Major League Soccer
2008 Season
Sport	Soccer
Continental FIFA Confederation	CONCACAF
National Confederation	U.S. Soccer Federation
League Founded	1994
Inaugural season	1996
No. of teams	14 (15 in 2009, 16 in 2010)
Countries	USA  Canada
Current Champions	Houston Dynamo
TV Partner(s)	ESPN, ABC, Fox Soccer Channel, HDNet, TeleFutura, CBC Television, Rogers Sportsnet
Official website	mlsnet.com

Major League Soccer (MLS) is a North America professional soccer league. MLS represents the top tier of the American Soccer Pyramid and is comprised of 14 clubs, although the league intends to expand to 16 clubs by 2010. Seasons run from late March or early April to November, with teams playing 30 games each. Image File history File links Current_sport. ... The 2008 Major League Soccer season will be the 13th season in league history. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Soccer redirects here. ... CONCACAF (the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) is the continent-wide governing body for football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. ... The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) (trademarked as U.S. Soccer Federation) is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... This is a summary of the 1996 Major League Soccer season. ... 14 (fourteen) is the natural number following 13 and preceding 15. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Year founded 2005 League Major League Soccer Nickname Dynamo, Orange Crush, La Naranja, The Men in Orange, The Orange Stadium Robertson Stadium Houston, TX Coach Dominic Kinnear, 2006— Owner Anschutz Entertainment Group First Game Houston Dynamo 5–2 Colorado Rapids (Robertson Stadium; April 2, 2006) Largest Win 4-0, three... ESPN2 Major League Soccer is a promotion of Major League Soccer (North Americas premiere soccer league) on ESPN2 and ESPN on ABC, with simulcasts on ESPN2HD for the ESPN2 telecasts. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American television network. ... Fox Soccer Channel is a United States digital cable network, owned by News Corporation, that specializes in soccer. ... HDNet is a general interest television channel in the United States, broadcasting exclusively in high-definition format, and available via cable and satellite television. ... TeleFutura is a U.S. Spanish-language broadcast television network owned by Univision with headquarters in Miami, Florida. ... CBC Television is a Canadian English language television network. ... “Sportsnet” redirects here. ... Political highlights of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and the fourth ranked in population. ... Soccer redirects here. ... The American Soccer Pyramid is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in the United States. ...

A total of 16 clubs have competed in Major League Soccer, but only six have won the MLS Cup: D.C. United, Los Angeles Galaxy, San Jose Earthquakes, Chicago Fire, Kansas City Wizards, and Houston Dynamo. The current Major League Soccer champions are the Houston Dynamo, who won their second title in the 2007 season. The Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy The MLS Cup is the final game of the Major League Soccer postseason, officially recognized as the championship of the league. ...

Competition format

The full schedule for the 2008 Major League Soccer season was announced in February 2008. Dates for several showcase competitions are already in place. The 2008 Major League Soccer season will be the 13th season in league history. ...

The basics of the 2007 season, which ended in November were as follows: The 2007 Major League Soccer season is the 12th season in league history. ...

• The season ran from April 7 to November 18, when the 2007 MLS Cup took place at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, DC. The 13 teams in the league at the time were split into two conferences: the Western Conference with six teams, the Eastern Conference with seven.

• Each team played 30 games, evenly divided between home and away matches. Each team played every other team twice, home and away, for a total of 24 games. The remaining 6 games were intra-conference, with each club playing its fellow conference members. In the Western Conference, an additional game was added to highlight geographic rivalries (Los Angeles vs. Chivas USA, Houston vs. Dallas, Salt Lake vs. Colorado).Eastern Conference (New England vs. New York)

• With its win at the MLS Cup, the Houston Dynamo qualified for the next CONCACAF Champions' Cup. DC United also qualified for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup by virtue of its winning the MLS Supporters' Shield for the top regular-season record.

• SuperLiga, an MLS-Primera División de México competition, also debuted on the 2007 season schedule, with most matches occurring midweek in July and August. FC Dallas, Los Angeles Galaxy, DC United and Houston Dynamo played at the 2007 tournament, with the Galaxy making the final but losing to CF Pachuca on penalty kicks.

April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Goals NE: Taylor Twellman 20 HOU: Joseph Ngwenya 61 HOU: Dwayne De Rosario 74 Date November 18, 2007 Stadium Robert F. Kennedy Stadium City Washington, D.C. MVP Dwayne De Rosario National anthem Plácido Domingo Halftime show Jimmy Eat World Weather Sunny 55° F Attendance 39,859 TV in... Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, informally known as RFK Stadium or RFK, is a professional sports stadium in the United States. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... CONCACAF Champions cup logo The CONCACAF Champions Cup is the annual international football competition held in the CONCACAF region (North America and the Caribbean). ... The MLS Supporters Shield The Major League Soccer Supporters Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system - much like the Presidents Trophy in the NHL. While MLS is similar to other North American... The SuperLiga is a North American football (soccer) competition between teams from Mexicos Primera División and the United States and Canadas Major League Soccer, the top football divisions of each respective country. ... La Primera División del Futbol Mexicano (also known as La Liga) is the premier football championship established by the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación in the Mexican League System. ... Year founded 1996 as Dallas Burn League Major League Soccer Nickname FCD, Hoops, Toros, Red Stripes Stadium Pizza Hut Park Frisco, TX Coach Steve Morrow Owner Clark Hunt First Game Dallas Burn 0–0 San Jose Clash (Cotton Bowl; April 14, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 5–0 Kansas City... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Galaxy, The Gs, Los Galacticos de Los Angeles, Stadium The Home Depot Center (HDC) Carson, CA Coach vacant[1] Owner Philip Anschutz (AEG) First Game Los Angeles Galaxy 2–1 MetroStars (Rose Bowl; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 1... Year Founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Stadium RFK Stadium Coach Peter Nowak, 2004- All-Time Leaders* Games Marco Etcheverry, 191 Goals Jaime Moreno, 76 Assists Marco Etcheverry, 101 Points Jaime Moreno, 218 Shutouts Nick Rimando, 18 First Game San Jose Clash 1 - 0 D.C. United (Spartan Stadium; April... Year founded 2005 League Major League Soccer Nickname Dynamo, Orange Crush, La Naranja, The Men in Orange, The Orange Stadium Robertson Stadium Houston, TX Coach Dominic Kinnear, 2006— Owner Anschutz Entertainment Group First Game Houston Dynamo 5–2 Colorado Rapids (Robertson Stadium; April 2, 2006) Largest Win 4-0, three... Club de Futbol Pachuca, also known as Pachuca, is a popular Mexican futbol club which competes in the Primera División de México. ...

