The theme for Major League Soccer this season is 22 in 22, as the league embarks on its 22nd year with 22 teams - including two new teams in the Atlanta United and Minnesota United.
The theme could just as easily be expansion, expansion, expansion.
Launched with 10 teams in 1996, MLS has plans to expand to 28 teams in the coming years. The replacement for the defunct Chivas USA, Los Angeles FC, joins the league next season. It is hoped a long-anticipated Miami franchise, an effort led by David Beckham, will materialize as the league's 24th team.
There were 12 bids submitted earlier this year for the final four teams. In a preseason interview, commissioner Don Garber said a decision about two of the teams could come by the end of this year and they could begin play in 2020, while the final two will be announced sometime thereafter.
"I think it's fair to say that this year and the last number of years we've been very focused on strategically growing the league and celebrating new markets coming in and building a fan base, helping to create this soccer nation that we've been so focused on," Garber said. "And this year is probably no different. We've got a team coming in that is setting records for attendance in Atlanta, and a team in Minnesota that's similar to Portland in that it is coming into Major League Soccer after many decades of support for the professional game.
"I think you'll continue to see more and more stories coming out of our league that are about growth, but I try to focus as much on celebrating all the great things that have gone on in so many markets for the last number of years."
The 12 bids, along with Atlanta United's season-ticket sales topping 30,000, are proof soccer continues to gain a foothold in the American sports landscape.
"It just speaks to the overall development and growth of our sport in our country and Canada," Garber said. "I continue to be impressed by how many of our clubs prove that it is irrelevant how big your market is or where it's located. It really is about your plan, your focus, your commitment. If the ingredients are right I'm convinced we can be successful in any city, any state in the United States. And that's not something we believed 10 years ago."
MLS officially opens its season Friday night with a match between the host Portland Timbers and the expansion Minnesota United on national television. The Timbers were the MLS Cup champions in 2015 but failed to make the playoffs last season. The rabid Providence Park fan base - the Timbers have sold out every home match since joining the league in 2011 - should make for entertaining viewing of the Loons' historic debut. The two teams played to a tie at 2 in the preseason.
The defending MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders visit the Houston Dynamo on Saturday night, marking the return of Clint Dempsey from a heart ailment. NYCFC visits Orlando City on Sunday evening, marking the debut of the Lions' new soccer-specific stadium, while Atlanta makes its MLS debut later that night against the New York Red Bulls.
The 25,500-seat Orlando City Stadium, which is also home to the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer league, is sold out for the opener. Originally, it wasn't expected to be ready until three weeks into the season.
The stadium includes 49 rainbow-color seats in section 12, a permanent tribute to the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting last year.
While Dempsey is expected to be in the lineup Saturday for the Sounders, he will be closely monitored. Seattle's star forward said he first noticed symptoms last February during training camp, but felt good playing for the United States during the Copa America. In September, the Sounders ruled him out for the rest of the season after he underwent an undisclosed procedure.
"It was a heart issue. It's something that's difficult to kind of explain," Dempsey said last month. "But at the same time I'm not feeling those things anymore and I'm happy to be back playing."
MLS has plans to implement video replay this season following the All-Star Game. The technology will be tested throughout the league during the first half of the season. Garber said pursuing replay made sense for MLS, given that all the other major sports in North America use some form of it.
"I don't think it's going to be without its challenges. It's a new development, a new technology," Garber said. "I want to remind all of our fans that it's not going to be foolproof - officiating the games still relies on enormous judgment, even if it's the judgment of a review official - but I'm convinced it will correct some of the real mistakes that are made."
III
Here are capsule looks at the 22 teams:
New York Red Bulls
Coach: Jesse Marsch.
Last Season: 16-9-9, finished first in the Eastern Conference.
Key Players: F Bradley Wright-Philips, MF Sacha Kljestan, MF Gonzalo Veron.
