Major League Soccer 71802 226110258 2008-07-16T21:29:52Z Grant.Alpaugh 4049120 okay, hopefully this clears up the confusion {{ infobox football league | logo = MajorLeagueSoccer.png | country = {{flagicon|USA}} [[United States Soccer Federation|United States]]<br>{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Canadian Soccer Association|Canada]] | confed = [[CONCACAF]] | founded = 1993 | first = [[1996 Major League Soccer season|1996]] | conferences = [[Eastern Conference (MLS)|Eastern]]<br>[[Western Conference (MLS)|Western]] | teams = 14 | domest_cup = [[Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup|U.S. Open Cup]] | confed_cup = [[CONCACAF Champions League]]<br>[[North American SuperLiga|SuperLiga]]<br>[[Copa Sudamericana]] by invitation | mlscupchamps = [[Houston Dynamo]] | mlscupseason = [[2006 Major League Soccer season|2006]] & [[2007 Major League Soccer season|2007]] | shieldchamps = [[D.C. United]] | shieldseason = [[2006 Major League Soccer season|2006]] & [[2007 Major League Soccer season|2007]] | most_mlscups = [[D.C. United]] (4) | most_shields = [[D.C. United]] (4) | tv = [[ESPN Major League Soccer|ABC, ESPN, ESPN2]]<br />[[Fox Soccer Channel|FSC]]<br />[[HDNet]]<br />[[TeleFutura]] | website = [http://www.mlsnet.com MLSnet.com] | current = [[2008 Major League Soccer season|2008 MLS season]] }} '''Major League Soccer''' ('''MLS''') is the premier men's professional [[football (soccer)|soccer]] league in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]]. With fourteen teams, thirteen in the U.S. and one in Canada, MLS represents the top tier of the [[American soccer pyramid|American]] and [[Canadian soccer pyramid|Canadian]] soccer pyramids. Seasons run from late March or early April to November, with teams playing 30 regular season games each. 8 teams from the league compete in a post-season playoff, which culminates in the championship final, [[MLS Cup]]. Founded on [[December 17]], [[1993]], MLS was established to fulfill 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 new league began play in [[1996 Major League Soccer season|1996]] with ten teams. == Competition format == The 2008 regular season runs from [[March 29]] to [[October 26]]. The 14 teams in the league are split into the [[MLS Eastern Conference|Eastern]] and [[MLS Western Conference|Western]] Conferences with seven teams each. Each team plays 30 games over the course of 31 weeks, evenly divided between home and away matches. Each team plays every other team twice, home and away, for a total of 26 games. The remaining four games are intra-conference matches, often highlighting geographic and conference rivalries. The full schedule for the [[2008 Major League Soccer season]] was announced in February 2008. The postseason runs from [[October 30]] to [[November 23]], culminating with [[MLS Cup 2008]] at [[The Home Depot Center]] in [[Carson, California|Carson]], [[California|CA]]. With its win at the MLS Cup, the [[Houston Dynamo]] qualified for the final [[CONCACAF Champions League|CONCACAF Champions' Cup]]. D.C. United also qualified for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup by virtue of its winning the [[MLS Supporters' Shield]] for the top regular-season record. Four American teams will play in the inaugural [[CONCACAF Champions League]] in late 2008 and early 2009. The MLS Cup Champion, Supporters' Shield winner, MLS Cup runner-up, and [[Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup]] champion will each participate in the tournament. Because the New England Revolution were both the MLS runners-up and Open Cup champions, the MLS team with the next-highest regular season point total, Chivas USA, will participate.<ref>{{cite news |last=Butler |first=Dylan |title=Champions League format unveiled |publisher=MLSnet |date=May 14, 2007 |url=http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20080514&content_id=158061&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp |accessdate=2008-05-14}}</ref> D.C. United and the Houston Dynamo will be automatically seeded into the group stage, while New England and Chivas USA will play in a preliminary stage. In addition, Toronto FC may qualify the Canadian slot in the tournament after playing the [[Vancouver Whitecaps (USL)|Vancouver Whitecaps]] and [[Montreal Impact]] of the [[United Soccer Leagues First Division|United Soccer Leagues]] in the [[Canadian Championship]]. [[North American SuperLiga|SuperLiga]], an MLS-[[Primera División de México]] competition, enters its second year during July and early August. [[Houston Dynamo]] (MLS Champion), [[New England Revolution]] (MLS runner-up), [[D.C. United]] (Supporters' Shield winner and Eastern Conference champion) and [[Chivas USA]] (Western Conference champion) will play in the 2008 tournament. == History == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;float:right" |+ '''MLS Major Trophy Winners''' ! width="75" | Season ! width="150" | [[MLS Cup]]<br>Playoff and League Champions ! width="150" | [[MLS Supporters' Shield|Supporters' Shield]]<br>Regular Season Champions |- | align=center | [[2007 Major League Soccer season|2007]] | [[Houston Dynamo]] | [[D.C. United]] |- | align=center | [[2006 Major League Soccer season|2006]] | [[Houston Dynamo]] | [[D.C. United]] |- | align=center | [[2005 Major League Soccer season|2005]] | [[Los Angeles Galaxy]] | [[San Jose Earthquakes]] |- | align=center | [[2004 Major League Soccer season|2004]] | [[D.C. United]] | [[Columbus Crew]] |- | align=center | [[2003 Major League Soccer season|2003]] | [[San Jose Earthquakes]] | [[Chicago Fire (soccer)|Chicago Fire]] |- | align=center | [[2002 Major League Soccer season|2002]] | [[Los Angeles Galaxy]] | [[Los Angeles Galaxy]] |- | align=center | [[2001 Major League Soccer season|2001]] | [[San Jose Earthquakes]] | [[Miami Fusion]] |- | align=center | [[2000 Major League Soccer season|2000]] | [[Kansas City Wizards]] | [[Kansas City Wizards]] |- | align=center | [[1999 Major League Soccer season|1999]] | [[D.C. United]] | [[D.C. United]] |- | align=center | [[1998 Major League Soccer season|1998]] | [[Chicago Fire (soccer)|Chicago Fire]] | [[Los Angeles Galaxy]] |- | align=center | [[1997 Major League Soccer season|1997]] | [[D.C. United]] | [[D.C. United]] |- | align=center | [[1996 Major League Soccer season|1996]] | [[D.C. United]] | [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]] |} === Early years === By 1996, the original ten teams, [[Columbus Crew]], [[D.C. United]], [[New England Revolution]], [[Red Bull New York|NY/NJ MetroStars]], [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]], [[Colorado Rapids]], [[FC Dallas|Dallas Burn]], [[Kansas City Wizards|Kansas City Wiz]], [[Los Angeles Galaxy]] and [[San Jose Earthquakes|San Jose Clash]], were ready for play. The early years gave rise to the [[Bruce Arena]]-led dynasty of D.C. United, a championship team in three of the league's first four seasons. It took the expansion [[Chicago Fire (soccer)|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. 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]]. 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. 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 stadium|"soccer-specific" stadiums]] for the league's teams &mdash; largely funded by financiers such as [[Lamar Hunt]] and [[Phil Anschutz]] &mdash; 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. 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. === Resurgence === The 2002 FIFA World Cup in [[South Korea|Korea]] and [[Japan]], in which the [[United States]] unexpectedly made the quarterfinal round based on wins against [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]] and [[Mexico national football team|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 D.C. United returned to prominence in the 2004 MLS Cup, in the aftermath of an exciting [[Eastern Conference (MLS)|Eastern Conference]] championship against the New England Revolution. MLS drew international attention in 2004 with the D.C. 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 US history. 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 F.C.|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 04 Leverkusen|Bayer Leverkusen]], was recalled back to Germany. Donovan's stint with the team was brief; before the start of the [[2005 Major League Soccer season|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. Many American players, while factoring little in the national team picture, did make an impact in MLS. In 2005, [[Jason Kreis]] of expansion [[Real Salt Lake]] became the first player in MLS history to score at least 100 career league goals. In [[Kansas City, Missouri|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 [[MLS Reserve Division|Reserve Division]], with each team's reserve squad playing 12 games, providing valuable playing time to develop non-starters on the team roster. The D.C. United Reserves in 2005 won the first Reserve Division title. === 2006-present === Since 2006, Major League Soccer's leadership has taken steps to 'internationalize' MLS in an effort to raise the 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 pits 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, such as Steve Davis at ESPN. MLS further pushed itself into an 'international era' by changing the foreign player rules before the 2008 season.<ref>{{cite news |last=Davis |first=Steve |title=Desire to maintain quality drives foreign player rule |publisher=ESPNsoccernet |date=December 26, 2007 |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=493683&cc=4716 |accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> 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 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 second-year [[Chivas USA]], who in their inaugural season had 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 D.C. United and Houston Dynamo, respectively. The Dynamo, considered an expansion team (though comprised of San Jose's team from 2005, which temporarily folded), 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. The 2007 season saw the MLS debut of [[David Beckham]], whose signing has been seen as a coup for American soccer. Beckham's signing by the Los Angeles Galaxy was made possible by the Designated Player Rule. He has been followed by five more designated players, including [[Marcelo Gallardo]] ([[Paris Saint-Germain]]) to D.C. United, [[Cuauhtémoc Blanco]] ([[Club América]]) to Chicago Fire, [[Denílson de Oliveira Araújo|Denílson]] ([[Palmeiras]], previously [[Real Betis]]) to FC Dallas, [[Claudio Reyna]] ([[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]) and [[Juan Pablo Ángel]] ([[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]) to [[Red Bull New York]]. The departure of [[Clint Dempsey]] to [[Fulham F.C.|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).