American Indoor Soccer Association (1984-1987)
Tombstone
Born: 1984 – AISA founding franchise
Folded: August 31, 1987
First Game: November 25, 1984 (L 8-6 @ Kalamazoo Kangaroos)
Last Game: April 26, 1987 (W 6-4 @ Canton Invaders)
AISA Champions: 1987
Arena
Broadbent Arena (6,800)
Opened: 1977
Marketing
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owners: Phyllis Heideman, et al.
Attendance
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Source: 1997-98 National Professional Soccer League Official Guide & Record Book
Trophy Case
AISA Goalkeeper of the Year
- 1984-85: Rick Schweizer
Our Favorite Stuff
Louisville Thunder
Logo T-Shirt
The Thunder were the Kentucky’s first true pro soccer team, prowling the carpet of Broadbent Arena from 1984 until 1987. And a strong club too. The Thunder advanced to the finals in all three of their seasons and won the 1987 American Indoor Soccer Association championship in what would prove to be the club’s final match.
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Background
The Louisville Thunder were a pro indoor soccer club that played three seasons at Broadbent Arena in the mid-1980’s. The Thunder were one of six founding clubs in the Midwest-based American Indoor Soccer Association when the league formed in early 1984.
The Thunder had a rivalry with the AISA’s Canton Invaders franchise, whom they faced in the AISA championship series in all three years of their existence. Canton got the better of the matchup in the 1985 finals and again in 1986. In the 1987 AISA championship series, the Thunder finally broke through, defeating the Invaders 3 games to 2. These would prove to be the final matches the Thunder ever played, as the club went out of business after the conclusion of the 1986-87 season.
Keith Tozer was the player-coach of the Thunder for most of their existence. It was the first coaching gig for Tozer, who would go on to win more games than any other coach in the history of American indoor soccer. Tozer, however, did not take part in the Thunder’s 1987 championship victory. He was hired away from the Thunder two months earlier by the Los Angeles Lazers of the large budget/large market Major Indoor Soccer League, who had a midseason coaching vacancy.
Louisville Thunder Video
April 26, 1987. The last match of the Thunder franchise. Louisville defeats Canton 6-4 in the deciding Game 5 of the 1987 AISA Championship Series.
Links
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