MLS reveals announcement plans for Philadelphia expansion

Philadelphia, MLS is coming your way.

As reported last week by SBI, Major League Soccer will announce Philadelphia as the league's 16th team at a ceremony at 2pm on Thursday at Turbine Hall in Chester, PA. MLS commissioner Don Garber and members of the Philadelphia expansion group will be in attendance for the event.

So there you have it. The team is coming. Philly fans can breath a sigh of relief and start saving their money for those tickets.

What do you think of the news? Share your thoughts (and joy) below.

Comments

[reid]

great article on the SOB Ives, and they are even writing about them in the Guardian. If the fans come out to support this team anywhere near as much TFC it will make watching these games a pleasure, and going to the games an event. Looking forward to their future.

[kpugs]

Not that I am hurting for intense MLS rivalries, but this is still good news for everyone.

I'm pumped for my south Jerz friends, and also happy for the Philly area fans who had no choice but to root for DC Scum all these years. ;)

[Chuck]

Ives-- you should have asked what "Yous" think

[sidenetting]

I hope Turbine Hall is actually t the Chester library.

[DC UNIT]

Word on MLS Rumors is that the name will be Philadelphia Independence FC...anyone else hate that with a passion?
Sorry, I know it fits the city, but it sounds like a WNBA team.

Oh well. Congrats SOBs, you deserved this team (but not the name)!

[Tom]

What's the "news"? Is it that MLS is going to announce something that every one who is interested knew a week ago?

Read your blog. There are quite a few comments on Philly entering the league. I can't imagine there are many unexpressed thoughts.

[Kim]

Philadelphia expansion is by far the biggest and best MLS news this offseason, and maybe calendar year.

MLS Rumors is way off on the naming thing. Name one non San Jose team that was announced with a team name. Even the original 10 were initially just city announcements followed up by (generally ghastly) names.

[Cam]

18 teams by 2012. St. Louis will likely be No. 17 I think 18 will be somewhere in Canada, maybe Montreal. Any thoughts?

[Lee]

i think this is fantastic news for the league. A missing MLS ingredient (besides money): stadium atmosphere. A team near Philly will enable visiting fans to view the games. This is good not just for the Sons of Ben, but also Red Bull, DC, and New England.

[Johnny]

Philadelphia Independence FC is a terrible name!

[Jordan]

It's officially up on www.mlsnet.com that there will be an announcement. Highly unlikely they unveil name or even colors tomorrow - Seattle still doesn't have a name.

[Elmer]

Woohoo!! Philly is gonna get a team!!

As a Philly native, I'm extremely excited about this fact, even if I live in Boston now.

[Adam M]

Philadelphia Independence FC is a horrible name. "Independence" is a political goal (frequently not a good one, see Civil War), not a group of people. I dislike "Revolution" for similar reasons also, but at least is suggests a movement of people rather than and endpoint. "Independants" would be better because it actually refers to people, though "Democrats" would be more accurate for Philadelphia. I gather the Philly team couldn't just use Philadelphia Football Club because PFC is already a bank. I also gather that some use of the word Athletic -- an absolute natural -- was probably precluded due to some intellectual property problem. But PIFC is lousy, if not as bad as naming a reborn California soccer team after a natural disaster that might someday kills tens of thousands of California residents. Go Earthquak...um.

[Kosh71]

Congrats, Philly and welcome to what shall now become the "Iron Triangle" (patent pending).

So, as some of the faithful split ways with DCU and Red Bulls to support thier own true home team, and the rivalry of the "Iron Triangle" (patent pending) heats up, shall we become brothers and sisters no more? This is the day it happened - when a Barra brother or and ESC sister became and SoB - your enemy. Embrace now and share your last beers with them while you have time, because come 2010 they will stand in your way for glory :)

[chupacabra]

Philadelphia Independence FC? Shouldn't that be Philadelphia Independence Soccer Society? If Independence is indeed the name, will announcers shorten it to the Philly Depends?

[mike]

Why not just Philadelphia FC. PFC and Philly FC sound great to me. I hate when a mascot is in the name.

[scott47a]

Congrats to Philly fans, and especially to Bryan and the others in the Sons of Ben.

Those guys have set an example for everyone in terms of dedication to the sport and the way MLS can be loved in communities throughout the nation.

I look forward to their first visit to Seattle in 2010.

[Matt G]

i'm with mike...i am not a fan of mascots and corny names (see rapids, earthquakes, galaxy)

[Joe_in_ND]

It should be the Philadelphia Free Masons...HAHA!

[stee]

Philadelphia Independence FC?, reason right there to never read anything on MLS Rumors, terrible site that typically puts their own agenda ahead of everything else when posting things. You know they had to make something up to appear that they were the "first" to say something about it.

