Leisure Time News – Your No.1 Recreational Resource!

There are quite a few opinions on the MLS from many managers and players around the world. We are going to take a glimpse at the MLS as an organisation and focus on specific Franchises that formed the league. No matter what your view is of the MLS it has been a success in America and is continuing to grow every season with different Franchises joining the league. The MLS was established in 1993 in preparation for the next few years world cup, this was a guarantee made to FIFA if they were awarded the world cup. It was forecast that the game would grow slowly as it has huge competition from more recognised sports in America, but this league would give it a firm foundation of where to open. Every team started as a Franchise For Sale option across each city in America, extensive amounts of money was invested by sponsors and businessmen to get the Franchises working and to build a Home Based Franchise for each key city.

The first game was kicked off in 1996 and the league included just 10 Home Based Franchise that were purchased by wealthy sponsors or businessmen as a Franchise For Sale opportunity. The attendances for the games were quite good and the overall picture looked respectable. However, at the beginning, the sport never really took off and the quality on the pitch was quite weak, this coupled with the teams not being competitive steadily put pay to turnout levels. A Home Based Franchise would struggle with the travel and outlay that the league endured at the beginning, so the Franchises endured in the long run.

After the 2002 world cup where the USA go to the quarter-final stage there was a an increase in the popularity of the game. There was now a new commissioner in charge of developing the MLS into a sporting brand for the Franchises and under his control the MLS started to see stars becoming attracted to the MLS.

The quality on the grass still remains below the standard found at a top European league but the sum of stars that are attracted to the MLS, whether it be for the money or lifestyle is getting better. A Franchise For Sale in Toronto became obtainable and this enlarged the leagues appeal to Canada, where football is more recognised.

We now take a short glimpse at the Chicago Fire franchise and how it has developed over the years to become one of the most recognised Franchises in America.

The team was created on October 8, 1997. They are the most successful team in the modern U.S. Open Cup, winning championships in 1998, 2000, 2003, and 2006. Chicago’s main opponent is FC Dallas. Since 2001, the two Franchises vie annually for the Brimstone Cup (started by the fans of both clubs), which goes to the victor in the season series between them. While FC Dallas remains the most previously heated opponent, recent years have advanced malice between the Fire and the New England Revolution with the clubs ending each other’s season every year since 2001. The Fire originally played at Soldier Field, but now have their own arena, Toyota Park at 71st and Harlem Avenue. Toyota Park is owned by the Village of Bridgeview and operated by the owners of the Fire, Andell Holdings, who purchased the team in 2007.

Related Articles

• The Columbus Crew Franchise Have Been A Consistent Team In The Major Soccer League, We Peek At Their History And That Of The MLS.
• The Soccer League Of America Is Into It’s New Year And We Take A Detailed Look At How The League Was Created And Look At The New England Revolution Organisation
• The MLS Has Had Its Opponents But We Take A Look At The Business Side Of The League And At The Philadelphia Union Franchise
• The Seattle Sounders Organisation Are One Of The New Team That Have Obtained Membership To The MLS. We Look At The Worries They May Meet And Their History.
• The San Jose Earthquakes Organisation Has Had Numerous Problems Over Current Years With Investment And Ownership. We Look At The Troubles Faced By The Clubs Of The MLS.