There have been many stances on the MLS from various pundits and coaches across the soccer world. We will have a glimpse at the soccer league as an organisation and deliberate on different Franchises that formed the soccer league. Despite what your view is of the soccer league it has been a fairly good hit in the US sports market and is progressing to escalate each season with different Franchises signing up to the league. The soccer league was formed in 1993 in anticipation for the following years world cup, this was a pledge made to FIFA if they were given the world cup tournament. It was thought that soccer would increase steadily as it has massive opposition from more established markets in America, but this league would provide it with a stiff origin of where to begin. Every team started as a Franchise For Sale chance across the cities in America, substantial amounts of cash was spent by local businesses and global sponsors to get the Franchises underway and to establish a Home Based Franchise for each key city.
The very first game was underway in 1996 and the MLS consisted of just 10 Home Based Franchise that were purchased by business people and big sponsors as a Franchise For Sale chance. The crowd for the first games were quite good and the common outlook looked good. However, at the kick off, the sport never truly grew and the quality of players on the field was pretty weak, this joined with the franchises not able to be competitive with each other gradually put pay to crowd attendances. A Home Based Franchise would struggle with the long distances and outlay that the league had at the beginning, so the Franchises declined in the over the long season.
After the 2002 world cup finals where the American team made the quarter-final stages there was a an increase in the attraction of the game. There was now a new chairman in control of building the MLS into a top sporting brand for the Franchises and beneath his managing of the league it started to see top players from around the world wanting to play in the MLS.
The quality of play on the grass even now remains below the quality that would be at a high European league but the amount of top players that are playing in the league, whether it be for the massive money or lifestyle, is improving. A Franchise For Sale in Toronto became available and this improved the interest to Canada, where soccer is more recognised.
We now take a concise glimpse at Toronto FC and how it has progressed over a few short years to develop into one of the most recognised Franchises in the MLS.
2007 was the debut season for Toronto FC, an expansion team in the previously all-American MLS. A number of Canadian clubs contend in lower-level leagues but Toronto FC will visibly be the countries key team, at least until or unless efforts to have the Montréal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps join MLS bear fruit over the next short years. Toronto FC’s red and white colours are those of the Canadian flag. The franchise emblem includes the Maple Leaf, the symbol of Canada and also prominent in the Canadian flag. Toronto FC are possessed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) who also own the hockey Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL and basketball Toronto Raptors of the NBA.
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May 8, 2010
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