The MLS aka Major League Soccer debuted in the US in 1993, amid the run up to the USA hosting its first ever FIFA World Cup Competition in 1994. The first season did not officially kick off though until 1996, with ten teams participating - the Columbus Crew, D.C. United, the New England Revolution, the NY/NJ MetroStars, the Tampa Bay Mutiny, the Colorado Rapids, the Dallas Burn, the Kansas City Wiz, the Los Angeles Galaxy and the San Jose Clash.
The early years of competition were dominated by Bruce Arena's D.C United, with the club taking the first two MLS Cup titles. In 1998 however it was a new upstart team, the Chicago Fire who won it all, and not too long after that Arena quit the club to take on the task of coaching the US National team, who had had a dismal time at the 1998 World Cup. The oddity in this is that the Chicago Fire team who beat Arena's United was led by coach Bob Bradley, who when then take over the US coaching job when Arena quit in 2006.
The league struggled financially in its first few years, but a surprising quarter finals appearance for the US in the 2002 World Cup renewed public interest in US soccer on the whole. The 2002 MLS Cup, played just months after that fine showing drew a record crowd.
Indeed, so good were some of them that the MLS began losing some of its homegrown stars to the big leagues in Europe. Tim Howard, goalkeeper for the Metro Stars, was sold to the mighty Manchester United in one of the most lucrative contract deals in league history. DaMarcus Beasley of the Chicago Fire left for German club PSV Eindhoven, while Landon Donovan, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, was recalled to Germany. Donovan's stint in Germany was brief; before the start of the 2005 MLS season he was sold back to MLS to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy, where he remains one of the biggest stars the MLS has ever produced.
The MLS got a publicity boost of epic proportions when the mighty David Beckham signed for the LA Galaxy in 2007. Although his tenure thus far in the MLS has proved rocky few people deny that his presence has done much to elevate the general public's knowledge and interest in the MLS.
In 2009 the MLS consists of 15 teams -Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, Toronto FC,New England Revolution, Kansas City Wizards, New York Red Bulls, Houston Dynamo, LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, Colorado Rapids, Chivas USA, Real Salt Lake City, FC Dallas and the San Jose Earthquakes - with more coming in the next few years. The expansion Seattle Sounders, partially owned by comedian Drew Carey have garnered much attention for the soccer media worldwide in 2009, for the fervor of their fans and the unique atmosphere at their games.
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