An introduction to Major League Soccer
MLS started officially on December 17, 1993 with the announcement by the 1994 World Cup chairman, Alan Rothenberg concerning the formation of the league and its logo. On May 18, 1994 22 cities were announced as having submitted bids to form one of the ten initial teams for MLS. On June 15, 1994 MLS annouced the first seven cities to awarded teams. They were New England, Columbus, Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York (Long Island), San Jose and Washington, D.C. On January 3, 1995 MLS announced Tab Ramos, the U.S. National Team star, as its first player.
As the first season of games got closer and closer, teams began to form. On June 25, 1995 MLS signed Alexi Lalas. The colorful US nattional team star had been playing successfully in Italy, but MLS brought him home. On February 6, 1996 MLS conducted its first player draft, holding the first eight rounds at the Hotel Inter-Continental in New York City. Brian McBride, a two-time All-American at St. Louis is the first player drafted, by the Columbus Crew. On March 1, 1996 the first training camps for MLS team open. The first time since the old NASL that high-level, US professional soccer is open for business.
On April 6, 1996 MLS opened its inaugural season at San Jose's Spartan Stadium as the San Jose Clash hosted the Washington D.C. United in the MLS Inaugural Game. The game is broadcast live to a national television audience on ESPN. San Jose won the game with a score of 1-0 before a audience of 31,683. MLS had officially begun.
MLS started out with some different rules. Time was kept by a clock in the stadium. The officials had no means to add time. If a game ended in a tie, it immediately went to a shootout that had five memebers of each team starting from near mid-field and charging toward the goal with the ball. The goalkeeper could then come off his line to try to block the shot. Teams were awarded 3 points for a win, 1 point for a shootout win, and 0 for a loss.
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