The team was founded on August 3, 1984, as a member of the
American Indoor Soccer Association and played in every season and incarnation of that league (see
NPSL). They have also played in the
Xtreme Soccer League and the
second and
third versions of the Major Indoor Soccer League. The team is currently a member of the
Major Arena Soccer League. Milwaukee also hosted the 2003 and 2006 MISL II All-Star Games.
Keith Tozer was the team's coach for 21 years before leaving to become
United States national futsal team head coach. While with the Wave, he was the all-time winningest coach in North American indoor soccer, with six league championships and more than 700 wins. The Wave played in the first season of the
Xtreme Soccer League in the 2008 – 2009 season, but moved to the new
Major Indoor Soccer League for the 2009–2010 season. After the 2013–2014 season, the team announced that it was leaving the MISL along with five other teams and joining the MASL. In 2014 the ownership group ROC Ventures, headed by Mike Zimmerman, became a partner in the team's ownership. Just before the 2014–15 season began, the Wave replaced their traditional green
artificial turf with a black turf to match the team's colors and marketing strategy. Reception by fans and the press was mixed but generally positive. == Players ==