February 28, 2015
These are relatively dark times for Philly sports.
The Phillies are in Clearwater preparing for what many believe will be a losing season. The Sixers currently have a calculated eye on the future, which has left the current on-court product (while showing promise) losing many more games than they win. The Flyers, after a brief hot streak, have cooled off and currently sit outside the playoff picture.
The Eagles may be the bright spot for this city's fans, coming off consecutive 10-6 seasons under Chip Kelly and just narrowly missing the playoffs last year after a late season collapse.
But while the Birds' offseason has dominated recent headlines, there's another football team that's about to kick off it's actual season. In fact, said team actually competed in a championship game last year.
That team is the Philadelphia Union, and their regular season kicks off Saturday, March 7 against Colorado. The Union haven't quite reached the status of the four major Philly teams, but they have gained a dedicated following since their inaugural season in 2010.
So if you're looking a new place to invest your Philly fandom in 2015, here are four reasons to go all-in emotionally with the Union this year:
2014 U.S. Cup Runners Up
The Union actually missed the 2014 MLS playoffs. But soccer leagues are different than the four major North American sports in that there are usually multiple titles that teams can play for in a given season, with leagues overlapping and playing each other's teams for various cups and championships.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is an example of this. The tournament has existed for over 100 years and includes teams from every league in the United States Soccer Federation, and last year the Philadelphia Union made it to the final game.
The Union gave up their early 1-0 lead to the Seattle Sounders in the final, losing 3-1. But hey, they beat FC Dallas to get there. That's sort of like beating The Cowboys, right?
The Sons Of Ben
These guys are awesome. The group mainly responsible for bringing an MLS team to Philadelphia fills the river side section of PPL Park during games, and the fan group brings passion and intensity to every Union contest. They're quite clever, too, coming up with "us against them" chants that Philly fans can identify with like this one:
The Brotherly Game
An integral part of fandom means not just watching and attending games, but also having go-to media outlets to get the inside scoop on your team. We're blessed with a wealth of great sports coverage and blogs here in Philadelphia, and the Union aren't an exception to that. SB Nation's Union blog is titled the Brotherly Game, and it gives game previews and recaps while giving analysis on the team. And hey, they've got a sense of humor too:
Sebastien Le Toux
It's hard to say that a player can be the face of a franchise when that franchise has only been around for five years. But forward Sebastien Le Toux certainly qualifies for that title. He scored the first goal at PPL Park in 2010, and after brief stints with Vancouver and New York returned to the team in 2012.
Fans generally need one guy who they can associate with as the face of the team, and Le Toux fits the bill. He's the team's all time leader in goals and assists, he's French, and he can do stuff like this:
Past success, a fiery fanbase, a way to keep up with the team, and a player to fall in love with: what more do you need?
