MLS

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. (Columbus Crew, DC United, New England Revolution, NY/NJ MetroStars, Tampa Bay Mutiny, Colorado Rapids, Dalls Burn, Kansas City Wiz, Los Angeles Galaxy, San Jose Clash)

Teams:
- 14 teams/clubs
- 15 teams in 2009 (Seattle)
- 16 teams in 2010 or 2011 (TBD) Philadelphia and St. Louis are in the running and are currently the front runners.

Atlanta, Las Vegas, Miami (the city, not Ft. Lauderdale), Montreal, Queens-N.Y., Portland and Vancover also are in the running. The plan is for a 16th team by 2009, but if the situation is not right, MLS is prepared to play with 15 that year and wait until 2010 for the next club. Ideally, Garber said, he would like to see 18 teams by 2010 or 2011.

Teams that have folded:
- Miami Fusion (1998-2001)
- Tampa Bay Mutiny (1996-2001)

League Setup:
- Two divisions (East and West)
- Point system is universal.
- Team with the highest point total at the end of the regular season is the Supporters Shield Cup winner
- Top 8 clubs clubs advance to a playoff to battle for the MLS Cup. First round is a Home and Away fixture on aggregate. Second and third rounds are single game matchups with the higher seeded team playing at home.
- MLS Open Cup is similar to the FA Cup/Carling Cup in the EPL.
- There is no Promotion/Relegation between the leagues.


(as of 5 December 2007)

Chicago Fire

Location: Chicago Illinois
Founded: October 8, 1997
Colors: Red and White
Sponsor: Best Buy
Stadium:
- Soldier Field (1998–2001)
- Cardinal Stadium (2002–2003)
- Soldier Field (2004–2005)
- Toyota Park (2006—)

Silverware:
- MLS Cup: 1998
- MLS Supporters Shield: 2003
- US Open Cup: 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006

The Chicago Fire has had a cooperative agreement with Monarcas Morelia, a Mexican First Division football club, since 2001. The partnership incorporates playing, coaching, and executive personnel, as well as sharing of business and development practices.

The club also has - through its reserves program, the Chicago Fire Premier amateur team playing in the Premier Development League, and the Chicago Fire Juniors youth teams - a substantial youth development system by American standards. It also has a charitable community entity, the FireWorks for Kids Foundation. The Fire also keeps a close connection with its predecessor team the Chicago Sting by holding frequent commemmorative events, reunions, and wearing Sting-inspired shirts.

Chivas USA

Location: Carson, California
Founded: 2004
Colors: red white, blue, and gold
Sponsor: Comex
Stadium: The Home Depot Center (2005—)

Silverware: None

Parent Club Deportivo Guadalajara (Chivas Guadalajara)

Colorado Rapids

Location: Commerce City, Colorado
Founded: 1995
Colors: Burgundy and Sky Blue
Stadium:
- Mile High Stadium (1996-2001)
- INVESCO Field (2002-2006)
- Dick's Sporting Goods Park (2007—)

Silverware: None

Parnerships: Arsenal FC, CF Pachuca

The Colorado Rapids U-23 were founded in 2000 in order to create a developmental system for their Major League Soccer counterparts. The U-23s' compete in the Premier Development League (PDL), which grants college players an opportunity to compete without waiving their NCAA eligibility or their and amateur status. While the U-23's carry the same name and colors, they are not a branch of the MLS organization. They are instead an independent affiliate.

Columbus Crew

Location: Columbus, Ohio
Founded: 1994
Colors: Black and Yellow
Sponsor: Glidden
Stadium:
- Ohio Stadium (1996–1999)
- Columbus Crew Stadium (1999—)

Silverware:
- MLS Supporters Shield: 2004
- US Open Cup: 2002

D.C. United

Location: Washington D.C.
Founded: 1995
Colors: Red and Black
Stadium: RFK Stadium (1995—)

Silverware:
- MLS Cup: 1996, 1997, 1999, 2004
- MLS Supporters Shield: 1997, 1999, 2006, 2007
- US Open Cup: 1996
- CONCACAF Champion's Cup: 1998

Partnerships: Atletico Mineiro

FC Dallas

Location: Frisco, Texas
Founded: 1996 (Dallas Burn)
Colors: Red, white, silver, blue
Stadium:
- Cotton Bowl (1996–2002)
- Dragon Stadium (2003)
- Cotton Bowl (2004–2005)
- Pizza Hut Park (2005—)

Silverware:
- US Open Cup: 1997

Houston Dynamo

Location: Houston, Texas
Founded: 2005
Colors: Orange and White
Sponsor: Amigo Energy
Stadium: Robertson Stadium (2006—)

Silverware:
- MLS Cup: 2006, 2007

The team was created on December 15, 2005 when the San Jose Earthquakes players, coaches and staff were relocated, due to AEG being unable to secure a soccer-specific stadium. Although all of San Jose's players and coaches moved to Houston, the team's name, logo, history and statistics were not transferred and remained inactive in San Jose until the Earthquakes were reactivated in 2007. The Dynamo were thus a new team.