History

MLS was formed on December 17, 1993, fulfilling a promise to FIFA from Alan Rothenberg and the US Soccer Federation to establish a "Division One" professional soccer league in exchange for staging the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The league began play in 1996 with 10 teams, and enjoyed promising attendance numbers in its first season. Numbers declined going into the new millennium, but have rebounded in recent years. Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Revolution, Revs Stadium Gillette Stadium Foxborough, MA Coach Steve Nicol, 2002— Owner Robert Kraft First Game Tampa Bay Mutiny 3–2 New England Revolution (Tampa Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win New England Revolution 6–1 Colorado Rapids (Gillette Stadium; September 18... Year founded 1995 (as NY/NJ MetroStars) League Major League Soccer Full name Red Bull New York Nickname Red Bulls, Metro, RBNY Stadium Giants Stadium East Rutherford, NJ Coach Juan Carlos Osorio Owner Red Bull GmbH First Game Los Angeles Galaxy 2–1 NY/NJ MetroStars (Rose Bowl; April 13... Year founded 2005 League Major League Soccer Nickname Dynamo, Orange Crush, La Naranja, The Men in Orange, The Orange Stadium Robertson Stadium Houston, TX Coach Dominic Kinnear, 2006— Owner Anschutz Entertainment Group First Game Houston Dynamo 5–2 Colorado Rapids (Robertson Stadium; April 2, 2006) Largest Win 4-0, three... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Rapids, Pids Stadium Dicks Sporting Goods Park Commerce City, CO Coach Fernando Clavijo, 2005— Owner Stan Kroenke First Game Kansas City Wiz 3–0 Colorado Rapids (Arrowhead Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Colorado Rapids 4–0 Kansas City Wiz (Mile... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Wizards, The Wiz, KC Stadium CommunityAmerica Ballpark Kansas City, KS Coach Curt Onalfo Owner OnGoal, LLC. First Game Kansas City Wiz 3–0 Colorado Rapids (Arrowhead Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Kansas City Wizards 6–0 MetroStars (Arrowhead Stadium; June 20... Year founded 1994 League Major League Soccer Nickname The Crew, Americas Hardest Working Team Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus, OH Coach Sigi Schmid Owner Clark Hunt First Game Columbus Crew 4–0 D.C. United (Ohio Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Columbus Crew 6–1 New England Revolution... Year founded 1996 as Dallas Burn League Major League Soccer Nickname FCD, Hoops, Toros, Red Stripes Stadium Pizza Hut Park Frisco, TX Coach Steve Morrow Owner Clark Hunt First Game Dallas Burn 0–0 San Jose Clash (Cotton Bowl; April 14, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 5–0 Kansas City... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Full name D.C. United Nickname United, Black-and-Red Stadium RFK Stadium Washington, D.C. Coach Tom Soehn, 2006— Owner D.C. United Holdings First Game San Jose Clash 1–0 D.C. United (Spartan Stadium; April 6, 1996) Largest Win D... Year founded 1997 League Major League Soccer Nickname La Maquina Roja, Men in Red, CF97 Stadium Toyota Park Bridgeview, IL Coach Juan Carlos Osorio[1] Owner Andell Holdings First Game Miami Fusion 0–2 Chicago Fire (Lockhart Stadium; March 21, 1998) Largest Win Kansas City Wizards 0–7 Chicago Fire... Year founded 2006 League Major League Soccer Nickname TFC, Reds Stadium BMO Field Coach Mo Johnston Owner MLSE First Game C.D. Chivas USA 2-0 Toronto FC (Home Depot Center; April 7, 2007) Largest Win Toronto FC 4-0 FC Dallas (BMO Field; June 17, 2007) Worst Defeat New... Year founded 1997 - 2002 (defunct) League Major League Soccer Nickname Fusion Stadium Lockhart Stadium Coach Owner First Game Miami Fusion 0 - 2 D.C. United (Lockhart Stadium; March 15, 1998) Last Game Miami Fusion 0 - 1 San Jose Earthquakes (Lockhart Stadium; October 17, 2001) Largest Win D.C. United 2... Year founded 1995 - 2002 (defunct) League Major League Soccer Nickname Mutiny Stadium Raymond James Stadium Coach Owner First Game Tampa Bay Mutiny 3 - 2 New England Revolution (Tampa Stadium; April 13, 1996) Last Game Tampa Bay Mutiny 1 - 2 Columbus Crew (Raymond James Stadium; September 9, 2001) Largest Win 5... Year founded 2004 League Major League Soccer Nickname RSL, Real, Red & Blue Army Stadium Rice-Eccles Stadium Salt Lake City, UT Coach Jason Kreis, 2007— Owner SCP Worldwide First Game MetroStars 0–0 Real Salt Lake (Giants Stadium; April 2, 2005) Largest Win Real Salt Lake 3–0 FC Dallas... This article is about the MLS franchise. ... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Galaxy, The Gs, Los Galacticos de Los Angeles, Stadium The Home Depot Center (HDC) Carson, CA Coach vacant[1] Owner Philip Anschutz (AEG) First Game Los Angeles Galaxy 2–1 MetroStars (Rose Bowl; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 1... Year founded 2004 League Major League Soccer Nickname Chivas, Chivas USA, Goats, Goats USA, The Red-And-White Stadium The Home Depot Center Carson, CA Coach Preki Owner Jorge Vergara Madrigal Antonio Cué Shawn Hunter First Game Chivas USA 0–2 D.C. United (The Home Depot Center; April 2... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about an international football organization. ... Alan Rothenberg Alan I. Rothenberg (born April 10, 1939 in New York City, New York) is a lawyer, an influential administrative figure in the history of North American soccer who is credited with greatly contributing to the growth of the game in the United States, and the namesake of the... The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) (trademarked as U.S. Soccer Federation) is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. ... Qualifying countries The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. ...