<ref>{{cite news |last=Lalas |first=Greg |title=Foreign exchange program |publisher=Sports Illustrated |date=[[2007-04-17]] |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/greg_lalas/04/17/mls.signings/index.html |accessdate=2007-04-22}}</ref> 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 in 2007. Recently, after poor starts, the defending MLS Cup Champion Houston Dynamo and Supporters Shield Champion D.C. United have gone on streaks and returned to their 2006 form, with the Dynamo going on an impressive shutout run of 7 consecutive games where they did not give up a single goal to their opponents, tallying a league record 726 consecutive minutes of scoreless time. 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 (soccer)|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 &mdash; Houston Dynamo, Los Angeles Galaxy, and D.C. 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".<ref>{{cite news |last=Davis |first=Steve |title=SuperLiga and Beckham add zest to July |publisher=ESPNsoccernet |date=July 30, 2007 |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=448831&root=mls&cc=4716 |accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> 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. 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 teams from Japan and Australia.<ref>{{cite news |last=Baynes |first=Dan |title=Beckham's Galaxy to Play in New Pan-Pacific Soccer Championship |publisher=Bloomberg |date=November 29, 2007 |url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=asXO8ez6Utoc&refer=australia |accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> == Teams == There are fourteen MLS teams divided between the [[MLS Eastern Conference|Eastern]] and [[MLS Western Conference|Western]] Conferences. Each club is allowed 28 players on their full roster. This is further divided to an 18 player senior roster and 10 player developmental roster. All 28 men are eligible for selection to the game-day squad. Before its maiden season and [[1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft|inaugural draft]], MLS [[allocation (MLS)|allocated]] four marquee players across the initial ten teams. These [[1996 MLS Inaugural Allocations|inaugural allocations]] consisted of key U.S. national team and international players such as [[Eric Wynalda]] and [[Hugo Sánchez]]. The league added its first two [[expansion team]]s in the [[Major League Soccer 1998 season|1998 season]]: the Chicago Fire and Miami Fusion. However, following the [[Major League Soccer 2001 season|2001 season]], Miami and Tampa Bay Mutiny were disbanded and MLS contracted back to ten. Following the [[Major League Soccer 2004 season|2004 season]] to the present, the league has expanded by four new teams: Real Salt Lake and CD Chivas USA in [[Major League Soccer 2005 season|2005]], the Houston Dynamo relocating from San Jose in [[Major League Soccer 2006 season|2006]], and Toronto FC in [[Major League Soccer 2007 season|2007]]. Although the San Jose Earthquakes relocated to Houston, the Earthquakes’ name and history were not transferred making the Dynamo an expansion team. The [[Major League Soccer 2008 season|2008 season]] saw the Earthquakes return bringing the current number of clubs to fourteen. As of 2008, MLS has had sixteen different clubs over the years, but only six have won the [[MLS Cup]]. For the 2008 season, teams are aligned as follows: {{MLS Labelled Map}} {| class="wikitable" |- ! style=background-color:green colspan=7 | <font size=3 font color=white>[[Major League Soccer]]</font> |- ! Team ! Stadium ! City, State/Province ! Founded |- ! style=background-color:blue colspan=7 | <font size=3 font color=white>[[MLS Eastern Conference|Eastern Conference]]</font> |- | '''[[Chicago Fire (soccer)|Chicago Fire]]''' | [[Toyota Park (Bridgeview)|Toyota Park]]<sup>1</sup> | [[Bridgeview, Illinois|Bridgeview]], [[Illinois|IL]] | align=center | 1997 |- | '''[[Columbus Crew]]''' | [[Columbus Crew Stadium]]<sup>1</sup> | [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]], [[Ohio|OH]] | align=center | 1994 |- | '''[[D.C. United]]''' | [[RFK Stadium]] | [[Washington, DC]] | align=center | 1995 |- | '''[[Kansas City Wizards]]''' | [[CommunityAmerica Ballpark]]<sup>2</sup> | [[Kansas City, Kansas|Kansas City]], [[Kansas|KS]] | align=center | 1995 |- | '''[[New England Revolution]]''' | [[Gillette Stadium]] | [[Foxborough, Massachusetts|Foxborough]], [[Massachusetts|MA]] | align=center | 1995 |- | '''[[Red Bull New York]]''' | [[Giants Stadium]]<sup>2</sup> | [[East Rutherford, New Jersey|East Rutherford]], [[New Jersey|NJ]] | align=center | 1995 |- | '''[[Toronto FC]]''' | [[BMO Field]]<sup>1</sup> | [[Toronto]], [[Ontario|ON]] | align=center | 2006 |- ! style=background-color:orange colspan=7 | <font size=3 font color=white>[[MLS Western Conference|Western Conference]]</font> |- | '''[[Club Deportivo Chivas USA|Chivas USA]]''' | [[The Home Depot Center]]<sup>1</sup> | [[Carson, California|Carson]], [[California|CA]] | align=center | 2004 |- | '''[[Colorado Rapids]]''' | [[Dick's Sporting Goods Park]]<sup>1</sup> | [[Commerce City, Colorado|Commerce City]], [[Colorado|CO]] | align=center | 1995 |- | '''[[FC Dallas]]''' | [[Pizza Hut Park]]<sup>1</sup> | [[Frisco, Texas|Frisco]], [[Texas|TX]] | align=center | 1996 |- | '''[[Houston Dynamo]]''' | [[Robertson Stadium]] | [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], [[Texas|TX]] | align=center | 2005 |- | '''[[Los Angeles Galaxy]]''' | [[The Home Depot Center]]<sup>1</sup> | [[Carson, California|Carson]], [[California|CA]] | align=center | 1995 |- | '''[[Real Salt Lake]]''' | [[Rice-Eccles Stadium]]<sup>2</sup> | [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City]], [[Utah|UT]] | align=center | 2004 |- | '''[[San Jose Earthquakes]]''' | [[Buck Shaw Stadium]]<sup>1 2 3</sup> | [[Santa Clara, California|Santa Clara]], [[California|CA]] | align=center | 1995 |} <sup>1</sup> Soccer-specific stadium<br> <sup>2</sup> To be replaced by a soccer-specific stadium<br> <sup>3</sup> Select "big" games played at [[McAfee Coliseum]] <big>'''Former teams'''</big> * [[Miami Fusion F.C.]] (1998-2001) * [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]] (1996-2001) <big>'''Future teams'''</big> * [[Seattle Sounders FC]] (2009)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=480678&cc=5901 |accessdate=2008-01-20 |title=Seattle to get expansion MLS franchise for 2009 |publisher=ESPNsoccernet |date=2007-11-09}}</ref> * [[Philadelphia Major League Soccer team|Philadelphia]] (2010) <ref>MLS to make major announcement in Philly: http://www.