Less than a year after hosting it’s first playoff game, PPL Park will be showcased on July 25th as the venue for the 2012 MLS All Star Game.
Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber officially announced the event at City Hall, alongside Mayor Michael Nutter and Philadelphia Union CEO Nick Sakiewicz. The format will not change, with a leaguewide group of top players facing an international club on their preseason friendly tour. MLS will announce the identity of the opponent at a later date.
This is a momentous occasion for the Union, heading into their third year of operation. Attendance at PPL Park has been strong and has led to early buzz of an expansion. Another obvious positive about the selection is its proximity to both New York City and Washington, DC. It also represents the continued support of soccer specificity in MLS facilities. The last time they played the match in an NFL stadium was in 2010 at Reliant Stadium in Houston.
Of course, with soccer specific stadiums come a smaller capacity. PPL Park holds 18,500, but could probably be expanded slightly for this match.. It will likely be the smallest crowd since the 2007 All Star Game, held at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in suburban Denver. It will be interesting to learn the identity of the opponent. With a smaller number of seats, a large European club could mean a premium on tickets – especially given the number of people within 3 hours of PPL Park.
From the timing standpoint, July 25th will conflict with the Olympics, so assuming the qualification goes without issue, some stars (Brek Shea, Freddy Adu, and reigning MVP David Beckham) will not be able to participate. While that may take some name recognition out of the MLS squad, usually the opponent is as much the draw as the squad of MLS standouts.
Just another item that MLS needs to get rid of.
Yes because an event that brings publicity and revenue to the
league is a terrible thing. All-Star Games and play-offs, two
things that will NEVER leave. Trolling them because they go against
the EVERYTHING MUST BE EXACTLY LIKE ENGERLAND theory is just poor
assessment of the entire league.
So I guess you will have a Pro Bowl party this weekend, huh. No one
cares about crap all-star money grabs except for rubes.
Yet MLB, NBA, and NHL have all-star games that are well watched and
well covered. There’s a difference between a mid-season all-star
game and and post season all-star game. Pro Bowl is a reward
because they’re going to Hawaii, the others are events for the city
to utilize. Go study some economics.
Have you been to one? I went when it was in Colorado; it was fun.
It doesn’t have to be the biggest TV numbers of the summer for it
to be worthwhile. Just enjoy the occasion if your night is
available, and don’t read too much into the result. The teammate
combinations are different: Donovan – Henry, etc… I’d love to see
Fulham this year, or a Latin American opponent. Undecided if
Mexican All-Stars is a good idea. I’m against East verse West for a
few reasons, chiefly is that two teams dilute the talent. Anyway,
enjoy it Philly, a good summer night.
Please don’t fee the trolls. He is just bitter because his team
absolutely stinks. FMF AllStars vs MLS AllStars. Vote for it on
MLSsoccer.com !
………………..http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/01/24/smorgasborg-all-star-opponent-tops-them-all
……………………..it is at 52% right now. It is a tradition
that we call could get behind for a long time.
we dont need a the 2012 MLS kiddy Bimbo AT&T allstar game
presented by adidas (TM) TRADEMARK! to figure out who is better the
FMF or MLS. just take a glance at the CCL.
Excellent point Alex. Shows how ignorant MLS fans are.
No it shows how ignorant you are. FMF vs MLS will prove nothing,
but again its an event to showcase players who have performed well,
a chance for players to take a break, a chance for a city to get
people to spend money.
How is playing another game taking a break?
What a stupid stupid game the “All Star Game” is. Why mold MLS in
the vein of NFL, NHL, MLB: another sterile single entity league,
where they tell you to “get loud”, who to cheer for and how to
cheer???
Oh begging the question, you EVERYTHING MUST BE LIKE ENGERLAND lot
are loaded with logical fallacies. Go to a Blackhawks game and tell
the fans they are all pansies and don’t know what real cheering is.
I refuse to pay for your medical bill though.
what does Ivan’s logical argument have to do with “trolls” wanting
everything to be like ENGERLAND?! is the average american fanboy
soccer fan that stupid and ignorant? there are SOO many things MLS
could change in order to be a serious soccer league while not being
a carbon copy of ENGERLAND. for one who the hell needs this stupid
all star game? you wanna see a b-c squad of a euro club trample MLS
for the 3rd straight year fine by me, but look at all the stupid
congestion these kiddy mid summer friendlies cause. all that time
could be used to schedule regular season games that, hey, could
result in a balanced schedule! go back to you NBA NFL NHL and leave
soccer to real fans. and take your corn dog with you!
Mind telling me the results from years before that, ah, selective
memory that’s right. Alas all the idealists that exist on MLST
don’t realize there are bills to pay and then you don’t call me a
real soccer fan. When you’ve been to a soccer match on every
inhabited continent, give me a call.
Very cool – I wonder if STH will get first dibs on these.
From what I’ve heard, there will be a presale for STH.
really, will MLS do anything for money? how about humiliate
themselves against a B/C squad of some euro club for a stupid event
like the ASG. Charles and his boyfriend tim will surely label me a
troll and wave the “THIS IS AMURICA!” flag like its no tomorrow.
grow a pair ya nancys. if mls wants to improve then cater to real
soccer fans. and real soccer fans grew out of the allstar fad back
in the 5th grade.
Would you watch if MLS added a longest trick shot goal to the
festivities? Or how about Mickey Mouse comes out and leads the
national anthem while F-14s due a fly over? USA can be so gay at
times.
Ah resorting to homophobia, classic troll is classic
Come on guys (if there really is more than one of you). Cut it out with the homophobic slurs. We get it, you hate All-Star Games. That’s good, because nobody is sitting you tied down in front of a television and making you watch it. Take your remote and put it on a different show. Just quit with the imbecilic hate speech that only disqualifies your opinions because you’re too childish to argue without calling names.
Gay also means happy.
Might work with your middle school principal, but not in the real world.
Earl you’re fighting a losing battle. MLST is the last bastion of
the crazies. We’re talking about people that don’t understand basic
economic theory, logic, and have an odd case of Anglophilia. The
bigger issue is they utilize 3rd grade rhetoric as seen above,
which makes any of their good points look like drivel.