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Will Birmingham play in the National Indoor Soccer League?

August 17, 2023
The National Indoor Soccer League announces that Birmingham is an expansion city for 2024, and "Magic City SC" will be the team name.

Birmingham is the second expansion city for 2024, with Albany (GA) being named in July.

Magic City SC is owned by the Magic City Soccer Club. Members include Michael Taylor, owner of the Florida Tarpons indoor football team from 2012 to 2020; Andrew Haines, president of HSE (a sports and entertainment marketing and consulting company); María Opeaye, co-owner of the NISHL's Memphis Americans; and Hallie Hogan, has been the marketing manager for the Landers Center in Southaven, MS.

The NISL was founded in 2021 and began play with four teams. The league features both a Men's and Women's Division, competing in double header game days over a 16-game regular season that takes place between the months of January and April.

Earlier this month, the NISL unveiled a new league logo in anticipation of its third season of competition. The new logo underscores NISL's distinct commitment to both men's and women's professional indoor soccer. The league's previous logo featured a silhouette, bearing a resemblance to those of the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball, and had a similar color scheme. However, as a league that equally highlights male and female athletes, the old logo failed to embody that focus. Unlike the approach taken by the NBA when launching the Women’s National Basketball Association, where a separate logo was introduced, the NISL wanted to present a unified logo. The updated logo maintains the core color palette while discarding the silhouette and shape in favor of a distinctly different look - a crest or shield - bringing it in line with other premier professional sports leagues such as the National Hockey League, National Football League, and Major League Soccer. The new logo also integrates three stars placed at the same level atop the logo. The larger star symbolizes the league itself and the two small stars represent the men and women's divisions. The league star, positioned between both divisional stars, signifies unity while acknowledging their separate but equal competition and operation.

All is not positive, however, as there are a few events that cause concern. The first is the league abruptly cancelled last season's playoffs just days before they were scheduled to begin. No reason was given for the cancellations and the league awarded the men's and women's regular season winners with championship titles. Additionally, there were reports of players, coaches, and staff on various teams not receiving all of their pay.

The team will play home matches in the Pelham Civic Complex Ice Arena. "On behalf of the City of Pelham and Venuworks of Pelham, we welcome the Magic City SC and the NISL to the Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena. We are delighted to add a second professional sports franchise to our facility and can't wait to get the season started. Having the ability for fans to not only watch professional indoor soccer at our facility but also play here is very exciting for us," said Seth Greenberg, Executive Director of the Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena.

Season tickets start at $120 for all eight regular-season doubleheaders.

September 27, 2023

	Jennifer Pfeiffer

Jennifer Pfeiffer is named head coach. She will coach both the men's and women's teams.

“I am honored to be named the inaugural Head Coach for Magic City SC. We have a high level of talent among the numerous teams in and around the Birmingham area. There are great coaches here who have developed and continue to invest in youth players, college players, and alumni. I am confident that we be able to select quality players for the NISL to compete to bring championships to the Magic City,“ Pfeiffer said.

Pfeiffer currently serves as the Executive Director of Alabama Soccer Association. She has over 30 years of experience as a coach at various levels of the game from youth to college teams in NCAA Division I and II, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). She was most recently the South Region Assistant Coach for the 2006 Girls Olympic Development team and on the Boys Olympic Development Program (ODP) South Region staff. Prior to coming to Alabama, Pfeiffer was the Co-Coach and Goalkeeper Coach for the National Premier Soccer League Little Rock Rangers and Head Coach of the Women’s Premier Soccer League Little Rock Rangers.

Pfeiffer is the first ever female head coach in the Men’s Division of the NISL.

October 3, 2023
The National Indoor Soccer League announces the 2024 season postseason will be played entirely at the Pelham Civic Complex Ice Arena.

Both men’s and women’s regular season champions will automatically advance to the title games, while the second and third seeds will go head-to-head in semi-final matches.

The NISL postseason schedule is semi-finals on Saturday, May 18th with the championship match on Sunday, May 19th.

October 10, 2023
Magic City SC announce that the Di Serio family (Rocco, wife Giovanna, and son Luigi, have joined the ownership group.

			2024                             National Indoor Soccer League
xxx		xxx		xxx		xxx		xxx		xxx
	Albany Aces		Central Florida Crusaders		Fayetteville Fury		Foundry FC		Magic City SC
	Tampa Bay Strikers

2024 National Indoor Soccer League MEN Date Opponent   Result     Score     01/21/2024     at Foundry FC     01/28/2024   at Foundry FC     02/02/2024   Central Florida Crusaders     02/04/2024   at Fayetteville Fury     02/18/2024   Fayetteville Fury     03/02/2024   Foundry FC     03/03/2024   Albany Aces     03/17/2024   at Albany Aces     04/06/2024   Foundry FC     04/12/2024   Tampa Bay Strikers     04/27/2024   at Central Florida Crusaders       05/05/2024   at Tampa Bay Strikers       Regular Season Results: ?-?   Round One Playoff           Post Season Results: ?-?   Final Season Results: ?-?   The ??? are the 2024 MEN'S National Indoor Soccer   League champions.	2024 National Indoor Soccer League WOMEN Date Opponent   Result     Score     01/21/2024     at Foundry FC     01/28/2024   at Foundry FC     02/02/2024   Central Florida Crusaders     02/04/2024   at Fayetteville Fury     02/18/2024   Fayetteville Fury     03/02/2024   Foundry FC     03/03/2024   Albany Aces     03/17/2024   at Albany Aces     04/06/2024   Foundry FC     04/12/2024   Tampa Bay Strikers     04/27/2024   at Central Florida Crusaders       05/05/2024   at Tampa Bay Strikers       Regular Season Results: ?-?   Round One Playoff           Post Season Results: ?-?   Final Season Results: ?-?   The ??? are the 2024 WOMEN'S National Indoor   Soccer League champions.

Champions of the   National Indoor Soccer League
Year	Men	Women
2021-22	Fayetteville Fury	Memphis Americans
2023	Central Florida Crusaders	Memphis Americans
2024	???	???

	Years local team participated

			Teams of the                             National Indoor Soccer League
xxx		xxx		xxx		xxx		xxx		xxx
	Central Florida Crusaders 2023 to present		Columbus Rapids 2021-22 to 2023		Fayetteville Fury 2021-22 to present		Memphis Americans 2021-22 to 2023		Rome Gladiators 2021-22
	Tampa Bay Strikers 2023 to present

Magic City SC wordmark

National Indoor Soccer League logo 2021-22 to 2023

Contact Gene Crowley
Last update: November 16, 2023