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20080227&content_id=140899&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp</ref> === Expansion === MLS plans on expanding to 18 teams by 2012 with currently two of the remaining four declared. To begin league play in 2009, the first of these teams will be [[Seattle Sounders FC]]. The week of [[MLS Cup 2007]], commissioner Don Garber made the official announcement. The primary ownership includes USL [[Seattle Sounders (USL)|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]]. At a [[February 28]], [[2008]] press conference, Garber announced the 16th franchise would be a [[Philadelphia Major League Soccer team|Philadelphia MLS team]] based in nearby [[Chester, Pennsylvania]]. Joining the league in the 2010 season, the [[Philadelphia]] club will play in a 20,000-seat stadium to be built just west of the [[Commodore Barry Bridge]]. No name for the team has been announced. However, support for such a franchise seems solid as well before MLS awarded Philadelphia a franchise, a dedicated supporters group dubbed "[[Sons of Ben|The Sons of Ben]]" was formed in the hopes of attracting a team. While no other cities have been named for the 17th and 18th spots, [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]] is considered the next frontrunner.<ref>[http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/othersports/story/9BA0443FA2B30891862573FE00180D00?OpenDocument STLtoday - St. Louis is next up for new soccer team<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> MLS has declared interest in [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]], [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]], [[Montreal, Quebec|Montreal]]<ref>http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/2008/03/26/5109481-cp.html</ref>, [[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]], [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], [[San Diego, California|San Diego]], [[Milwaukee]], [[Ottawa, Ontario|Ottawa]], [[Vancouver, British Columbia|Vancouver]]<ref>[http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20080516&content_id=158409&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp Major League Soccer: News: Article<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, a return to [[Miami, Florida|Miami]], and a second team in the [[New York City]] metro area. One of the latest cities to enquire about an MLS expansion team is [[Ottawa, Ontario|Ottawa]]; [[Eugene Melnyk]], the owner of the [[Ottawa Senators]] NHL Hockey team, met with the MLS commissioner to discuss the possibility of expansion. The possability of a second team in Canada would have to wait until at least 2010, as Toronto FC were given exclusive rights to operate in Canada until 2010.<ref>http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=883a5e94-f5e4-4841-a455-e9b8185415f4</ref> Recently the owner of [[Club América]], [[Emilio Azcárraga Jean]], has stated his intentions of having an expansion club in MLS, similar to [[Chivas USA]]. The possible expansion club would be Águilas USA. === Team names === {{Main|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. D.C. United and Miami Fusion FC were the two exceptions that adopted more traditional names. However, new teams such as Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC have been adopting names similar to popular European clubs. In addition the San Jose Clash and Dallas Burn were renamed San Jose Earthquakes (1999) and FC Dallas (2005) respectively. In 2008 Seattle Sounders FC used a public vote to select a name. The public vote began with more traditional names (Seattle Alliance, Seattle Republic, and Seattle FC), and because many fans wanted to keep the Sounders name, the team added a fourth "write in" option. A derivative of Sounders won the online vote resulting in team ownership selecting a name that incorporated both a traditional football team name and a nickname with long-held ties to the local soccer culture. Some of the MLS team names have their origin in the former American professional soccer league, the [[North American Soccer League]], such as [[San Jose Earthquakes (NASL)|San Jose Earthquakes]] and [[Seattle Sounders (NASL)|Seattle Sounders]]. === Players === {| class="wikitable" :left |+ '''MLS All-Time Leading Goalscorers'''<br><small>[http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/history/alltime_leaders.jsp Last Updated July 11, 2008]<br>Bold indicates active player</small> !Rank !Player !Goals |- |align=center|1 |{{flagicon|BOL}} '''[[Jaime Moreno]]''' |align=center|118 |- |align=center|2 |{{flagicon|USA}} '''[[Ante Razov]]''' |align=center|113 |- |align=center|3 |{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jason Kreis]] |align=center|108 |- |align=center|4 |{{flagicon|JAM}} '''[[Jeff Cunningham]]''' |align=center|99 |- |align=center|5 |{{flagicon|USA}} '''[[Taylor Twellman]]''' |align=center|92 |- |align=center|6 |{{flagicon|USA}} [[Roy Lassiter]] |align=center|88 |- |align=center|7 |{{flagicon|SLV}} [[Raúl Díaz Arce]] |align=center|82 |- |align=center|8 |{{flagicon|GUA}} '''[[Carlos Ruíz]]''' |align=center|81 |- |align=center|9 |{{flagicon|YUG}} {{flagicon|USA}} [[Preki]] |align=center|79 |- |align=center|10 |{{flagicon|USA}} '''[[Landon Donovan]]''' |align=center|75 |} == Organization == 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.