Rating: 4 (Good)


MLSR EXCLUSIVE: Philadelphia MLS Announcement set for February 26th-28th.

This comes to us anonymously from a highly credible source:

On Tuesday, February 26th, there will be an Sons of Ben membership "Meet the Owners" event, where many/most/all of the ownership group will announce the 16th expansion team is coming to Philadelphia. The following morning, on Wednesday the 27th, the media will be advised. And on Thursday, February 28th, the league will officially announce Philadelphia as the 16th team in MLS, to start play in their own stadium in 2010.

This would follow a similar pattern to the one that occurred just prior to another expansion announcement. Just prior to Seattle's MLS announcement, Drew Carey and Joe Roth met with Seattle Sounders supporters at a pub and then soon after, there was the official announcement at Columbia Tower.

This fan focused and cascading way of building "buzz" before an expansion announcement is a great thing for MLS. We wish Philadelphia all the success of Toronto and Seattle (at least off the pitch).

Two sites to watch: www.mlsinphilly.com and www.philadelphiaindependencefc.com

Both of which are registered to Major League Soccer, LLC.

Philadelphia is sure to have some of the loudest supporters in MLS. Here they are at last year's MLS Cup final.