Lowdown: The Red Bulls got bounced from the playoffs in the Eastern Conference by Montreal after riding a 16-game unbeaten streak into the postseason. In the offseason, the team shocked many when they traded Dax McCarty to Chicago. But the roster still includes top goal scorer Wright-Phillips, who had 24 goals last season, and Kljestan, who led the league in assists with 20.
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NYCFC
Coach: Patrick Vieira.
Last season: 15-10-9, finished second in the Eastern Conference.
Key Players: F David Villa, MF Maxi Moralez, F Rodney Wallace, GK Sean Johnson.
Lowdown: NYCFC got as far as the Eastern Conference semifinals, but fell to Toronto. In the offseason the team lost Frank Lampard and Andoni Iraola to retirement, but picked up a pair of key players in former Timbers player Wallace and designated player Moralez. Both should make an impact right away, along with Johnson in goal.
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Toronto FC
Coach: Greg Vanney.
Last Season: 14-9-11, finished third in the Eastern Conference.
Key Players: F Sebastian Giovinco, F Jozy Altidore, MF Michael Bradley.
Lowdown: Toronto came oh-so-close to the MLS Cup title last year, falling to the Sounders on penalty kicks in the MLS Cup final. The core of that team returns, including star Giovinco, who entertained an offseason move to the Chinese Super League but ultimately stayed in Toronto. The Reds allowed just 39 goals last season, fewest in the Eastern Conference.
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DC United
Coach: Ben Olsen.
Last Season: 11-10-13, finished fourth in the Eastern Conference.
Key players: GK Bill Hamid, D Steve Birnbaum, MF Luciano Acosta, D Bobby Boswell.
Lowdown: D.C. United look for a successful season to pave the way for next year's opening of a new soccer-specific stadium at Buzzard's Point. Last season the team finished strong, going 6-2-5 down the stretch, but they were eliminated in the knockout round of the playoffs by Montreal. United didn't make a whole lot of changes in the offseason and the group's strength remains its depth.
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Montreal Impact
Coach: Mauro Biello.
Last Season: 11-11-12, finished fifth in the Eastern Conference.
Key Players: F Matteo Mancosu, MF Patrice Bernier, D Chris Duvall.
Lowdown: The Impact lost to Canadian rival Toronto in the conference final, sending the Reds on to the MLS Cup final. The biggest change in the team is the absence of Didier Drogba, whose contract expired. Montreal will get a boost from the return of winger Andres Romero from an ACL injury, and the arrival of Swiss midfielder Blerim Dzemaili this summer.
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Philadelphia Union
Coach: Jim Curtin.
Last season: 11-14-9, finished sixth in the Eastern Conference.
Key Players: MF Alejandro Bedoya, MF Chris Pontius, D Keegan Rosenberry.
Lowdown: Hurt by a drop-off late last season, the Union fell in the knockout round to Toronto. Philadelphia is considered an up-and-coming team with a wealth of young talent, including recent U.S. national team call-up Rosenberry and GK Andre Blake. Philly also hopes to get Maurice Edu and Josh Yaro back soon from injuries.
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New England Revolution
Coach: Jay Heaps.
Last Season: 11-14-9, finished seventh in the Eastern Conference.
Key Players: F Kei Kamara, F Juan Aguedelo, MF Kelyn Rowe.
Lowdown: The Revolution came close to making the playoffs last season but lost the final spot to Philadelphia on goal differential. New England should get a boost from midfielder Xavier Kouassi, sidelined all of last season with an ACL injury. Look for competition in goal between Cody Cropper and Brady Knighton.
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Orlando City
Coach: Jason Kreis.
Last Season: 9-11-14, finished eighth in the Eastern Conference.
Key Players: MF Kaka, MF Will Johnson, D Jonathan Spector, F Cyle Larin.
