# 2014 North American Soccer League season

The 2014 North American Soccer League season was the 47th season of Division II soccer in the United States and the fourth season of the revived North American Soccer League. It was contested by ten teams including two from Canada. Joining the NASL in the Spring of 2014 were two new franchises, Indy Eleven and Ottawa Fury FC; originally Virginia Cavalry FC were to begin play this season but now plan to join in the 2016 season. The defending Soccer Bowl champions are the New York Cosmos, while the Carolina Railhawks are the defending North American Supporters' Trophy winners. A split season format was used again for the 2014 season.

## Teams, stadiums, and personnel
### Personnel and sponsorship

| Team | Head coach | Captain | Kit producer | Shirt sponsor |
| Atlanta Silverbacks | Jason Smith | Mike Randolph | Nike | People HRO |
| Carolina RailHawks | Colin Clarke | Kupono Low | Adidas | Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC |
| FC Edmonton | Colin Miller | Albert Watson | Adidas | The Fath Group |
| Fort Lauderdale Strikers | Günter Kronsteiner | Iván Guerrero | Acerbis | |
| Indy Eleven | Juergen Sommer | Kristian Nicht | Diadora | Honda |
| Minnesota United FC | Manny Lagos | Aaron Pitchkolan | Admiral | Atomic Data / Mall of America |
| New York Cosmos | Giovanni Savarese | Carlos Mendes | Nike | Emirates |
| Ottawa Fury FC | Marc Dos Santos | Richie Ryan | Admiral | Heart and Crown |
| San Antonio Scorpions | Alen Marcina | Adrian Cann | Nike | Toyota |
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | Ricky Hill | Frankie Sanfilippo | Admiral | Hard Rock |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| Atlanta Silverbacks | Brian Haynes | Contract not renewed | 9 December 2013 | Pre-Season | Eric Wynalda | 7 January 2014 |
| Atlanta Silverbacks | Eric Wynalda | Voluntary move to team technical director | 17 July 2014 | 8th | Jason Smith | 18 July 2014 |
| Atlanta Silverbacks | Jason Smith | Fired | 5 October 2014 | 10th | Alejandro Pombo – Interim Head Coach | 5 October 2014 |
| San Antonio Scorpions | Alen Marcina | End of interim period | 22 November 2013 | Pre-Season | Alen Marcina | 22 November 2013 |
| Indy Eleven | Expansion team | Expansion team | Expansion team | Expansion team | Juergen Sommer | 11 June 2013 |
| Ottawa Fury FC | Expansion team | Expansion team | Expansion team | Expansion team | Marc Dos Santos | 23 May 2013 |

## Spring season

The Spring season lasted for 9 games beginning on April 12 and ending on June 8. The schedule featured a single round robin format with each team playing every other team in the league a single time. Half the teams will host 5 home games and play 4 road games whereas the other half of the teams will play 4 home games and 5 road games. The winner of the Spring season earns one of four berths in the playoffs, now known as The Championship.

### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Minnesota United (S) | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 9 | +7 | 20 | Playoffs |
| 2 | New York Cosmos | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 3 | +11 | 19 | |
| 3 | San Antonio Scorpions | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 9 | +4 | 17 | |
| 4 | Carolina RailHawks | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 15 | −4 | 14 | |
| 5 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 13 | |
| 6 | Ottawa Fury | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 13 | +1 | 10 | |
| 7 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 16 | −5 | 10 | |
| 8 | Atlanta Silverbacks | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 20 | −8 | 10 | |
| 9 | FC Edmonton | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 8 | |
| 10 | Indy Eleven | 9 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 20 | −6 | 4 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | ATL | CAR | FCE | FTL | IND | MNU | NYC | OTT | SAS | TBR |
| Atlanta Silverbacks | | | | | 3–3 | 1–2 | | 2–1 | 1–2 | |
| Carolina RailHawks | 2–0 | | | 4–1 | | | 1–0 | | | 2–0 |
| Edmonton | 1–2 | 6–1 | | 1–3 | | | 0–1 | | | |
| Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 4–0 | | | | 3–2 | | 0–3 | 2–0 | | |
| Indy Eleven | | 1–1 | 1–2 | | | | | 2–4 | 1–2 | 1–1 |
| Minnesota United | | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 3–2 | | | | | |
| New York Cosmos | 4–0 | | | | 1–1 | 1–0 | | 1–0 | 0–1 | |
| Ottawa Fury | | 4–0 | 1–0 | | | 1–2 | | | 2–3 | 1–1 |
| San Antonio Scorpions | | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | | 0–2 | | | | 0–1 |
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | 1–3 | | 1–1 | 3–2 | | 3–3 | 0–3 | | | |

## Fall season

The Fall season will begin following a break for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on July 19 and ending on November 2, with each team playing the others twice, once home and once away. The winner of the Fall season will earn automatic berth in The Championship.

### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | San Antonio Scorpions (F) | 18 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 30 | 15 | +15 | 35 | Playoffs |
| 2 | Minnesota United | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 31 | 19 | +12 | 35 | |
| 3 | FC Edmonton | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 23 | 18 | +5 | 29 | |
| 4 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 21 | −1 | 27 | |
| 5 | Carolina RailHawks | 18 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 27 | 28 | −1 | 24 | |
| 6 | New York Cosmos | 18 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 23 | 24 | −1 | 23 | |
| 7 | Indy Eleven | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 21 | 26 | −5 | 23 | |
| 8 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 34 | −9 | 20 | |
| 9 | Ottawa Fury | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 20 | 25 | −5 | 17 | |
| 10 | Atlanta Silverbacks | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 20 | 30 | −10 | 13 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | ATL | CAR | FCE | FTL | IND | MNU | NYC | OTT | SAS | TBR |
| Atlanta Silverbacks | | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Carolina RailHawks | 0–2 | | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 5–4 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 3–4 |
| Edmonton | 2–1 | 3–0 | | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 |
| Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Indy Eleven | 2–4 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| Minnesota United | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 5–1 | | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| New York Cosmos | 3–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 |
| Ottawa Fury | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 0–1 | | 1–1 | 0–2 |
| San Antonio Scorpions | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | | 7–0 |
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | |

## Playoffs

The playoffs were contested by the winners of the spring and fall seasons hosting the next best two teams in the full year regular season table. The half-season champions earned the top two seeds, with the higher seed going to the team with the better full-season record. The two next-best teams earned the third and fourth seeds. The semifinals took place on November 8 and 9, with the #1 seed hosting the #4 seed and #2 hosting #3. The winners met in Soccer Bowl 2014 on November 15, hosted by the team with the higher seed.

### Combined standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Minnesota United (X) | 27 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 47 | 28 | +19 | 55 | Championship qualifiers |
| 2 | San Antonio Scorpions (C) | 27 | 16 | 4 | 7 | 43 | 24 | +19 | 52 | Championship qualifiers |
| 3 | New York Cosmos | 27 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 37 | 27 | +10 | 42 | Championship qualifiers |
| 4 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 27 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 38 | 39 | −1 | 40 | Championship qualifiers |
| 5 | Carolina RailHawks | 27 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 38 | 43 | −5 | 38 | |
| 6 | FC Edmonton | 27 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 34 | 29 | +5 | 37 | |
| 7 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 27 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 36 | 50 | −14 | 30 | |
| 8 | Ottawa Fury | 27 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 34 | 38 | −4 | 27 | |
| 9 | Indy Eleven | 27 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 35 | 46 | −11 | 27 | |
| 10 | Atlanta Silverbacks | 27 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 32 | 50 | −18 | 23 | |

### The Championship
#### Participants

* Minnesota United (Spring season champion)
* San Antonio Scorpions (Fall season champion)
* New York Cosmos
* Fort Lauderdale Strikers