The original 10 teams were divided into two conferences: the Eastern Conference (Columbus Crew, D.C. United, New England Revolution, NY/NJ MetroStars, and Tampa Bay Mutiny) and the Western Conference (Colorado Rapids, Dallas Burn, Kansas City Wiz, Los Angeles Galaxy and San Jose Clash). Year founded 1994 League Major League Soccer Nickname The Crew, Americas Hardest Working Team Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus, OH Coach Sigi Schmid Owner Clark Hunt First Game Columbus Crew 4–0 D.C. United (Ohio Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Columbus Crew 6–1 New England Revolution... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Full name D.C. United Nickname United, Black-and-Red Stadium RFK Stadium Washington, D.C. Coach Tom Soehn, 2006— Owner D.C. United Holdings First Game San Jose Clash 1–0 D.C. United (Spartan Stadium; April 6, 1996) Largest Win D... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Revolution, Revs Stadium Gillette Stadium Foxborough, MA Coach Steve Nicol, 2002— Owner Robert Kraft First Game Tampa Bay Mutiny 3–2 New England Revolution (Tampa Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win New England Revolution 6–1 Colorado Rapids (Gillette Stadium; September 18... Year founded 1995 (as NY/NJ MetroStars) League Major League Soccer Full name Red Bull New York Nickname Red Bulls, Metro, RBNY Stadium Giants Stadium East Rutherford, NJ Coach Juan Carlos Osorio Owner Red Bull GmbH First Game Los Angeles Galaxy 2–1 NY/NJ MetroStars (Rose Bowl; April 13... Year founded 1995 - 2002 (defunct) League Major League Soccer Nickname Mutiny Stadium Raymond James Stadium Coach Owner First Game Tampa Bay Mutiny 3 - 2 New England Revolution (Tampa Stadium; April 13, 1996) Last Game Tampa Bay Mutiny 1 - 2 Columbus Crew (Raymond James Stadium; September 9, 2001) Largest Win 5... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Rapids, Pids Stadium Dicks Sporting Goods Park Commerce City, CO Coach Fernando Clavijo, 2005— Owner Stan Kroenke First Game Kansas City Wiz 3–0 Colorado Rapids (Arrowhead Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Colorado Rapids 4–0 Kansas City Wiz (Mile... Year founded 1996 as Dallas Burn League Major League Soccer Nickname FCD, Hoops, Toros, Red Stripes Stadium Pizza Hut Park Frisco, TX Coach Steve Morrow Owner Clark Hunt First Game Dallas Burn 0–0 San Jose Clash (Cotton Bowl; April 14, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 5–0 Kansas City... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Wizards, The Wiz, KC Stadium CommunityAmerica Ballpark Kansas City, KS Coach Curt Onalfo Owner OnGoal, LLC. First Game Kansas City Wiz 3–0 Colorado Rapids (Arrowhead Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Kansas City Wizards 6–0 MetroStars (Arrowhead Stadium; June 20... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Galaxy, The Gs, Los Galacticos de Los Angeles, Stadium The Home Depot Center (HDC) Carson, CA Coach vacant[1] Owner Philip Anschutz (AEG) First Game Los Angeles Galaxy 2–1 MetroStars (Rose Bowl; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 1... This article is about the MLS franchise. ...

Early years

The league was greeted with indifference by the American mainstream as the 1994 World Cup in the United States faded from memory. The early years gave rise to the Bruce Arena-led dynasty of DC United, a championship team in three of the league's first four seasons. It took the expansion Chicago Fire in 1998 to end United's stranglehold on the MLS Cup. The championship game featured several players who went on to have a broader impact on MLS and American soccer. Bruce Arena (born September 21, 1951 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American soccer coach, former Head Coach and Sporting Director for Red Bull New York of Major League Soccer and the former coach of the United States mens national soccer team. ... Year founded 1997 League Major League Soccer Nickname La Maquina Roja, Men in Red, CF97 Stadium Toyota Park Bridgeview, IL Coach Juan Carlos Osorio[1] Owner Andell Holdings First Game Miami Fusion 0–2 Chicago Fire (Lockhart Stadium; March 21, 1998) Largest Win Kansas City Wizards 0–7 Chicago Fire...

After its first season, MLS suffered from a decline in attendance. The league's quality of play was cast into doubt when the United States men's national soccer team, largely made up of American MLS players, was eliminated during the first round of the 1998 FIFA World Cup and finished in last place among the 32 participating countries. However, some of the 1998 cup players were kept aboard to join up-and-coming players in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. First international Unofficial: USA 0 - 1 Canada  (Newark, NJ, USA; November 28, 1885) Official:  Sweden 2 - 3 USA (Stockholm, Sweden; August 20, 1916) Biggest win USA 8 - 1 Cayman Islands  (Mission Viejo, CA, USA; November 14, 1993) USA 7 - 0 El Salvador  (Los Angeles, CA, USA; December 5, 1993) USA... 1998 World Cup redirects here. ... 2002 World Cup redirects here. ...

The league began to market itself on the talents of American players, both experienced veterans and fresh talents. DaMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan made names for themselves in MLS, while players such as Brian McBride and Clint Mathis continued proving their worth to their domestic and national teams. DaMarcus Lamont Beasley (born May 24, 1982 in Fort Wayne, Indiana) is an American soccer player who is currently playing for Scottish Premier League side Rangers as well as the United States. ... Landon Timothy Donovan (born March 4, 1982 in Ontario, California), is an American professional soccer player on the Los Angeles Galaxy, who is the joint all-time leading scorer for the U.S. National Team (along with Eric Wynalda). ... This biography does not cite any references or sources. ... Clint Mathis (born November 25, 1976 in Conyers, Georgia) is a soccer forward/midfielder who currently plays for the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer after making his name with the MetroStars. ...

The league's ongoing financial problems led to the departure of Commissioner Doug Logan after the end of the 1998 season. In his place was hired Don Garber, a former NFL International chief whose leadership became instrumental to shoring up the league's future. Construction of "soccer-specific" stadiums for the league's teams — largely funded by financiers such as Lamar Hunt and Phil Anschutz — became a point of emphasis to bring fiscal health and ensure the league's survival. Hunt's Columbus Crew Stadium, built in 1999, is often cited as a league model. Doug Logan was the first commissioner of Major League Soccer, serving in that capacity from 1996 to 1999, when he was replaced by Don Garber. ... Don Garber (born October 9, 1957 in Johannesburg, Africa) is the commissioner of Major League Soccer, succeeding Doug Logan. ... Columbus Crew Stadium opened in 1999 as the first of a growing number of American stadiums built for soccer Soccer-specific stadium (SSS) is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada. ... Lamar Hunt (August 2, 1932 – December 13, 2006) was a promoter of American football, soccer, tennis, basketball, and ice hockey in the United States and an inductee of the first three sports halls of fame. ... Philip Frederick Anschutz (born 28 December 1939 in Russell, Kansas) is an American businessman. ... Columbus Crew Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Columbus, Ohio. ...