Lowdown: Kreis took over in the midst of last season when the Lions dismissed Adrian Heath, but the team still finished outside of the playoffs for the second season. Orlando made a key move in bringing in Spector from Birmingham City, but Orlando will still have to try to replace the goal scoring of Kevin Molino, who went to Minnesota. A big story line for the team is a new downtown stadium.
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Columbus Crew
Coach: Gregg Berhalter.
Last Season: 8-14-12, finished ninth in the Eastern Conference.
Key Players: MF Federico Higuain, F Ola Kamara, D Jonathan Mensah.
Lowdown: The Crew made it to the MLS Cup final in 2015 but then failed to make the playoffs last season. The departure of star Kei Kamara and injuries contributed to the disappointing finish. A healthy Higuain and the addition of Mensah should help. Look for competition in goal between Brad Stuver and Zach Steffen.
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Chicago Fire
Coach: Veljko Paunovic.
Last Season: 7-17-10, finished 10th in the Eastern Conference.
Key Players: MF Dax McCarty, MF Juninho, F Nemanja Nikolic
Lowdown: The Fire finished with the worst record in MLS last season, finishing with just 31 points. They brought in veteran experience in Dax McCarty and Juninho. Hungarian striker Nemanja Nikolic from Legia Warsaw should bolster the team's offense. The Fire will host the MLS All-Star game at Soldier Field this season, another boost for the franchise.
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Atlanta United
Coach: Gerardo "Tata" Martino.
Last Season: Expansion team for 2017.
Key Players: MF Miguel Almiron, F Josef Martinez, F Hector Villalba, GK Brad Guzan.
Lowdown: Martino brings credentials as former coach of the Argentine national team, along with a one-year stint with Barcelona. United signed 10 MLS veterans to help acclimate the newcomers. Guzan won't be joining Atlanta until this summer when he finishes the season with Middlesbrough of the English Premier League.
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FC Dallas
Coach: Oscar Pareja.
Last Season: 17-8-9, finished first in the Western Conference.
Key Players: MF Javier Morales, F Cristian Colman, MF Mauro Diaz, MF Kellyn Acosta.
Lowdown: With a loss to the Seattle Sounders in the conference semifinals, Dallas fell short of the historic treble after securing the U.S. Open Cup and Supporters' Shield trophies. The team was nearly unbeatable at home with just one loss. Dallas was hurt when Diaz injured his Achilles late in the season; he is expected to return sometime this summer.
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Colorado Rapids
Coach: Pablo Mastroeni.
Last Season: 15-6-13, finished second in the Western Conference.
Key Players: GK Tim Howard, F Alan Gordon, MF Bismark Adjei-Boateng.
Lowdown: The Rapids completed a remarkable turnaround, going from the basement of the conference in 2015 to second place, then advancing to the conference finals against the eventual MLS Cup champion Sounders. Jermaine Jones went to the Galaxy, but Colorado brought in a promising youngster with the signing of Adjei-Boateng.
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L.A. Galaxy
Coach: Curt Onalfo.
Last Season: 12-6-16, finished third in the Western Conference.
Key Players: F Giovani Dos Santos, MF Romain Alessandrini, MF Jermaine Jones, F Gyasi Zardes.
Lowdown: The biggest thing about the Galaxy is who left. Coach Bruce Arena took over the U.S. national team after Jurgen Klinsmann was dismissed. Also gone are Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard and Landon Donovan. For the moment, the five-time league champions seem to be getting away from the star-power model of the past - like Donovan and David Beckham before him - and have turned their focus to promising younger players.
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Seattle Sounders
Coach: Brian Schmetzer.
Last Season: 14-14-6, finished fourth in the Western Conference.
Key Players: F Clint Dempsey, MF Nicolas Lodeiro, F Jordan Morris.
Lowdown: The Sounders were an amazing story last season, staging the league's biggest turnaround ever after firing longtime coach Sigi Schmid to win the team's first MLS Cup title. Dempsey is cleared to play after a heart ailment and the Sounders have plenty of talent, including U.S. national team players Jordan Morris and GK Stefan Frei. The Sounders are easily the early favorites in the West.