<ref name= youth>{{cite news |title=MLS launches Youth Development Initiative |publisher=Major League Soccer Communications |date=November 10, 2006 |url=http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_events_news.jsp?ymd=20061110&content_id=78269&vkey=mlscuppr2006&fext=.jsp}}</ref> === "Game First" === The 2007 MLS offseason is considered by some to be its most productive,<ref>{{cite news |last=Martin |irst=Pat |title=MLS comes out of the gates strong in '07 |publisher=monstersandcritics.com |date=May 4, 2007 |url=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/sport/soccer/article_1300505.php/MLS_comes_out_of_the_gates_strong_in_07 |accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> 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<ref name= youth />, 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 two 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. 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, 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 four teams from MLS and four from Mexico competing for a [[US$]]1 million purse to become the champions of [[North America]]n club soccer.<ref>{{cite news |title=World renowned soccer rivalry gives rise to SuperLiga |publisher=Major League Soccer Communications |date=January 13, 2007 |url=http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20070113&content_id=81815&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp |accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> These matches will initially only be covered in [[Spanish (language)|Spanish]] by [[Univision]] and [[TeleFutura]]. Currently an [[English (language)|English]] language broadcaster has not signed to cover the tournament, although an English-language broadcast is streamed online. Following these announcements the league announced "Game-First", a series of initiatives aimed at improving the league in a myriad of ways. One of the most immediate changes is that U.S. Soccer hired the first full-time professional referees in league history.<ref>{{cite news |title='Game First' initiatives enhance on-field product |publisher=Major League Soccer Communications |date=April 2, 2007 |url=http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20070402&content_id=87043&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp |accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> === Stadiums === <!--FOR THE LAST TIME, the plural of stadium is BOTH stadiums and stadia. This article is based on a sports league in America, and American English more commonly uses "stadiums". Please consult WP:ENGVAR if your aversion to American English is THAT strong. -Roehl Sybing --> When the league was started, most clubs played in stadiums built specifically for [[National Football League|NFL]] or [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] (college) [[American football|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 stadium]]s. Since 1999, the league has seen the construction and completion of six venues specifically designed for soccer. Lamar Hunt broke new ground in this endeavour 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 Major League Soccer season|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 (Bridgeview)|Toyota Park]] in [[2006 Major League Soccer season|2006]], a venue that witnessed the MLS All-Stars defeating Chelsea FC 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. [[Image:PHP 2005.jpg|left|250 px|thumb|[[Pizza Hut Park]], home of [[FC Dallas]]]] Other stadiums are currently under construction. [[Real Salt Lake Stadium]] will house Real Salt Lake as early as late 2008, while [[Red Bull Park]], the new home of Red Bull New York, began construction in December 2007 with the goal of beginning play there in 2009. D.C. United, the Kansas City Wizards, Houston Dynamo, New England Revolution <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1014772 |title=Revolution’s the goal: Somerville talks stadium with Krafts |author=Scott Van Voorhis |publisher=[[Boston Herald]] |date=2007-08-02}}</ref>, and the San Jose Earthquakes are actively searching for ways to finance and build their respective stadiums. 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 [[American 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, Seattle Sounders FC, 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.{{Fact|date=March 2008}} The new Philadelphia franchise plans to play in the new [[Chester Stadium]] when they enter the league in 2010. === Media coverage === At the outset, MLS signed deals for coverage on [[ESPN]], [[ESPN2]] and [[ESPN on ABC|ABC]], while Univision broadcast matches in [[Spanish language|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. The 2007 MLS season was the first season, however, that television rights were sold to networks. Previously, MLS paid networks to broadcast its games. It is estimated MLS will receive about $30 million from TV revenue alone within the next eight years.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/cup2002/2002-06-26-usa-next.htm USAToday.com], Sponsors, TV contracts next on USA's agenda. [[June 26]], [[2002]], retrieved [[May 1]], [[2008]].