Vancouver won't be the only city kicking off a new MLS team in 2011. Although Vancouver may have been awarded a team first, Portland recently found out that they were awarded a franchise to open the 2011 season as well. Part of convincing the MLS to award a franchise was showing that the city could support it. Bringing the MLS to town requires renovating the stadium the Timbers play in, which required million of dollars in funding by the city. Winning the bid is a massive conquest for 80 percent owner Merritt Paulson, who bought the Portland Timbers not long ago. The new MLS team will be formed from the Timbers, who are currently in the First Division of the United Soccer League. Paulson also owns a minor league baseball team. The other 20 percent of the team is owned by Paulson's father, Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr., but he is less active in the happenings of the Timbers because of his job and the current financial crisis. No matter what team you cheer for, you can get your MLS tickets online.

Portland has a long and storied history in U.S. soccer. The Portland Timbers played with the N.A.S.L. in the 1970s and 1980s, leading to the nickname of Soccer City U.S.A. for Portland. The Timbers played their first game with the N.A.S.L. in 1975, making the playoffs that season. They continued playing in the N.A.S.L. through 1982. The Timbers stayed dormant for nearly 20 years before they started back up in 2001. That first year, they made the playoffs and started with much fanfare. They started the next season slower, but eventually turned it around. In 2004, the team won the A-League's Regular Season Championship and finished with a record of 18-7-3. They have had similar success over the past few seasons, making them the perfect place for an MLS expansion team.

The MLS actually has a shorter history than the Timbers. Major League Soccer was founded in 1996, only a couple of years after the U.S. hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The MLS started with seven teams, Boston, Columbus, Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York (Long Island), San Jose and Washington D.C. The inaugural season was first going to be in 1995 and later moved to the next year. The first player to be named as part of the league was Tab Ramos. Before the season even kicks off, Dallas, Denver and Kansas City are added as the eighth, ninth and tenth teams. That first season, D.C. United won the MLS Cup, topping the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-2.

In early 1997, Chicago and South Florida were announced as the newest expansion teams, and they began playing in the 1998 season. The Tampa Bay and the Miami teams folded early in 2002, but Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA filled the gaps in 2004. The Houston Dynamo started in 2006 followed by Toronto FC in 2007. The latest team to start up is the Seattle Sounders FC, who started in 2009. Philadelphia will kick of its new team in 2010.

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