Power Ranking the MLS Fanbases

Fanbases in Major League Soccer run the gamut from sensational to abysmal. Now headed into its 19th season with 19 teams and three more franchises on the horizon, both MLS and its fans have grown considerably from the 10-team league that started back in 1996. Here are the power rankings for the team's fan bases from worst to first. Taken into account is fan attendance (statistics via NBC Sports), percentage of seats filled (statistics via burgundywave.com), passion of the fans and the team’s stadium. Additional rankings from Bleacher Report's own Joe Tansey.Begin Slideshow

MLS: Previewing the Eastern Conference Contenders

With more offseason moves than most fans can keep track of, Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference will be up for grabs in 2014. Not only does the conference already have the reigning Supporters’ Shield winners in the New York Red Bulls and the MLS Cup Champions in Sporting KC, but the bottom dwellers from 2013 have made numerous signings that should put them right in the mix this season. Here’s a breakdown.Begin Slideshow

Can D.C. United Go from Worst to First in 2014 MLS Season?

By almost any measure, D.C. United’s 2013 Major League Soccer season was a bust. Yes, they did win the U.S. Open Cup, but they also finished dead last in league points (16), scored the least amount of league goals (22), gave up the second most number of goals (59) and, of course, missed the playoffs. In fact, their 2013 campaign was so bad, they finished with 10 less points than Chivas USA—who suffered through one of the most embarrassing seasons in MLS history—and 13 points behind Toronto FC—who were downright awful. Considering how bad the Black and Red were in 2013, it might seem like a fantasy to think they could win the league in 2014. But considering their coach, their talent level and their off-season moves, that’s exactly what could be in the cards.   Ben Olsen The 2013 MLS season was a season for young coaches. Mike Petke took the New York Red Bulls to the Supporters’ Shield and Caleb Porter engineered a remarkable turnaround in Portland that turned the Timbers into one of the most feared teams in the league. But in 2012, the hot, young coach in MLS was Ben Olsen. Although Olsen had some rough patches as the interim coach for ...

How Will MLS Transfers Affect USMNT World Cup Hopefuls?

This Major League Soccer offseason, three U.S. internationals have made moves into or within MLS. Eddie Johnson, after a long, public spat with the Seattle Sounders over his pay, left for D.C. United. Maurice Edu and Michael Parkhurst, both healthy, but receiving zero playing time with their clubs abroad, came home. Now the question is, how will these moves affect those players' chances of making the United States men’s national team roster for the 2014 World Cup?   Eddie Johnson Eddie Johnson was the highest-profile USMNT World Cup hopeful to make an MLS transfer this offseason (Michael Bradley is a lock for the U.S. squad and, therefore, cannot be considered a “hopeful”). After months of grumbling on Twitter about his relatively low pay (his 2013 compensation was $156,000 compared to Clint Dempsey’s $5 million), Eddie Johnson celebrated a goal in early September against the Columbus Crew with a “pay me” gesture to the crowd. With the Sounders’ stable of forwards already more than adequate with Dempsey, Obafemi Martins and Lamar Neagle and Seattle unwilling to pay Johnson designated-player money, he was traded to D.C. United in December for allocation money. With several strong performances in World Cup qualifying and this summer’s Gold Cup, many pundits would project ...

Can MLS Take Advantage of Loan System More Efficiently?

In 2013, there were 69 loans involving Major League Soccer players, but the system still sits largely in the shadows. In fact, this past MLS season was the first year intra-league loans were an option for MLS clubs, but not a single club took advantage of such an arrangement. On the other hand, in many other leagues around the world, these types of loan deals are common. This season in the English Premier League, Tim Howard’s Everton has made quite the splash, competing for a top-four spot, in large part due to the contributions of loan signings Romelu Lukaku and Gareth Barry—both from other EPL clubs. With the league growing each year and the MLS academy system starting to produce some real results, the loan system should be a more integral part of league business.   The Success Stories While high-profile loans remain uncommon in MLS, the 2013 season did see a number of positive examples coming from loans to and from other leagues. The Portland Timbers' remarkable turnaround this past season was due, in part, to the fantastic play of loan-signing Diego Valeri. In 2013, Valeri contributed 10 goals and 13 assists to the Timbers offense in the regular season, making him a part of 43 percent ...