Kansas City Wizards

Location: Kansas City, Kansas
Founded: 1995
Colors: Blue and White
Stadium:
- Arrowhead Stadium (1996-2007)
- CommunityAmerica Ballpark (2008)

Silverware:
- MLS Cup: 2000
- MLS Supporter's Shield: 2000
- US Open Cup: 2004

Los Angeles Galaxy

Location: Carson, California
Founded: 1995
Colors: Blue and Yellow
Sponsor: Herbalife
Stadium:
- Rose Bowl (1996–2002)
- The Home Depot Center (2003–present)

Silverware:
- MLS Cup: 2002, 2005
- MLS Supporters' Shield: 1998, 2002
- US Open Cup: 2001, 2005
- CONCACAF Champion's Cup: 2000

New England Revolution

Location: Foxborough, Massachusetts (Boston)
Founded: 1995
Colors: Red, White, Blue
Stadium:
- Foxboro Stadium (1996–2001)
- Gillette Stadium (2002—)

Silverware:
- US Open Cup: 2007

Red Bull New York

Location: East Rutherford, New Jersey
Founded: 1995 (NY/NJ MetroStars)
Colors: Red and Blue
Stadium:
- Giants Stadium (1996–2008)
- Red Bull Park (2009, planned opening)

Silverware: None

On March 9, 2006, it was sold to Red Bull, and the name changed to Red Bull New York.

Real Salt Lake

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Founded: 2004
Colors: Red, white, navy blue, and yellow
Sponsor: XanGo
Stadium:
- Rice-Eccles Stadium (2005–current)
- Real Salt Lake Stadium (2008, planned opening)

Silverware: None

As of September of the 2006 season, Real Salt Lake and Real Madrid have signed a 10-year co-operative agreement. Among the provisions of the deal are a biennial friendly match between the two teams to take place in Salt Lake City, annual February training for RSL at the Real Madrid practice facility in Spain, and, perhaps most importantly, the creation of a $25 million elite youth acacemy in SLC that will train up to 200 players from ages 12 to 18.

San Jose Earthquakes

Location: San Jose, California
Founded: 1995
Colors: Blue, Black, White
Stadium:
- Spartan Stadium (1996-2005)
- McAfee Coliseum (2008- ) (big game venue)[18]
- Buck Shaw Stadium (2008- )
- Earthquakes Stadium (2010 planned)

Silverware:
- MLS Cup: 2001, 2003
- MLS Supporters' Shield: 2005

Following the 2005 MLS season in December of that year, the franchise was put on hiatus. The original players and coaching staff moved to Houston, Texas where they play as the Houston Dynamo. On July 18, 2007 it was announced that the San Jose Earthquakes will resume play starting in the 2008 season.

Toronto FC

Location: Toronto Canada
Founded: 2006
Colors: Red and White
Stadium: BMO Field (2006—)

Silverware: None

'09 Seattle

I find it weird that two teams share the home depot as their home ground.

I agree, but it sets up for a rather fierce rivalry between the two clubs. I still sort of see Chivas USA as a pet project for Chivas de Guadalajara of Mexico. The club is set in Los Angeles for the Latino (Mexican) community. Their marketing slogan is also in Spanish as well as the clubs main language.

You also have to keep in mind that the US doesn't have many football specific stadiums. That number is growing now due to the MLS with most of the MLS clubs getting their own football specific stadiums and training grounds.

Are they getting good crowds then, I expect it's nowt like the Galaxy with Mr.Beckahm

The L.A. Galaxy has a larger following than Chivas USA. This is probably the only 'true' derby match that the MLS has.

The Home Deport Center has a capacity of 27,000.

Average attendance for Chivas USA
2005: 17,080/ Missed playoffs
2006: 19,840/15,110
2007: 14,305/19,711

Average attendance for L.A. Galaxy
2005: 24,204/17,466
2006: 20,814/ Missed Playoffs
2007: 24,252/ Missed Playoffs

It would really suck travelling 3000miles to play an away game though, would be so draining for the players.

That is a flaw, that can't be helped. It also makes it hard to have a true rivalry between a couple clubs. Traveling fans are quite rare. You'll usually only see a handful of them. The clubs also don't set anything up for the fans if they do wish to travel. So it's all on the fans to set up travel arrangements and such.

The Chicago Fire suck dude. Trust me I know first-hand. Their so-called youth development program, namely the Juniors, is a sham. The event itself is shabby, the effort is nonexistent, and the whole process done just for the fee that players pay for the trial. And on top of that they suck as a team.

So, just to clarify, you dont think highly of Chicago Fire?

Im just slightly unsure of your feelings towards them....

I thought I made them clear, but just in case this should clear all doubt...THEY SUCK ASS!

Watch a Fire game and you will see what I mean. They have no style, no tactic, and no talent. They recently brought in Blanco but he's just an old washed up player looking to get a few pocket change before he cannot run on the pitch anymore.