</ref> With the addition of Toronto FC, coverage of MLS expanded into Canada in 2007. The [[CBC Television|CBC]], [[The Score Television Network|The Score]] and [[Rogers Sportsnet]] all broadcast Toronto matches nationwide. 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 [[Galavisión (USA)|Galavision]] on Sunday afternoons and evenings. The 2007 season was the first in the league's history in which every regular season match was telecast live, with many games shown on national television. [[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 its own website. === Profitability === Major League Soccer has lost more than $350 million since its founding, according to a report by ''[[BusinessWeek]]'' in 2004.<ref name=profit>{{cite news |last=Holmes |first=Stanley |title=Soccer: Time To Kick It Up A Notch |publisher=Businessweek |date=November 22, 2004 |url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_47/b3909099.htm?campaign_id=search%20Soccer:%20Time%20To%20Kick%20It%20Up%20A%20Notch |accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> 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]],<ref name=profit/> while FC Dallas turned a profit in a similar fashion after moving into [[Pizza Hut Park]] in 2005.{{Fact|date=April 2008}} 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 its networks. The 2007 season saw the return of MLS to Univision and its Spanish-language networks. They joined Fox Soccer Channel and HDNet as MLS' national outlets, while the league has mandated that every league game receive television coverage, if not nationally, then at least locally in one of the two teams' cities for broadcast on its ''Direct Kick'' package. In 2007, MLS teams started selling ad space on the front of jerseys to go along with the league-wide sponsorship partners who had already been advertising on the back of club jerseys, following the practice of international soccer. The league has established a floor of $500,000 per shirt sponsorship, with the league receiving a flat fee of $200,000 per deal.<ref>{{cite news |last=Weinbach |first=John |title=Major League Soccer to sell ad space on jerseys |publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=September 28, 2006 |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06271/725842-28.stm |accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> Online gambling and hard liquor sponsorships are not allowed. As of July 2008, ten of the league's fifteen teams (including the 2009 Seattle Sounders FC) have signed sponsorship deals to have company logos placed on the front of their team jerseys. {| class="wikitable" style=float:right |- |+ colspan="4"|Major League Soccer Shirt Sponsorships |- !Team !Sponsor ![http://branddunk.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/mls-jersey-sponsorship-deals/ Value] |- |[[Chicago Fire (soccer)|Chicago Fire]] |[[Best Buy]] |[http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/media/e3ibd29ae66455c7a70d458cd1b6cac6d90 $7.5M over 3 years] |- |[[Chivas USA]] |[[Comex Group|Comex]] |[http://chivas.usa.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20070516&content_id=93797&vkey=pr_cdc&fext=.jsp&team=t120 $2M per year] |- |[[Columbus Crew]] |[[Glidden_(paints) |Glidden]] |[http://www.glidden.com/press/CrewRelease.pdf $1M per year] |- |[[D.C. United]] |[[Volkswagen]] |[http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/media/e3ibd29ae66455c7a70d458cd1b6cac6d90 $14M over 5 years] |- |[[Houston Dynamo]] |[[Amigo Energy]] |[http://houston.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20070815&content_id=111551&vkey=pr_hou&fext=.jsp&team=t200 $1.9M per year] |- |[[Los Angeles Galaxy]] |[[Herbalife]] |[http://la.galaxy.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20070323&content_id=86353&vkey=pr_lag&fext=.jsp&team=t106 $4M-$5M per year] |- |[[Real Salt Lake]] |[[XanGo]] |[http://www.xango.com/misc/real_salt_lake.html $500K-$1M per year] |- |[[Red Bull New York]] |[[Red Bull]] |[http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20060309&content_id=53501&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp Part of $100M deal for team and stadium] |- |[[Seattle Sounders FC]] (2009) |[[Microsoft|Xbox 360 Live]] |[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121194248966725139.html $20M over 5 years] |- |[[Toronto FC]] |[[Bank of Montreal|BMO]] |[http://www2.bmo.com/news/article/0,1083,contentCode-6330_divId-4_langId-1_navCode-116,00.html $1M-$1.5M per year] |} MLS Commissioner Don Garber said on [[May 11]], [[2006]] that he expects the league's clubs to be profitable by 2010 overall. He stated that FC Dallas and LA Galaxy are already profitable, with several other clubs nearing profitability. Recently there have been some potential investors expressing reservations about the MLS leadership's decisions on bringing in designated players and the raised franchise fee. Adrian Hanauer was quoted by ESPN: "But at this point to me the franchise fee has gone up to $30 million, plus there is the expectation of a stadium being built so it will cost someone another $30 million. So you're up to $60 million and you're going to lose money operationally. Operational costs and start-up costs are what's holding us back, that is fair to say. We have been looking for partners to do it with, but I won't do it alone."