On the field, the early wave of international players who had joined MLS at its inception drifted into retirement or moved on to teams elsewhere in the world. The run-up to the 2002 World Cup saw a gradual shift in league philosophy toward the development of American talent, a move that would eventually reap success for American soccer. One such player was young Landon Donovan, who was loaned from the German club Bayer Leverkusen to the San Jose Earthquakes. He made an immediate impact with the team, scoring a goal against the Los Angeles Galaxy in the 2001 MLS Cup to force overtime in the team's first championship win. (Redirected from 2002 World Cup) The 2002 Football World Cup was held in South Korea and Japan from May 31 to June 30. ... Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball is a German football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. ...

Resurgence

The 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan, in which the United States unexpectedly made the quarterfinal round based on wins against Portugal and Mexico, saw a resurgence in American soccer and in MLS. The 2002 MLS Cup, held four months after the World Cup final, set the championship attendance record with a sellout crowd at Gillette Stadium that saw the Los Angeles Galaxy win their first title. From 2001, both Los Angeles and the San Jose Earthquakes would hoist the trophy twice, while DC United returned to prominence in the 2004 MLS Cup, in the aftermath of an exciting Eastern Conference championship against the New England Revolution. This article is about the Korean civilization. ... Gillette Stadium is the home stadium for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution soccer team. ... Eastern Conference logo The Eastern Conference is one of Major League Soccers two conferences. ...

MLS drew international attention in 2004 with the DC United debut of 14-year-old Freddy Adu, who entered the league with much fanfare and was heralded as one of the top prospects in U.S. history. Fredua Koranteng Freddy Adu (born 2 June 1989 in Tema, Ghana) is a Ghanaian-American footballer playing as a striker and an attacking midfielder. ...

MLS underwent a significant transition in the years leading up to the 2006 World Cup in Germany. After marketing itself on the talents of American players, the league saw some of its homegrown favorites depart for more prominent leagues in Europe. Tim Howard, goalkeeper for the MetroStars, was sent to Manchester United in one of the most lucrative contract deals in league history. DaMarcus Beasley of the Chicago Fire left for PSV Eindhoven, while Landon Donovan, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, was recalled back to Germany. Donovan's stint with the team was brief; prior to start of the 2005 season he was traded back to MLS to play with the Los Angeles Galaxy. In 2005 he led the Galaxy to its second MLS Cup. (Redirected from 2006 World Cup) The final stages of Football World Cup 2006 are scheduled to take place in Germany between 9 June and 9 July. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... For other persons named Tim Howard, see Tim Howard (disambiguation). ... MetroStars logo 2002-2005 The MetroStars was the name of a soccer club based in New Jersey that participated in Major League Soccer between 1996 and 2005. ... Manchester United Football Club are a world-famous English football club, based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and are one of the most popular sports clubs in the world, with over 50 million supporters worldwide. ... PSV redirects here. ... Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball is a German football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. ... MLS 10 Seasons Logo The 2005 Major League Soccer season was the tenth season of MLS culminating in a second MLS Cup victory for the Los Angeles Galaxy. ...

Many American players, while factoring little in the national team picture, did make an impact in MLS. In 2005, Jason Kreis of the expansion Real Salt Lake became the first player in MLS history to score at least 100 career league goals. In Kansas City, goalkeeper Bo Oshoniyi took the place of injured Tony Meola and helped the Wizards return to MLS Cup in 2004, with the team nearly clinching a playoff berth one season later. Herculez Gomez made a name for himself playing with the Galaxy in his first three MLS seasons, scoring the game-winning goal in the 2005 U.S. Open Cup final. In 2005, MLS created its Reserve Division, with each team's reserve squad playing 12 games, providing valuable playing time to develop non-starters on the team roster. The DC United Reserves in 2005 won the first Reserve Division title. Jason Kreis (born December 29, 1972 in Omaha, Nebraska) is a former American soccer forward, and is tied as Major League Soccers all-time regular-season leader in goals with D.C. Uniteds Jaime Moreno. ... Year founded 2004 League Major League Soccer Nickname RSL, Real, Red & Blue Army Stadium Rice-Eccles Stadium Salt Lake City, UT Coach Jason Kreis, 2007— Owner SCP Worldwide First Game MetroStars 0–0 Real Salt Lake (Giants Stadium; April 2, 2005) Largest Win Real Salt Lake 3–0 FC Dallas... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Adegboyega Bo Oshoniyi (born November 3, 1971 in Poughkeepsie, New York) is an American soccer goalkeeper, who currently plays for the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer. ... This biography does not cite any references or sources. ... Herculez Gomez (born April 6, 1982 in Las Vegas, Nevada) is a Mexican-American soccer player who currently plays for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. ... The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is an American soccer competition open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams all the way to the professional teams of Major League Soccer. ... The MLS Reserve Division is a USA soccer league for the reserve teams of Major League Soccer, much like the English FA Premier Reserve League is to the FA Premier League. ...

2006-present

Major League Soccer since 2006 has seen a series of moves by its leadership to bring about a more 'internationalized' MLS with a higher level of play. Among the first moves in this regard was the creation of the Designated Player Rule, which helped MLS bring international star players into the league. The second step MLS took in internationalizing its game was the creation of SuperLiga in 2007. Superliga pitted the best MLS teams against the top Mexican sides in an effort to provide more meaningful competition. The competition was judged a success by influential soccer writers like Steve Davis at ESPN. MLS further pushed itself into an 'international era' by changing the foreign player rules before the 2008 season [3]. However, despite the increasing number of foreign players in MLS, the Houston Dynamo were able to establish a domestic dynasty, winning both the 2006 and 2007 titles with mostly American and Canadian talent. The Designated Player Rule, also known as the Beckham rule, is the name used for a rule change in the Major League Soccers salary cap regulations, implemented for the 2007 season. ...

