National Professional Soccer League (1992-2000)
Tombstone
Born: August 19, 1992 – The Tulsa Ambush relocate to St. Louis, MO11999-00 St. Louis Ambush Media Guide
Folded: August 2000
First Game: November 6, 1992 (L 13-10 @ Dayton Dynamo)
Last Game: April 1, 2000 (L 23-15 vs. Detroit Rockers)
NPSL Champions: 1995
Arenas
1992-1994: St. Louis Arena
Opened: 1929
Demolished: 1999
1994-2000: Kiel Center (19,500)21999-00 St. Louis Ambush Media Guide
Opened: 1994
Branding
Team Colors: Teal & Black31999-00 St. Louis Ambush Media Guide
Ownership
Owner: Dr. Abraham Hawatmeh, et al.
Attendance
Background
St. Louis was a hotbed for pro indoor soccer during the early 1980’s. The Steamers (1979-1988) of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) drew huge crowds to the St. Louis Arena at the start of the decade, peaking at over 17,000 fans per match during the 1981-82 season. After the Steamers fell on hard times in the latter part of the decade and folded, the MISL returned to the city with the St. Louis Storm (1989-1992). The Storm led the MISL in attendance in 1991 and 1992.
One month after the MISL folded in July 1992, local urologist Dr. Abraham Hawatmeh purchased the Tulsa Ambush of the rival National Professional Soccer League. Hawatmeh hired former Steamers and Storm favorite Daryl Doran as player-coach of the team.
Like the Steamers before them, the Ambush featured a line-up heavy of native St. Louisan players. The club was also extremely competitive, appearing in the NPSL Championship Series four times between 1994 and 1999. The Ambush won the 1995 NPSL title, sweeping the Harrisburg Heat in four games. It was the only indoor championship for St. Louis during the 20 seasons played by the Steamers, Storm and Ambush.
The End
Like their predecessors, the Ambush were a relatively popular draw at the box office. After playing their first two seasons at the old St. Louis Arena, the Ambush opened the new $135 million Kiel Center in the fall of 1994. For the next three seasons, the Ambush led the NPSL in annual attendance, peaking at 9,102 fans per match during the 1995-96 season.
The team’s demise was swift. After appearing in their fourth NPSL Championship Series in the spring of 1999, the franchise came apart at the seams. The rival World Indoor Soccer League (WISL) placed an expansion franchise at the Family Arena in suburban St. Charles, Missouri. Reviving the old Steamers name and logo, the WISL club lured away long-time player-coach Daryl Doran, NPSL Defender-of-the-Year Kevin Hundelt and top scoring threat Mark Moser prior to the 1999-00 season. The upstarts also poached several of the Ambush’s top sales executives from the front office.
The depleted Ambush crashed to earth at the box office and on the carpet during the 1999-00 NPSL season. The team missed the playoffs for the first time ever with a league-worst 11-33 record. Attendance cratered from 8,472 the previous year to just 4,668 per match. At the end of the season, the management of the St. Louis Blues hockey team declined to extend the Ambush’s lease at the Kiel Center. The team announced a one-year leave of absence from the NPSL in August 2000 and never returned.
A lower budget revival of the Ambush formed in 2013. They continue to play today at the Family Arena in St. Charles as part of the Major Arena Soccer League.
St. Louis Ambush Shop
St. Louis Ambush Video
1994-95 Ambush vs. Cleveland Crunch. ESPN 2 game broadcast from the Kiel Center.
In Memoriam
Forward Ken Snow (Ambush ’98-’99) died on June 21, 2020 at age 50 from COVID-19 complications. ESPN.com obituary.
Links
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