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Sporting Kansas City
Coach: Peter Vermes.
Last season: 13-13-8, finished fifth in the Western Conference.
Key Players: F Dom Dwyer, F Graham Zusi, MF Benny Feilhaber, GK Tim Melia.
Lowdown: Sporting lost to Seattle in the knockout round last season, marking the third straight season the team has been eliminated in the first round. Veteran left wing Brad Davis retired after 14 years in MLS. Kansas City looks to be strong offensively, with Dwyer joined by Zusi and designated player Gerso Fernandes on the wings.
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Real Salt Lake
Coach: Jeff Cassar.
Last Season: 12-12-10, finished sixth in the Western Conference.
Key Players: MF Kyle Beckerman, GK Nick Rimando, MF Albert Rusnak, F Joao Plata.
Lowdown: Real Salt Lake faded last season before falling to the LA Galaxy in the knockout round. In the offseason, the team let go of Javier Morales, who had been with the team for a decade. The addition of 22-year-old Rusnak as designated player indicates a more youthful direction. RSL also brought in 19-year-old prospect Brooks Lennon on loan from Liverpool.
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Portland Timbers
Coach: Caleb Porter.
Last Season: 12-14-8, finished seventh in the Western Conference.
Key Players: MF Darlington Nagbe, MF Diego Valeri, MF Diego Chara, MF Sebastian Blanco.
Lowdown: The Timbers were the MLS Cup winners in 2015, but failed to make the playoffs last year. Porter said in the preseason the team has shored up its starting-caliber depth so that injuries don't impact Portland like last season. Early indications are that the addition of Blanco and David Guzman have given the Timbers a spark. The MLS season opens in Portland with a match against the Minnesota United.
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Vancouver Whitecaps
Coach: Carl Robinson.
Last Season: 10-15-9, finished eighth in Western Conference.
Key Players: F Fredy Montero, GK David Ousted, MF Matias Laba.
Lowdown: Cascadia Cup title aside, the Whitecaps had a disappointing season after making the playoffs the previous two years. Vancouver won just three of its last 17 games. But they made a splash with the recent signing of Montero, formerly of the rival Seattle Sounders, who has spent the past few seasons playing abroad.
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San Jose Earthquakes
Coach: Dominic Kinnear.
Last Season: 8-12-14, finished ninth in the Western Conference.
Key Players: F Chris Wondolowski, GK David Bingham, D Harold Cummings.
Lowdown: After coming close to making the postseason in 2015, the Quakes fell to near the bottom of the conference last season, extending a playoff drought to four straight seasons. The team struggled on the road, winning just one game away from San Jose. As a result, new general manager Jesse Fioranelli cleaned house, letting many of the veterans go.
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Houston Dynamo
Coach: Wilmer Cabrera.
Last Season: 7-14-13, finished 10th in the Western Conference.
Key Players: D A.J. DeLaGarza, F Alberth Elis, F Romell Quioto, F Erick "Cubo" Torres.
Lowdown:: The Dynamo parted ways with coach Owen Coyle in the midst of last season, and this season brought in Cabrera from the USL's Rio Grande Valley in hopes of bringing the team back to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Torres was already off to a fast start in the preseason and Houston's success depends on the chemistry he'll have with Elis and Quioto.
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Minnesota United
Coach: Adrian Heath.
Last Season: Expansion team for 2017.
Key Players: MF Kevin Molino, F Christian Ramirez, F Josh Gatt.
Lowdown: Minnesota did not sign any designated players, taking a slow and steady approach to growing a roster. The United was also mindful of brining in talent from the team's NASL side, including forward Christian Ramirez, who had 18 goals last season. The team will play the season at the TCF Bank Stadium on Minnesota's campus before moving into a new stadium in St. Paul.