There are a lot of opinions on the MLS from numerous managers and players around the world. We are going to take a glimpse at the MLS as an organisation and focus on individual Franchises that formed the league. No matter what your opinion is of the MLS it has been a success in America and is continuing to grow every season with different Franchises joining the league. The MLS was created in 1993 in preparation for the following years world cup, this was a guarantee made to FIFA if they were awarded the world cup. It was forecast that the game would increase slowly as it has huge competition from more established sports in America, but this league would give it a solid foundation of where to open. Every team begun as a Franchise For Sale option across each city in America, extensive amounts of money was invested by sponsors and businessmen to get the Franchises working and to build a Home Based Franchise for each main city.

The very first game was kicked off in 1996 and the league comprised just 10 Home Based Franchise that were bought by wealthy sponsors or businessmen as a Franchise For Sale opportunity. The crowd for the games were quite good and the overall picture looked decent. However, at the beginning, the sport never really took off and the quality on the pitch was quite poor, this coupled with the teams not being competitive gradually put pay to crowd levels. A Home Based Franchise would struggle with the travel and costs that the league endured at the beginning, so the Franchises endured in the long run.

After the 2002 world cup where the USA go to the quarter-final stage there was a an increase in the popularity of the game. There was now a new commissioner in charge of building the MLS into a sporting brand for the Franchises and under his control the MLS begun to see stars becoming attracted to the MLS.

The quality on the field still remains below the standard found at a top European league but the quantity of stars that are attracted to the MLS, whether it be for the money or lifestyle is increasing. A Franchise For Sale in Toronto became obtainable and this increased the leagues appeal to Canada, where football is more familiar.

We now take a short glimpse at the Chicago Fire franchise and how it has progressed over the years to become one of the most familiar Franchises in America.

The club was created on October 8, 1997. They are the most successful club in the modern U.S. Open Cup, winning titles in 1998, 2000, 2003, and 2006. Chicago's chief rival is FC Dallas. Since 2001, the two Franchises compete annually for the Brimstone Cup (started by the fans of both clubs), which goes to the champion in the season series between them. While FC Dallas remains the most traditionally heated opponent, recent years have advanced bitterness between the Fire and the New England Revolution with the teams ending each other's season every year since 2001. The Fire formerly played at Soldier Field, but now have their own stadium, Toyota Park at 71st and Harlem Avenue. Toyota Park is possessed by the Village of Bridgeview and managed by the owners of the Fire, Andell Holdings, who purchased the franchise in 2007.