<ref name=investors>{{cite news |last=Rogers |first=Andrew |title=Some potential investors still wary of MLS |publisher=ESPNsoccernet |date=March 26, 2007 |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=416868&root=mls&cc=4716 |accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> Hanauer eventually joined a bigger group, including Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen and comedian Drew Carey, to bring MLS to Seattle. "Underlying the concerns of potential investors such as [[Milan Mandaric|Mandaric]] and Hanauer is the belief that while there is good reason to be excited, money is still being lost. Beckham will count for nothing if crowds and viewing figures don't increase when the Galaxy aren't in town, or if his era doesn't produce the first crop of U.S. superstars," ESPN's Andrew Rogers said.{{Fact|date=March 2008}} Others, like FC Dallas President & General Manager Michael Hitchcock, while accepting the validity of the concerns, disagree on the future outlook of the league's finances. "We still have some teams losing money," he said, "but the positive thing is they are not losing lots of money because of our single entity structure. Expense on some levels are shared and revenues on some levels are shared. The losses are going down every year for the league. The financials for the league and the individual clubs are becoming more and more positive. We have a slow growth model and key to this is developing the American player and not wanting to dilute the product, which other leagues in the U.S. have done and made the mistake of expanding too quickly."<ref name= investors /> The ''[[Las Vegas Sun]]'', in an interview with MLS President Mark Abbott, noted that "the sale of D.C. United showed that MLS could be turning a major financial corner, with each of its teams eventually being independently owned and the likelihood of each soon playing in a soccer-specific stadium. Los Angeles and Dallas are now making money, and three more plan to be operating in the black by [the 2008] season."{{Fact|date=March 2008}} According to Don Garber in a statement made to the ''[[New York Times]]'', the three newly profitable franchises are expected to be Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, and Toronto FC.<ref>{{cite news |last=Longman |first=Jere |title=Beckham Arrives to Find a Sport Thriving in Its Own Way |publisher=''The New York Times'' |date=July 8, 2007 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/sports/soccer/08beckham.html?ex=1186372800&en=8ac84814e27d5891&ei=5070 |accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> === Ownership === MLS operates under a single-entity structure in which teams are centrally controlled by the league. In order to keep costs under control, revenues are shared among the league, and player contracts are negotiated by the league. Some critics have regularly alleged that the league showed preferential treatment to big-market or profitable clubs with regards to player allocation and the salary cap. The league also fought a bitter legal battle with its players over its economic system, but this was eventually resolved with the players gaining some improved benefits in return for accepting the single entity structure. A court had also ruled that even absent their [[collective bargaining agreement]], players could opt to play in other leagues if they were unsatisfied. The league's controlled costs have attracted new ownership that can put more money into the league and improve it by focusing their money and attention on fewer clubs. Examples include the [[Anschutz Entertainment Group]]'s sale of the MetroStars to [[Red Bull]], "in excess of $100 million," according to the ''New York Times''. MLS Commissioner Garber said to the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' that "the sale was part of a plan to have AEG decrease its holdings in MLS. We're pushing Hunt Sports to do the same thing." It appears that Commissioner Garber and MLS management has said it is pushing these changes as part of a new ownership strategy, one in which each owner has a single club, and is better able to focus their resources upon that club, as with the owners of the Red Bull New York and Real Salt Lake. Commissioner Garber has stated that having multiple clubs owned by a single owner was a necessity in the first 10 years of MLS, but now that the league appears to be on the brink of overall profitability and has significant expansion plans, he wants each club to have its own owner. In order to help bring this about, the league is now giving more incentive to be an individual club owner, with all owners now having the rights to any player they develop through their club's academy system, sharing the profits of [[Soccer United Marketing]], MLS' media and marketing arm, and now for the first time, allowing owners to have individual club jersey sponsors, with the approval of the league office. AEG, at one time, owned six teams in MLS, and have since sold the Colorado Rapids, MetroStars, D.C. United and Chicago Fire to new owners. AEG's remaining teams are the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Houston Dynamo. Most recently AEG sold the Chicago Fire to [[Andell Holdings]] for an undisclosed sum of money.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chicago Fire sold to Andell Holdings |publisher=Chicago Fire Media Relations |date=September 6, 2007 |url=http://www.