The 2006 season confirmed Major League Soccer as a stable product of both American and international soccer. Piotr Nowak, once a Chicago Fire player, managed the All-Star team to a win in the 2006 All-Star Game over Chelsea F.C., while former Liverpool player Steve Nicol led his team to MLS Cup for the third time in five years. Bob Bradley, whose reputation was scarred by disappointing results when coaching the MetroStars, turned around the second-year Chivas USA, who in their inaugural season finished last among all teams in the league. Among players, Jaime Moreno continued to display his veteran experience, while Christian Gomez and Dwayne De Rosario excelled for DC United and Houston Dynamo, respectively. The Dynamo, who moved from San Jose prior to the season, took the championship in their first season in Houston. The title game featured names familiar to many American soccer fans; Taylor Twellman scored for the first time in three championship games in overtime, while Brian Ching scored the equalizer only moments later, sending the game into a penalty kick shootout where goalkeeper Pat Onstad secured the win for Houston Dynamo. Piotr (Peter) Nowak (born July 5, 1964 in Pabianice) was a Polish football (soccer) player, and currently the assistant to Bob Bradley, head coach of United States mens national soccer team. ... Chelsea Football Club (also known as The Blues or previously The Pensioners) are an English professional football club based in west London. ... Stephen Steve Nicol (born December 11, 1961 in Irvine, Scotland) is a Scottish former professional footballer, a utility player who played in the all-conquering Liverpool team of the 1980s, and is currently coach of New England Revolution in MLS. // Nicol started his career with Ayr United in 1979 and... Bob Bradley (born March 3, 1958 in Montclair, New Jersey) is the current United States National Soccer Teams coach and the all-time winningest coach in Major League Soccer history. ... Year founded 2004 League Major League Soccer Nickname Chivas, Chivas USA, Goats, Goats USA, The Red-And-White Stadium The Home Depot Center Carson, CA Coach Preki Owner Jorge Vergara Madrigal Antonio Cué Shawn Hunter First Game Chivas USA 0–2 D.C. United (The Home Depot Center; April 2... Jaime Moreno Morales (born January 19, 1974 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra) is a Bolivian football (soccer) striker (forward), the first Bolivian to play in the English Premiership. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... Dwayne De Rosario (also spelt de Rosario and commonly shortened to D-Ro by fans; born on May 15, 1978 in Scarborough, Ontario) is a Canadian soccer player, who currently plays as a midfielder and forward for Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer. ... Taylor Timothy Twellman (born February 29, 1980 in Minneapolis, Minnesota)[1] is a U.S. soccer player. ... Brian Ching (Chinese: 程拜仁, pinyin: Chéng Bàirén born May 24, 1978 in Haleiwa, Hawaii) is a U.S. soccer player, who currently plays forward for Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer. ... Pat Onstad (born January 13, 1968 in Vancouver) is a professional Canadian soccer goalkeeper, who currently plays for Houston of Major League Soccer. ...

The 2007 season saw the MLS debut of David Beckham, whose signing has been seen as a coup for American soccer. David Beckham's signing by the Los Angeles Galaxy was made possible by the Designated Player Rule. He has been followed by four more designated players, including Marcelo Gallardo (Paris Saint-Germain) to D.C. United, Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Club América) to Chicago Fire, Denílson (Al-Nasr, previously Real Betis) to FC Dallas, and Claudio Reyna (Manchester City) and Juan Pablo Ángel (Aston Villa) to New York Red Bulls. Red Bull's use of two designated players has boosted the club tremendously, with both players already improving the team's on-field performance considerably. David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham OBE (born May 2, 1975) is an English footballer born in Leytonstone, London. ... Marcelo Daniel Gallardo (born January 18, 1976 in Merlo, Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for River Plate of Primera División Argentina as an Attacking midfielder. ... Paris Saint-Germain FC, or PSG, is a French football club based in Paris. ... Cuauhtémoc Blanco Bravo (born January 17, 1973 in Mexico City), also known as Cuauhtémoc Blanco, is a Mexican international football striker, who currently plays for Chicago Fire in the United States Major League Soccer division; and for the Mexican national football team. ... Club América, most commonly known as just América, is a professional Mexican football club playing in the Primera División. ... This article is about the Brazilian footballer who played in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup. ... Al-Nasr (Arabic: Victory النصر) is one of the premier football clubs in Saudi Arabia. ... Real Betis Balompié is a Spanish football club in Seville founded in 1907. ... Claudio Reyna (born July 20, 1973 in Livingston, New Jersey) is an American soccer player. ... Manchester City Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Manchester. ... Juan Pablo Ángel Arango (born October 24, 1975 in Medellín) is a Colombian football striker, who is currently playing for Red Bull New York of Major League Soccer. ... Aston Villa redirects here. ... Year founded 1995 (as NY/NJ MetroStars) League Major League Soccer Full name Red Bull New York Nickname Red Bulls, Metro, RBNY Stadium Giants Stadium East Rutherford, NJ Coach Juan Carlos Osorio Owner Red Bull GmbH First Game Los Angeles Galaxy 2–1 NY/NJ MetroStars (Rose Bowl; April 13...

The departure of Clint Dempsey to Fulham, and New York's debut of former United States captain Claudio Reyna, highlights an exchange of top prospects to Europe for experienced veterans to the United States. Several other well-known foreign players have followed Beckham and other designated players to MLS for the 2007 season, including Guillermo Barros Schelotto (to Columbus), Luciano Emilio (to D.C.), Ronald Waterreus (to New York), and Abel Xavier (to Los Angeles).^[1] Clinton Drew Clint Dempsey a. ... Fulham Football Club are an English football team based in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. ... Guillermo Barros Schelotto (born May 4, 1973 in La Plata, Argentina) is a football player, who currently plays for the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer. ... Luciano Emilio (born December 12, 1978 in Ilha Solteira, Brazil) is a Brazilian soccer player, who currently plays with MLS club D.C. United. ... Ronald Waterreus (born August 25, 1970 in Lemiers, Netherlands) is a Dutch football goalkeeper, who currently plays for the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer. ... Abel Luís da Silva Costa Xavier, pron. ...

Poor starts to the 2007 season for the league's once-considered elite teams have contrasted with strong performances by the likes of Dallas and New York. Toronto FC, the league's newest addition, became the last team in the league to earn a point or score a goal in the 2007 season, until sellout crowds at their new BMO Field helped propel them to two straight victories. In the Western Conference, Dallas and the Colorado Rapids have led the way, ahead of a weak field of teams, including both Los Angeles franchises and Real Salt Lake, the last team in the league to notch a win this season. Recently, after poor starts, the defending MLS Cup Champion Houston Dynamo and the Supporters Cup Champion D.C. United have gone on streaks and returned to last season's form, with the Dynamo going on an impressive shutout run of 7 consecutive games where they have not given up a single goal to their opponents, tallying a league record 726 consecutive minutes of scoreless time. Year founded 2006 League Major League Soccer Nickname TFC, Reds Stadium BMO Field Coach Mo Johnston Owner MLSE First Game C.D. Chivas USA 2-0 Toronto FC (Home Depot Center; April 7, 2007) Largest Win Toronto FC 4-0 FC Dallas (BMO Field; June 17, 2007) Worst Defeat New...