[jevanvoo]

kpugs, they had a choice! I lived right outside of Philly when I started following NY, never once tempted to cheer for DC scum ; )

[RK]

If you were living and Philly, I can see why you would choose NYRB over DC -- you are used to not winning.

I kid, because I'm a transplanted Philadelphian in DC :) Nice to have one consistently winning team!

[douglas]

Can anyone put together an all-Philadelphia/ Pennsylvania team? I'm interested to see what that would look like.

[Ski Fast!]

"Joyful" is a good descriptive word right now! I am planning to attend the press conference.

[N]

I think that Philadelphia Independence may be a bit tacky and corny but I think it will catch on in time. Philly definately has very passionate fans and it's great that a new Philly team is coming to ignite rivalries between the teams in the northeast. Do any of you know that some blogs have rumored the Seattle team would be named Emerald City Greens? THAT IS AN AWFUL NAME. Emerald City FC or even AC Seattle are okay but I pray that the Seattle Team doesn't have Greens in it's official team name.

[Spencer]

Cam if there are going to be 18 teams by 2012, I'd expect Miami, Atlanta, Phoenix, Portland, or San Antonio to make it. I really don't see another Canada team getting it for a while. I could be wrong but I'd like to see the league expand in the US first, especially since there aren't any teams in the south. Houston is the closest thing.

[reid]

Montreal has proven it can put people in the seats. And if just as many go to those games as Toroto, I say keep expanding up in Canada. That first goal celebration for TFC was the best thing i've seen in North American Club football since the first few years in MLS. So until the cities in the south can prove to have a good and consistant fan base, keep expanding north of the border.

[Joamiq]

Tom, the attitude's not really necessary, is it? It's not Ives' fault that he's way ahead of the league's pace.

Philadelphia Independence, really? We already have the Revolution. What's next, the Minutemen, the Rebellion, and the Freedom Fighters? But then again I don't really trust MLS Rumors. They pretty much destroy their legitimacy with that ridiculous main image. 99% of what they don't get from Ives and Goff turns out to be bunk.

[Sidefooter]

Philadelphia Independence FC?, reason right there to never read anything on MLS Rumors, terrible site that typically puts their own agenda ahead of everything else when posting things. You know they had to make something up to appear that they were the "first" to say something about it.

----------------------------

Say what you want but they scooped everyone including Goff and Ives on the Philadelphia Announcement date and time-line.

It used to cool to bag on the site but they've actually gotten to be pretty good.

[Steve]

Sidefooter, give me a break. That crap website throws BS against a wall hoping it sticks and we're supposed to give them props when one of their million rumors turns out to be true? Please.

[Sidefooter]

Steve, I suuggest you do wht I did and actually go through their january rumors and look at how many actually had some truth to them.

Besides, its a frickin' RUMORS site, its right there in the title, what the hell are you complaining about?

[fcmuenchweiler]

Speaking of expanding North of the border. How is that stadium in Vancouver going? I think Montreal will be a given, but Vancouver, if they get the stadium deal, could be another candidate...also a natural rivalry with Seattle.

[Geoff]

The Philadelphia Leviathans should be the new team name because nothing can defeat a Leviathan!

[Binks]

YAY!

Something new for Philthadelphia to suck at.

The proud tradition started by the Philies continues.

[Jimmy Bobo]

How about a simple "Independence Football Club?" Teams who do not have a city in the name can become a "national" franchise; for example, Juventus or even Cosmos. The sportscasters would probably use a common name like IFC Philadelphia. Again, this has roots in such teams as PSV Eindhoven.

[Hudson_Street]

Congrats to Philly. As for a name, what about Old Penn FC. Or maybe Old Penn could be part of the stadium name, unless they sell the naming rights.

[FIXXXER]

Ives - for a few years now there have been rumors of Atlanta being one of the "next cities" to receive a MLS franchise. The rumors have picked up in recent months, mainly the fact that Arthur Blank continues to be a big fan and desperately wants a team in Atlanta. The rumors went a step further when the Atlanta Silverbacks announced plans to further update and expand their new stadium. Do you have any info or facts to support such rumors. Everyone knows the south is American Football country, but if MLS is going to continue to make in-roads, it is going to need a team in the south.

[Luis of Loganville, PA]

This is incredible news for Philadelphia and it's soccer fans. Philly is the 4 largest market in sports and with it's passionate fans, the soccer club will thrive and bring the city a long awaited championship. Great stuff! Can't wait to get tix.

[NDS10]

Anyone heard what the expansion fee is for Philly?

[Don]

Congrats on the award of a franchise to Philly which exploits a set of natural rivals. Now is the time to complete a perfect trifecta with Seattle, Portland and Vancouver. These were among the most successful fraanchises in US soccer history both regionally and nationally. They have large proven fan bases and existing intense rivalries.

[wtf]

List of best names:
1. Philadelphia Athletic FC
2. Philadelphia United FC
3. Philadelphia FC

colors should be light blue and yellow