MLS Cup Tonight

"Groundbreaker"

To the surprise of few outside of mainstream, but Major League Soccer is succeeding. The MLS Cup takes place tonight and it will likely yield the highest television ratings in the league’s history. The promising showdown between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Lake landed a beneficial time slot, ESPN will broadcast the final tonight at 7:30 PM CST. Last year’s final was squeezed between the NFL’s regular season schedule on network television in the middle of the day.

Like the Super Bowl, the location of the MLS Cup rotates each year. In a wise decision orchestrated by the league, today’s Cup will go down at Qwest Field, home of the Seattle Sounders. Professional soccer came to the city of Seattle, Sounders owners include Paul Allen and Drew Carey, after their basketball team abdonded them for Oklahoma City.

On Thursday MLS Commissioner Don “Groundbreaker” Garber participated in an online chat, telling the world that all was well with the MLS and would be even better in the foreseeable future.

“This season will forever be known as one of the key moments in the history of soccer in America,” Garber said.

Next year, the Philadelphia Union will debut, in a brand new stadium no less. Portland and Vancouver will follow in 2011. Montreal is also on board. If all goes according to plan, the league will then contain 19 teams. The question just remains is when will the San Antonio city council make a push for a team, in a city that will absolutely support it

People are watching American soccer.

Once again, you can catch the MLS Cup tonight at 7:30 PM CST on ESPN.