#### Soccer Bowl 2014
## Attendance

| Season | Spring Season Weekly Averages | Spring Season Weekly Averages | Spring Season Weekly Averages | Spring Season Weekly Averages | Spring Season Weekly Averages | Spring Season Weekly Averages | Spring Season Weekly Averages | Spring Season Weekly Averages | Spring Season Weekly Averages | Spring Season Weekly Averages | Spring Season Weekly Averages |
| Season | ATL | CAR | EDM | FTL | IND | MN | NY | OTT | SA | TB | League avg. |
| Week 1 | - | - | - | 3,105 | 11,048 | - | 7,906 | - | 7,381 | 7,003 | 7,289 |
| Week 2 | 5,000 | 4,007 | 4,399 | - | 10,421 | - | - | 3,457 | - | - | 5,457 |
| Week 3 | - | - | - | 3,515 | - | 5,287 | 4,130 | 2,158 | - | 4,670 | 3,952 |
| Week 4 | 3,922 | 4,066 | 3,276 | - | - | 4,913 | - | - | 5,595 | - | 4,354 |
| Week 5 | - | - | - | 3,109 | 10,285 | - | 3,091 | 2,164 | 5,834 | - | 4,897 |
| Week 6 | - | 5,527 | - | - | 10,285 | 5,325 | - | - | 7,087 | 4,855 | 6,616 |
| Week 7 | - | - | 2,961 | - | - | 6,784 | 3581 | 2,432 | - | 4,331 | 4,018 |
| Week 8 | 5,000 | 7,856 | - | 5,572 | 10,285 | - | - | 3,207 | - | - | 6,384 |
| Week 9 | 5,000 | - | 3,641 | - | - | - | 6,495 | - | 6,484 | 4,132 | 5,150 |
| Spring Total | 18,922 | 21,456 | 14,277 | 15,310 | 52,324 | 22,309 | 21,622 | 13,418 | 32,381 | 24,991 | 237,010 |
| Spring Avg | 4,730 | 5,364 | 3,569 | 3,825 | 10,465 | 5,157 | 4,323 | 2,684 | 6,476 | 4,998 | 5,267 |
| Bold denotes league's highest attendance for the week ||||||||||||
| Season | Fall Season Weekly Averages | Fall Season Weekly Averages | Fall Season Weekly Averages | Fall Season Weekly Averages | Fall Season Weekly Averages | Fall Season Weekly Averages | Fall Season Weekly Averages | Fall Season Weekly Averages | Fall Season Weekly Averages | Fall Season Weekly Averages | Fall Season Weekly Averages |
| Season | ATL | CAR | EDM | FTL | IND | MN | NY | OTT | SA | TB | League avg. |
| Week 1 | - | 3,080 | 3,609 | 3,092 | - | - | 3,806 | - | - | 3,896 | 3,497 |
| Week 2 | 3,011 | - | - | - | 10,555 | 7,287 | - | 14,593 | 6,958 | - | 8,481 |
| Week 3 | 4,810 | - | 3,152 | 3,257 | - | - | - | - | 7,884 | 4,868 | 4,711 |
| Week 4 | - | 4,294 | 2,849 | 2,648 | 10,285 | 34,047 | 4,649 | - | - | - | 10,896 |
| Week 5 | 3,842 | - | - | - | 10,285 | 5,112 | 4,524 | 4,814 | - | - | 5,652 |
| Week 6 | - | 3,140 | - | - | - | 5,420 | - | 4,277 | 7,847 | 4,273 | 4,209 |
| Week 7 | - | 4,666 | - | 2,409 | - | - | - | - | - | 4,212 | 5,454 |
| Week 8 | - | - | 3,111 | - | 10,285 | - | 3,928 | 4,206 | 5,734 | - | 4,755 |
| Week 9 | 5,000 | 3,106 | 2,796 | 3,006 | 10,659 | 7,024 | - | 5,269 | - | - | 5,303 |
| Week 10 | - | - | - | - | - | 6,202 | 3,626 | - | 5,594 | 4,340 | 5,761 |
| Week 11 | 3,071 | 3,193 | - | - | - | - | 4,502 | - | - | - | 4,896 |
| Week 12 | 3,062 | 5,593 | 4,392 | 3,112 | - | - | - | 5,094 | 8,313 | 4,313 | 5,568 |
| Week 13 | - | - | 3,830 | 3,052 | 10,285 | 5,744 | - | 3,105 | - | 3,865 | 4,734 |
| Week 14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6,225 | - | 5,963 | - | 5,009 |
| Week 15 | 2,905 | - | 2,903 | - | 10,285 | - | 4,411 | - | 5,683 | 2,565 | 5,090 |
| Week 16 | 3,061 | 4,179 | - | 5,756 | 10,982 | 5,817 | - | 3,935 | - | - | 5,989 |
| Week 17 | 5,000 | - | - | 5,756 | - | 6,454 | 8,565 | 4,172 | - | - | 5,989 |
| Week 18 | - | 6,460 | 3,035 | 5,505 | - | - | - | - | 8,205 | 6,377 | 5,914 |
| Fall Total | 33,762 | 37,621 | 29,677 | 37,593 | 94,188 | 83,107 | 44,236 | 44,651 | 62,181 | 38,669 | 505,685 |
| Fall Avg | 3,751 | 4,180 | 3,297 | 4,177 | 10,465 | 9,234 | 4,915 | 4,961 | 6,909 | 4,300 | 5,619 |
| Bold denotes league's highest attendance for the week ||||||||||||

## Individual awards
### Monthly awards

| Month | NASL Player of the Month | NASL Player of the Month | NASL Player of the Month | NASL Player of the Month |
| Month | Player | Nation | Club | Link |
| April | Zack Schilawski | USA | Carolina RailHawks | 3G |
| May/June | Christian Ramirez | USA | Minnesota United FC | 3G 3A |
| July | Rafael Castillo | COL | San Antonio Scorpions | 3G |
| August | Christian Ramirez | USA | Minnesota United FC | 6G 1A |
| September | Miguel Ibarra | USA | Minnesota United FC | 4G 1A |
| October/November | Christian Ramirez | USA | Minnesota United FC | 4G |

### League awards

* Golden Ball (MVP): Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC)
* Golden Boot: Christian Ramirez (Minnesota United FC)
* Golden Glove: John Smits (FC Edmonton)
* Coach of the Year: Manny Lagos (Minnesota United FC)
* Goal of the Year: Christian Ramirez (Minnesota United FC)
* Young (U24) Player of the Year: Christian Ramirez (Minnesota United FC)
* Humanitarian of the Year: Chris Nurse (Fort Lauderdale Strikers)
* Fair Play Award: Tampa Bay Rowdies
NASL Best XI :
| Position | Players | Team |
| Goalkeeper | Jimmy Maurer | New York Cosmos |
| Defense | Tiago Calvano | Minnesota United FC |
| Defense | Justin Davis | Minnesota United FC |
| Defense | Darnell King | Fort Lauderdale Strikers |
| Defense | Carlos Mendes | New York Cosmos |
| Midfield | Miguel Ibarra | Minnesota United FC |
| Midfield | Rafael Castillo | San Antonio Scorpions |
| Midfield | Lance Laing | FC Edmonton |
| Midfield | Walter Restrepo | San Antonio Scorpions |
| Forward | Fafà Picault | Fort Lauderdale Strikers |
| Forward | Christian Ramirez | Minnesota United FC |