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20070906&content_id=115581&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp |accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> The other major owner-investor in MLS is [[Lamar Hunt#Major League Soccer|Hunt Sports]], which owns the Columbus Crew and FC Dallas, having sold the Kansas City Wizards in 2006 to a [[OnGoal|local ownership group]]. With the sale of the Chicago Fire in mid-2007 and announcement of the new San Jose Earthquakes, the league now has 12 owners for their 14 clubs. === Rule changes === MLS experimented with deviations from [[Laws of the Game|IFAB rules and standards]] in its early years, some of which had been used in the [[North American Soccer League|NASL]] and continue to be used in [[college soccer]] and many high-school conferences. Among them was the use of a countdown clock &mdash; rather than a standard progressive clock &mdash; with time paused for dead ball situations at a referee's discretion. Halves ended when the clock reached 0:00, rather than at the whistle of the referee as was customary elsewhere. Also implemented was the use of shootouts to resolve tie games. These best-of-five contests pitted a player 35 yards from goal with five seconds to put the ball past a goalkeeper; if needed the shootout headed into extra frames. A winning team received one standings point (as opposed to three for the regulation win). While [[International Football Association Board|IFAB]] rules allow teams to substitute three players during games, MLS allowed a fourth, goalkeeper-only substitute. MLS discarded the rule after 2003 and adopted the IFAB standard, prompted in part by a match in which MetroStars coach Bob Bradley used a loophole to insert outfield player [[Eddie Gaven]] as a fourth substitute. MLS eventually conceded that the rules changes, particularly the shootout, had alienated some traditional soccer fans while failing to draw new American sports fans as hoped. The shootout and countdown clock were eliminated after the 1999 season. MLS continued to experiment with the settling of tie games in regular-season play. In 2000, a 10-minute [[golden goal|golden-goal]] period replaced the shootout for tied games. It was abandoned after 2003. The golden-goal overtime remained through 2004 for playoff matches, where it had been used since the league's start. In 2005 the league adopted a playoff extra-time structure that followed new IFAB standards for such situations: two full 15-minute periods, followed by penalty kicks if necessary. The [[away goals rule]] is not used in any playoff round. Match officials are chosen by the [[United States Soccer Federation|USSF]] and [[Canadian Soccer Association|CSA]] (which then nominate some of those officials for the CONCACAF and FIFA lists), although MLS handles its own player discipline.{{Fact|April|date=April 2008}} == Rivalries and 2-team cup competitions == * Chivas USA — Los Angeles Galaxy ([[Honda SuperClasico]]) * Chicago Fire — FC Dallas ([[Brimstone Cup]]) * D.C. United — Red Bull New York ([[Atlantic Cup]]) * Columbus Crew — Toronto FC ([[Trillium Cup]]) * Colorado Rapids — Real Salt Lake ([[Rocky Mountain Cup]]) * Los Angeles Galaxy — San Jose Earthquakes ([[California Clasico]]/[[Interstate 5 Rivalry]]) * FC Dallas — Houston Dynamo ([[El Capitan Clasico]]/[[Texas Derby]]) * Columbus Crew — FC Dallas ([[Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup]], pre-season) == MLS commissioners == * [[Doug Logan]] (1996-99) * [[Don Garber]] (1999-present) == MLS awards == * [[Major League Soccer MVP Award]] * [[MLS Best XI]] * [[MLS Coach of the Year Award]] * [[MLS Comeback Player of the Year Award]] * [[MLS Cup#MLS scudetto|MLS Scudetto]] * [[MLS Defender of the Year Award]] * [[MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award]] * [[MLS Golden Boot]] * MLS Newcomer of the Year Award * [[MLS Rookie of the Year Award]] * [[MLS Scoring Champion Award]] * [[MLS All-Time Goal Scorers]] == References == {{Reflist}} == See also == * [[Carolina Challenge Cup]] * [[ESPN MLS ExtraTime 2002]] * [[ESPN MLS GameNight]] * [[ESPN MLS/Soccer Broadcast Teams]] * [[Generation Adidas]] * [[Index of Professional Sports teams in the United States and Canada]] * [[List of current MLS players]] * [[List of current MLS players with national team caps]] * [[List of foreign MLS players]] * [[List of MLS seasons]] * [[Major League Soccer records and statistics]] * [[Major North American professional sports leagues]] * [[MLS Direct Kick]] * [[MLS Extratime]] * [[MLS Primetime Thursday]] * [[MLS Soccer Saturday]] * [[MLS Wrap]] * [[National Soccer Hall of Fame]] * [[Sueño MLS]] * [[World Series of Football]] == External links == <!-- Do not add fan sites/forums --> *[http://www.mlsnet.com/ Major League Soccer official site] *[http://www.ussoccer.com/ U.S. Soccer official site] {{Division 1 Soccer | Prev=[[American Professional Soccer League|APSL]] | Years=1996-Present | Next=Current League}} {{fb start}} {{Major League Soccer}} {{USSoccer}} {{Canada Soccer}} {{CONCACAF Leagues}} {{fb end}} [[Category:1995 establishments]] [[Category:American soccer competitions]] [[Category:Major League Soccer]] [[Category:National football (soccer) premier leagues]] [[Category:Professional sports leagues]] [[Category:Soccer in Canada]] [[Category:Soccer in the United States]] [[Category:Summer football (soccer) leagues]] [[ca:Major League Soccer]] [[de:Major League Soccer]] [[es:Major League Soccer]] [[eo:Grandliga Futbalo]] [[fr:Major League Soccer]] [[ko:메이저 리그 사커]] [[hr:MLS]] [[id:Major League Soccer]] [[it:Major League Soccer]] [[he:MLS]] [[lt:Major League Soccer]] [[hu:Major League Soccer]] [[nl:Major League Soccer]] [[ja:メジャーリーグサッカー]] [[no:Major League Soccer]] [[nn:Major League Soccer]] [[pl:Major League Soccer]] [[pt:Campeonato Americano de Futebol]] [[ru:Major League Soccer]] [[simple:Major League Soccer]] [[fi:Major League Soccer]] [[sv:Major League Soccer]] [[th:เมเจอร์ลีกซอกเกอร์]] [[tr:MLS Ligi]] [[zh:美國職業足球大聯盟]]