In the inaugural 2007 SuperLiga, the Los Angeles Galaxy lost 4-3 on penalty kicks after tying CF Pachuca with a last minute bicycle kick by midfielder Chris Klein. The victory of Pachuca in the $1 million tournament overshadowed the fact that it was the only Mexican team that made it to the second round (3 MLS teams did so — Houston Dynamo, Los Angeles Galaxy, and DC United). ESPN's Steve Davis has declared the first Superliga a success, saying, "First, SuperLiga has been everything its architects could want. The matches have been spirited and tightly contested, spun with quality and layered with just the right amount of acrimony. So the Houston Dynamo, D.C. United, FC Dallas and the Los Angeles Galaxy may have just finished the most meaningful week of matches ever for MLS teams in the month of July" [4]. This follows on news that MLS and Primera División de México are considering increasing the size of the tournament from 4 invited teams from each league to eight teams from each league that must fight to qualify for next year's tournament.[5] A bicycle kick, scissors kick, or overhead kick is a move in football, which is made by throwing the body up into the air, making a shearing movement with the legs to get one leg high overhead to reach the ball (in original head height), which gets kicked backward over... Chris Klein (born January 4, 1976 in St. ... ESPN, formerly an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ...

At the end of the 2007 season, in a near-repeat of the previous final, the Houston Dynamo defeated the New England Revolution 2-1 in the 2007 MLS Cup. It marked the second victory in a row by the Dynamo over the Revolution in the final in two consecutive years. Following the end of the 2007 season, MLS announced the creation of the Pan Pacific Championship, with two MLS teams taking on the best teams from Japan and Australia [6].

Organization

Major League Soccer has been known more for its front office and management dealings than its on-field product. [7] In the off-season, expansion, contraction and rebranding have become buzzwords for the league and its fans. Recently the league has started to focus on improving the quality of play its teams produces on the field via new rules like the Designated Player Rule and through the creation of a league-wide youth development system.[8]

"Game First"

The 2007 MLS offseason is considered by some to be its most productive,[9] and there have been a number of changes for the league, bringing about a slow rise in its standings both financially and athletically. The league announced a youth development initiative,[10] which will require youth development teams for all the league's teams, to help the league develop "home-grown" talent on its own. The hope is that by being able to sign up to 2 of its own youth players to the senior team each year that the league's teams will have an incentive to improve the quality and talent pool of the league organically and also benefit from the transfer fees they may bring. Perhaps the first example of a success in "home-grown" talent development is New York's Josmer Altidore, who has risen to prominence as one of the league's most skilled young strikers. Josmer (Jozy) Altidore (born November 6, 1989 in Livingston, New Jersey) is a Haitian American soccer striker, who currently plays for the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer. ...

Furthering the development of the league was the decision to create the Designated Player Rule, which allows for a league team to pay up to two players a salary beyond that covered in the salary cap at their own expense. Following David Beckham to MLS are a host of veteran players, including Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Claudio Reyna, Juan Pablo Ángel, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Paulo Wanchope, Abel Xavier, Celestine Babayaro and Denílson. Following the creation of the Designated Player Rule, the league announced in conjunction with the La Primera División del Futbol Mexicano (Mexican First Division) that it would be creating a tournament called Superliga, which would start in 2007, with 4 teams from MLS and 4 from Mexico competing for a US$1 million prize to become the champions of North American club soccer.[11] These matches will initially only be covered in Spanish by Univision and Telefutura. Currently an English language broadcaster has not signed to cover the tournament, although an English-language broadcast is streamed online. Juan Pablo Ángel Arango (born October 24, 1975 in Medellín) is a Colombian football striker, who is currently playing for Red Bull New York of Major League Soccer. ... Paulo Cesar Wanchope Watson (IPA: ) (born July 31, 1976) is a Costa Rican football player. ... Celestine Babayaro (born August 29, 1978 in Kaduna, Nigeria) is a footballer who plays left-back and is currently contracted to Newcastle United of the English Premiership. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... North American redirects here. ... This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ... Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States and Puerto Rico. ... TeleFutura is a U.S. Spanish-language broadcast television network owned by Univision with headquarters in Miami, Florida. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Following these announcements the league announced "Game-First", a series of initiatives aimed at improving the league in myriad of ways. One of the most immediate changes is that U.S. Soccer hired the first full-time professional referees in league history.[12]

Expansion, contraction and relocation

After starting with ten teams, Major League Soccer added two expansion teams in the 1998 season, adding the Chicago Fire and Miami Fusion. However, following the 2001 season, Miami and Tampa Bay Mutiny were disbanded and the league contracted back to ten teams. An expansion team is a term used for a brand new team in a sports league. ... This is a summary of the 1998 Major League Soccer season. ... Year founded 1997 - 2002 (defunct) League Major League Soccer Nickname Fusion Stadium Lockhart Stadium Coach Owner First Game Miami Fusion 0 - 2 D.C. United (Lockhart Stadium; March 15, 1998) Last Game Miami Fusion 0 - 1 San Jose Earthquakes (Lockhart Stadium; October 17, 2001) Largest Win D.C. United 2... This is a summary of the 2001 Major League Soccer season. ...

Following the 2004 season to the present, the league has expanded by four new teams: Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA for the 2005 season, the Houston Dynamo relocating from San Jose for the 2006 season, and Toronto FC for the 2007 season. Although the San Jose Earthquakes relocated to Houston, the Earthquakes’ name and history were not transferred making the Dynamo an expansion team. For the 2008 season, the Earthquakes return to MLS bringing the current total number of clubs to fourteen. This is a summary of the 2004 Major League Soccer season. ... This is a summary of the 2005 Major League Soccer season. ... The 11th Major League Soccer season began on April 1, 2006 and will end with MLS Cup 2006 on November 12, 2006 at the same site: Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. ... The 12th Major League Soccer season began on April 7, 2007 and will end with MLS Cup 2007, on November 18, 2007 at RFK Stadium. ...

