football League and Major League Baseball.
Teams
[edit]1968 lineup (West)
[edit]|
Gulf Division |
Pacific Division
|
1976 lineup (Pacific)
[edit]|
South Division |
West Division
|
1977 lineup (Pacific)
[edit]Ahead of the 1977 season, the San Antonio Thunder were relocated to Hawaii and the San Diego Jaws were relocated to Las Vegas. The St. Louis Stars were also placed in the Northern Division of the Atlantic Conference, leaving the West Division with only four teams.
|
South Division |
West Division
|
1978 realignment
[edit]| Team | New conference | New division |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Tornado | National | Central |
| Team Hawaii | National | Central[a] |
| Las Vegas Quicksilvers | American | West[b] |
| Los Angeles Aztecs | National | West |
| Minnesota Kicks | National | Central |
| Portland Timbers | National | West |
| San Jose Earthquakes | American | West |
| Seattle Sounders | National | West |
| Vancouver Whitecaps | National | West |
Conference honors
[edit]Western / Pacific Conference championships
[edit]| Bold | Won NASL Championship |
| Season | Champions | Score | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | San Diego Toros | 2–1 (agg.) | Kansas City Spurs |
| 1976 | Minnesota Kicks | 3–0 | San Jose Earthquakes |
| 1977 | Seattle Sounders | 2 games to 0 | Los Angeles Aztecs |
Regular season titles
[edit]| Bold | NASL Premiers |
| Year | Team | Division | Points (W–L) | Playoffs result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | San Diego Toros | Pacific | 186 (18–8–6) | Lost NASL Final |
| Kansas City Spurs | Gulf | 158 (16–11–5) | Lost Conference Final | |
| 1976 | Minnesota Kicks | West | 138 (15–9) | Lost NASL Final |
| San Jose Earthquakes | South | 123 (14–10) | Lost Conference Final | |
| 1977 | Dallas Tornado | South | 161 (18–8) | Lost Division Final |
| Minnesota Kicks | West | 137 (16–10) | Lost Division Final |
References
[edit]