New England Revolution and Philadelphia Union Shake Up 2014 MLS SuperDraft

The 2014 MLS SuperDraft was held on Thursday in Philadelphia, with the hometown Philadelphia Union and the New England Revolution making the most talked-about moves. Right off the bat, the Union traded up for the top spot in the draft, selecting University of Connecticut goalkeeper and Jamaican international Andre Blake. Blake was a highly regarded prospect, coming into the draft as a three-time collegiate All-Conference player and two-time NSCAA All-American. The issue with the Union taking Blake, and trading up to do so, is that they already have a starting goalkeeper in Zac MacMath, who is only 22 years old and was the Union’s No. 5 pick in the draft only three years ago. The pick was obviously not a vote of confidence for MacMath, and speculation has already begun that one of the two may be headed to Vancouver (many mock drafts had the Whitecaps taking Blake). The other big surprise out of the draft was the fact that the New England Revolution picked up both Patrick Mullins and Steve Neumann, although surprisingly not in that order. Many had projected the Revs picking up Mullins with the fourth pick of the draft (some projected him as the No. 1 pick), but they passed up the two-time Hermann Trophy winner and went ...

Michael Bradley Signing Is Another Step Forward for MLS

On Monday, one week after the rumors started flying on Twitter, Toronto FC and Major League Soccer officially unveiled their newest signing: Michael Bradley. Bradley’s signing is a massive coup for MLS—though, there are certainly many angles to the signing, including Bradley’s own personal reasons for wanting to move to Toronto and the move’s implications for the United States men’s national team.   Bringing in Quality Bradley, at 26 years of age, is in the prime of his career. Nicknamed "Il Generale" in Italy, Bradley has become one of the world’s best midfielders. Last season, he started 29 games for AS Roma, one of the top clubs in the world. And, for the USMNT, ranked 14th in the world by FIFA, Bradley is widely considered the team’s most important player. Having the power to bring Bradley back to Major League Soccer, only five months after luring back Clint Dempsey (just one year out from his best season in England), says a lot. While there are still plenty of fans and pundits throughout the world who view MLS as a league for players who are past their prime (or even worse, those who never had a prime), it is becoming increasingly clear that the league has its sights set on continuing to ...

8 MLS Players Who Could Be on the Move in 2014

Whether it's a move abroad, or a move within Major League Soccer, the 2014 MLS season will no doubt have its fair share of transfers. Some will be seeking better opportunities or pay in Europe, some will be trying to return home and some will involuntarily be forced to switch teams. Here are eight MLS players primed for a move in 2014.Begin Slideshow

10 Players Who Could Take MLS Forward in 2014

Major League Soccer continues to grow year after year, but it still struggles to both develop and then keep promising young talent. Still, 2013 was a great year for the league's youngsters, producing a great crop who can take the league forward heading in the 2014 season. Trying to identify such players can be difficult because at such a young age, their consistency can vary wildly.  To become the type of players who can build the league's reputation, they must have that rare combination of talent and flair. They are also far more likely to be attacking players because, after all, the average fan has a much greater appreciation for attacking play than for great defense. Here are 10 young guns who aren't on most fans' radars, but could be the next big thing in MLS.Begin Slideshow

Examining What a David Beckham-Owned Franchise Would Bring to MLS

When David Beckham first came to Major League Soccer in 2007, one of the lesser known clauses of his reported $250 million mega-contract was a provision to buy a future MLS franchise for $25 million. Expansion in MLS has been a hot topic in recent months and in 2013, the league added two new franchises, New York FC and Orlando City SC. Both teams are set to enter the league in the 2015 season and will bring the size of the league to 21 teams (MLS Commissioner Don Garber has stated the goal of the league is 24 teams by 2020). By contrast, Beckham’s $25 million franchise buy-in clause will be a major bargain as New York’s investors were forced to cough up a $100 million franchise fee and Orlando’s investors paid $70 million to get their team into the league. Current plans have Beckham bringing a franchise to Miami with Atlanta and possibly Minnesota rounding out the remaining cities to get the league to 24 teams. With Garber stating that the bids in Miami and Atlanta are “making progress,” what would a David Beckham-owned franchise mean for the league?   The Beckham Experiment, Part 2 In 2007, Major League Soccer adopted the Designated Player Rule, which came to be known as the Beckham Rule. The rule allows MLS squads to sign high-profile players ...