Future Expansion

MLS plans on expanding to 18 teams by 2012 with currently two of the remaining four declared. The week of MLS Cup 2007, commissioner Don Garber made the official announcement of a Seattle MLS team beginning league play in 2009. The primary ownership includes Seattle Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer, Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen, comedian Drew Carey, and Hollywood producer Joe Roth. The team will play its home games at Qwest Field. No team name has been announced. Goals NE: Taylor Twellman 20 HOU: Joseph Ngwenya 61 HOU: Dwayne De Rosario 74 Date November 18, 2007 Stadium Robert F. Kennedy Stadium City Washington, D.C. MVP Dwayne De Rosario National anthem Plácido Domingo Halftime show Jimmy Eat World Weather Sunny 55° F Attendance 39,859 TV in... Year founded 2009 League Major League Soccer Nickname Stadium Qwest Field Seattle, WA Coach Owner Joe Roth, Adrian Hanauer, Paul Allen, Drew Carey First Game Largest Win Worst Defeat All-time Top Scorer Supporter Groups MLS Cup Supporters Shield The Seattle Major League Soccer team is a professional soccer club... This article is about the current Seattle Sounders team. ... City Seattle, Washington Team colors Pacific Blue, Navy Blue, Neon Green, White Head Coach Mike Holmgren Owner Paul Allen General manager Tim Ruskell Mascot Blitz, and Taima the hawk League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1976–present) American Football Conference (1977-2001) AFC West (1977-2001) National Football Conference (1976... For other persons named Paul Allen, see Paul Allen (disambiguation). ... Drew Allison Carey (born May 23, 1958) is an American comedian, actor, and game show host. ... Joe Roth is a producer and film director, born on June 13, 1948 in New York City to a Jewish family. ... Qwest Field is a stadium built for football and soccer located in Seattle, Washington. ...

At a February 28, 2008 press conference, Garber announced the 16th franchise would be a Philadelphia MLS team based in nearby Chester, Pennsylvania. Joining the league in the 2010 season, the Philadelphia club will play in an 18,500-seat stadium to be built just south of the Commodore Barry Bridge. As with Seattle, no name has been announced. ^[2] is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, population 36,854 at the 2000 census. ... For other uses, see Philadelphia (disambiguation) and Philly. ... The Commodore Barry Bridge is a cantilever bridge that spans the Delaware River from Chester, Pennsylvania to Bridgeport, New Jersey, USA. It is named after the American Revolutionary War hero and Philadelphia resident, John Barry. ...

While no other cities have been named for the 17th and 18th spots, St. Louis is considered the next frontrunner.^[3] In March 2008, it was announced that Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett has teamed up with the Montreal Impact in a bid for a MLS franchise. ^[4] Additionally MLS has declared interest in Atlanta, Detroit, Portland, a return to Miami, a second team in New York, and Vancouver. Nickname: Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area  - City  66. ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... George N. Gillett Jr. ... The Montreal Impact (French: Impact de Montréal) are a Canadian soccer team in the North American USL First Division. ... Atlanta redirects here. ... Detroit redirects here. ... Nickname: Location of Portland in Multnomah County and the state of Oregon Coordinates: , Country State Counties Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas Incorporated February 8, 1851 Government  - Type Commission  - Mayor Tom Potter[1]  - Commissioners Sam Adams Randy Leonard Dan Saltzman Erik Sten  - Auditor Gary Blackmer Area  - City 376. ... Miami redirects here. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... This article refers to the city in British Columbia, Canada. ...

Team names

Main article: Football club names

For more information on MLS team names, see the individual team entries.

Originally, in the style of other U.S. sports, teams were given nicknames at their creation such as the Columbus Crew, San Jose Clash or Tampa Bay Mutiny. DC United and Miami Fusion FC were the two exceptions that adopted more traditional names. However, new teams such as Real Salt Lake, Houston Dynamo, and Toronto FC have been adopting names similar to popular European clubs. In addition the Dallas Burn were re-named FC Dallas in 2005. Football club names are a part of the sports culture, reflecting century-old traditions. ... Year Founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Stadium Spartan Stadium Coach Dominic Kinnear, 2004- All-Time Leaders* Games Richard Mulrooney, 163 Goals Ronald Cerritos, 55 Assists Richard Mulrooney, 44 Points Ronald Cerritos, 148 Shutouts Joe Cannon, 26 First Game San Jose Clash 1 - 0 D.C. United (Spartan Stadium; April... Year Founded 1997 - 2002 League Major League Soccer Stadium Lockhart Stadium Coach - All-Time Leaders* Games Pablo Mastroeni, Diego Serna, 100 Goals Diego Serna, 52 Assists Diego Serna, 36 Points Diego Serna, 140 Shutouts Nick Rimando, Jeff Cassar, 7 First Game Miami Fusion 0 - 2 D.C. United (Lockhart Stadium... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Stadiums

When the league was started, most clubs played in stadiums built specifically for NFL or NCAA (college) football. This was based on the record attendances achieved at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. However, this turned out to be a considerable expense to the league because of modest attendance and poor lease deals. To provide better facilities as well as to control revenue for the stadium, a major goal of MLS is to build its own stadiums, which are often called soccer-specific stadiums. NFL redirects here. ... NCAA redirects here. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Columbus Crew Stadium opened in 1999 as the first of a growing number of American stadiums built for soccer Soccer-specific stadium (SSS) is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada. ...

Since 1999, the league has seen the construction and completion of six venues specifically designed for soccer. Lamar Hunt broke new ground in this endeavor by financing the construction of Columbus Crew Stadium. The Los Angeles Galaxy followed four years later with the opening of The Home Depot Center in 2003. CD Chivas USA has shared this venue with the Galaxy since their expansion in 2004. It also played host to two consecutive MLS Cups, until FC Dallas' Pizza Hut Park opened in 2005 and hosted the next two championships. Chicago Fire began playing their home games in Toyota Park in 2006, a venue that witnessed the MLS All-Stars defeating Chelsea F.C. in the All-Star Game, and a US Open Cup championship for the Fire in their first season in the stadium. 2007 saw the opening of Dick's Sporting Goods Park for the Colorado Rapids, and BMO Field for the expansion Toronto FC. The Home Depot Center is a multiple-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. ... This is a summary of the 2003 Major League Soccer season in the United States. ... Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility, featuring a 21,193 seat stadium, built and owned by the northern Dallas suburb of Frisco in Collin County, Texas. ... Toyota Park is the home stadium for the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, members of Major League Soccer. ... The 11th Major League Soccer season began on April 1, 2006 and ended with MLS Cup 2006 on November 12, 2006 at the same site as the previous years championship game: Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. ... Dicks Sporting Goods Park is a soccer-specific stadium located in Commerce City, Colorado, home to the Colorado Rapids professional soccer team. ... BMO Field is a soccer-specific stadium under-construction located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. ...

