Like the league itself, the Major League Soccer All-Star Game has seen many changes over the years and has included a number of memorable highs and lows. The mid-season showpiece has been held every year since MLS began in 1996 and has taken a few different forms. Similar to traditional all-star games in other North American sports like the NFL, NBA and MLB, the MLS All-Star Game has pitted the East and West Conferences against each other on six out of eleven occasions with the East winning four and one match ending in a draw (2001). The league also experimented twice with an American Hockey League-type model with the teams being divided into an all-American squad and a World squad in 1998 (Team USA won 6-1) and, in 2002, the MLS all-stars faced the U.S. national squad with the all-stars winning 3-2.But in 2003, MLS tried what has since become a successful set-up of having the league's best XI (as voted by fans, coaches and media) play a top international team. Since the All-Stars' 3-1 victory over Mexico's Guadalajara that year, they have beaten England's Fulham and Chelsea and Scottish giants Celtic. Here is a look at the past 12 all-star contests: Year Winners Losers Score Location Attendance 1996 East West 3-2 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J. 78,416 1997 East West 5-4 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J. 74,816 1998 MLS USA MLS World 6-1 Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Fla. 34,416 1999 West East 6-4 Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, Cali. 23,227 2000 East West 9-4 Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, Ohio 23,495 2001 East West 6-6 Spartan Stadium, San Jose, Calif. 23,512 2002 MLS All-Stars U.S. 3-2 RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. 31,096 2003 MLS All-Stars Guadalajara 3-1 Home Depot Center, Carson, Calif. 27,000 2004 East West 3-2 RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. 21,378 2005 MLS All-Stars Fulham F.C. 4-1 Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, Ohio 23,309 2006 MLS All-Stars Chelsea 1-0 Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Ill. 21,210 2007 MLS All-Stars Celtic 2-0 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Col. 18,661 Source
Thursday, July 24, 2008
MLS: A look at All-Star games past
Like the league itself, the Major League Soccer All-Star Game has seen many changes over the years and has included a number of memorable highs and lows. The mid-season showpiece has been held every year since MLS began in 1996 and has taken a few different forms. Similar to traditional all-star games in other North American sports like the NFL, NBA and MLB, the MLS All-Star Game has pitted the East and West Conferences against each other on six out of eleven occasions with the East winning four and one match ending in a draw (2001). The league also experimented twice with an American Hockey League-type model with the teams being divided into an all-American squad and a World squad in 1998 (Team USA won 6-1) and, in 2002, the MLS all-stars faced the U.S. national squad with the all-stars winning 3-2.But in 2003, MLS tried what has since become a successful set-up of having the league's best XI (as voted by fans, coaches and media) play a top international team. Since the All-Stars' 3-1 victory over Mexico's Guadalajara that year, they have beaten England's Fulham and Chelsea and Scottish giants Celtic. Here is a look at the past 12 all-star contests: Year Winners Losers Score Location Attendance 1996 East West 3-2 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J. 78,416 1997 East West 5-4 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J. 74,816 1998 MLS USA MLS World 6-1 Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Fla. 34,416 1999 West East 6-4 Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, Cali. 23,227 2000 East West 9-4 Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, Ohio 23,495 2001 East West 6-6 Spartan Stadium, San Jose, Calif. 23,512 2002 MLS All-Stars U.S. 3-2 RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. 31,096 2003 MLS All-Stars Guadalajara 3-1 Home Depot Center, Carson, Calif. 27,000 2004 East West 3-2 RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. 21,378 2005 MLS All-Stars Fulham F.C. 4-1 Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, Ohio 23,309 2006 MLS All-Stars Chelsea 1-0 Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Ill. 21,210 2007 MLS All-Stars Celtic 2-0 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Col. 18,661 Source
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