Pizza Hut Park, home of FC Dallas.

Other stadiums are currently under construction. Sandy Stadium will house Real Salt Lake as early as late 2008, while Red Bull Park, the new home of the New York Red Bulls, began construction in December 2007 with the goal of beginning play there in 2009. DC United, the Kansas City Wizards, Houston Dynamo, New England Revolution ^[5], and the San Jose Earthquakes are actively searching for ways to finance and build their respective stadiums. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (866x561, 149 KB) Taken froom Flickr. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (866x561, 149 KB) Taken froom Flickr. ... Sandy Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Sandy, Utah, United States that is currently under construction. ... Red Bull Park is the proposed future home of Red Bull New York of Major League Soccer. ...

The move to soccer-specific stadiums has been seen by many as essential to building up attendance and fan support for MLS. So far, every club that has built its own stadium has not only seen its game attendance rise, but also has helped MLS to achieve profitability. Thanks to their new stadium, the Los Angeles Galaxy became the first club to make a profit, followed in 2006 by FC Dallas.

Other MLS teams will, in the foreseeable future, continue to play in larger stadiums designed for football. The New England Revolution play in Gillette Stadium, whose primary tenant is the NFL's New England Patriots (both teams are owned by Robert Kraft), and Houston Dynamo play in Robertson Stadium on the campus of the University of Houston. Houston Dynamo has secured an agreement with city officials that has entered them into negotiations to build a soccer-specific stadium in downtown Houston near Minute Maid Park, home of MLB's Houston Astros. The New England Revolution has also expressed interest in securing their own soccer-specific stadium. The new Seattle team will play at Qwest Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, although team management has indicated that it will consider building its own venue under the right circumstances.^{[citation needed]} The new Philadelphia franchise plans to play in Chester Stadium when they enter the league in 2010. City Foxborough, Massachusetts Other nicknames The Pats Team colors Nautical Blue, New Century Silver, Red, and White Head Coach Bill Belichick Owner Robert Kraft General manager Bill Belichick (de facto) Mascot Pat Patriot League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960–69) Eastern Division (1960–69) National Football League (1970–present... John OQuinn Field at Robertson Stadium is a sports stadium in Houston, Texas located on the campus of the University of Houston. ... For other system schools, see University of Houston System. ... Minute Maid Park (formerly Enron Field and Astros Field) is a baseball stadium in Houston, Texas, that opened in 2000 to house the Houston Astros. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5, 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 40, 42, 49 Name Houston Astros (1965–present) Houston Colt . ... City Seattle, Washington Team colors Pacific Blue, Navy Blue, Neon Green, White Head Coach Mike Holmgren Owner Paul Allen General manager Tim Ruskell Mascot Blitz, and Taima the hawk League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1976–present) American Football Conference (1977-2001) AFC West (1977-2001) National Football Conference (1976... Chester Stadium is a proposed soccer-specific stadium (SSS) in Chester, Pennsylvania, USA, which is the planned home of a Major League Soccer franchise in the Philadelphia market. ... 2010 (MMX) will be a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Media coverage

At the outset, MLS signed deals for coverage on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, while Univision broadcast matches in Spanish. The original Univision deal lapsed after a few years, leaving only the ABC/ESPN family of networks as the league's national broadcasters. Fox Sports World (later rebranded as Fox Soccer Channel in 2005), Fox Sports en Español and HDNet began airing matches in 2003. ESPN2 debuted on October 1, 1993, as a sister station of ESPN. Nicknamed the deuce, ESPN2 was to be branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross, snowboarding, and BMX racing. ... ABC Sports redirects here. ... Fox Soccer Channel is a United States digital cable network, owned by News Corporation, that specializes in soccer. ... Fox Sports en Español is an cable television network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ... HDNet is a general interest television channel in the United States, broadcasting exclusively in high-definition format, and available via cable and satellite television. ...

With the addition of Toronto FC, coverage of MLS expanded into Canada in 2007. The CBC, The Score and Rogers Sportsnet all broadcast Toronto matches nationwide. CBC Television is a Canadian English language television network. ... The Score Television Network (often referred to only as The Score) is a Canadian English language cable television sports news specialty channel launched in 1997. ... “Sportsnet” redirects here. ...

The league's MLS Direct Kick package, which broadcasts out-of-market matches, has been expanded to ensure that every league match is broadcast. Univision and its family of networks resumed MLS broadcasts in 2007 as well, with most matches airing on Telefutura and Galavision on Sunday afternoons and evenings. MLS Direct Kick is an Out-of-Market Sports Package distributed by most cable and satellite providers in North America. ... Galavisión is a Spanish language cable network owned by Univision Communications Inc. ...

The 2007 season was the first in the fledgling league's history in which every regular season match was telecast live, and the majority indeed were shown on national networks. MLS Primetime Thursday on ESPN networks featured a live match for the first time on Thursdays each week, and Fox Soccer Channel's MLS Saturday expanded to a 3-hour format, with both a pregame and postgame show wrapped around the featured match each week. Additionally, Fox Soccer Channel produces their own news on MLS and special original programs on players, such as Beckham Unwrapped, a biographical update for summer 2007 on Galaxy's David Beckham.

Major League Soccer also offers streaming live video of some matches via their own website.

Profitability

Major League Soccer has lost more than $350 million since its founding, according to a report by BusinessWeek in 2004.^[6] However, there are positive signs for profitability in the near future. As soccer-specific stadiums are built, ownership expands and television coverage increases, MLS has managed to see their revenues increase while costs are kept to a minimum. The 2003 season saw the Los Angeles Galaxy make a profit in their first season at the Home Depot Center, while FC Dallas turned a profit in a similar fashion after moving into Pizza Hut Park in 2005. BusinessWeek is a business magazine published by McGraw-Hill. ... The Home Depot Center is a multiple-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. ...

Television coverage has consistently expanded throughout the league's history, with MLS brokering a deal with ESPN in 2006 for rights fees and greater presence across i