By Nathaniel Charendoff ’17, Sports Editor

Just as Newark Academy spring sports teams are closing in on the end of their respective seasons, the 21^st Major League Soccer season comes into full swing, when a slew of teams compete in an attempt to lift the ever-lauded MLS Cup. The Cup champion is also crowned as the league champion, a title that the Portland Timbers will attempt to defend this year.

Soccer is a sport overlooked by many in the United States, but over the years, the MLS has begun to attract wider and wider fan bases. Attendance in the 2015 MLS regular season increased 12.8% from the year before. FOX Sports’ 2015 viewer average of MLS games increased 38% from the 2014 NBCSN average of 142,000 to 196,545 viewers.[1] Simply put, more people are becoming interested in American soccer. New York Red Bulls season ticket holder Anna Hope Emerson ‘16 spoke about her newfound adoration for the MLS game: “I love watching the games with my family, which makes me really invested in how the [Red Bulls] are doing. It’s really easy to see the games in person which makes it way more interesting to watch – another reason why I will be following the MLS this year.”

With the recent increase in support, the MLS has also shown signs of maturation and development, enticing world-class players from European leagues to come test the waters in North America. While some may argue the majority of these players are past their prime playing days, it is undeniable that incredibly successful players such as former England Player of the Year Ashley Cole, 2010 World Cup finalist Nigel De Jong, legendary American goalkeeper Tim Howard, and many others will bring irreplaceable insight and experience to the MLS game and have an everlasting impact on the program. As passionate soccer player and fan Bryan Wilensky ‘16 added, “I enjoy the pace of MLS games and the fact that so many big names in soccer from around the world have joined the league in the past few years; both factors are indicative of the league’s rapid and exciting expansion.” With the competitiveness and intensity of the league amounting to the most in its approximately two decade history, expect an overall higher quality of play and even greater television ratings from the MLS in 2016.

The infusion of vibrant youth into the MLS system will also have an immediate impact on the league. Players such as 19-year-old ex-Virginia midfielder Derrick Ettiene and fellow 19-year-old English phenomenon Jack Harrison have high expectations set out for them and they will set examples for other American youth.

But the ultimate goal of an MLS season is to win the MLS Cup; it is the culmination of the league. With the incredible amount of talent in 2016, new and old, it is simply too early to comfortably predict an outright winner. But, let’s do it anyway, and start by taking a look at some of the best teams from last year.

The New York Red Bulls enter this campaign without the likes of Matt Miazga and Roy Miller, solid players whom the Red Bulls could rely on in tight matches. The majority of core players, however, have stayed in New York, and they have also added Ghanaian center back Gideon Baah to their already strong squad. But while the team will be competitive again this year, it does not seem like they will be lifting the silverware at the end of the season, as other teams have simply acquired more talent and experience, two attributes necessary to be successful in any league.

The Columbus Crew were MLS Cup Finalists last year, losing in a heartbreaking match to the Portland Timbers. The Crew has done some more business than New York in the transfer window, bringing in a few more players and letting go of a few more. Nonetheless, the face of this team remains the same. Players like Wil Trapp and Tony Tchani will likely rise up as outright leaders in the team, with invaluable guidance from veteran and captain Michael Parkhust, but it will not be enough to emerge triumphantly at the conclusion of the season.

The Portland Timbers, if they retain their title as MLS Cup Champions, will be the fourth repeat champion in the league’s history. The Timbers have, like the Crew and the Red Bulls, retained and built on a strong squad. New additions such as Jermaine Taylor look to force a way into the Timbers starting lineup – one already littered with stars like Darlington Nagbe and Diego Valeri. Portland will surely be a force to be reckoned with in 2016, but there is another team that I see with an even better shot at winning the Cup.

The league has a totally new face to it, and so does the Los Angeles Galaxy. This year LA welcomes world-class stars in the form of Nigel de Jong, Ashley Cole, and Belgian defender Jelle Van Damme. They also have ex-Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard fortifying the midfield and Mexican maestro Giovanni dos Santos to add jaw-dropping creative flair. Gyasi Zardes provides the blistering speed and agility that every team longs for on the flanks, and Irish veteran sharpshooter Robbie Keane caps off a very well rounded team by supplying the finishing touch as striker. The Galaxy have by far the most star-studded team in the MLS today, and perhaps in the league’s history. Besides having the potential for an absolutely rock solid defense, they have all the tools to tear opposition defenses apart. Once LA starts to gel and find their rhythm, it’s hard to see any other team knocking them off their perch.

The 2016 MLS season will surely be one to remember. With top teams attracting more and more top talents, intensity and competition will be at an all-time high. I know I’ll be watching. The question is, will you?

[1] http://worldsoccertalk.com/2015/10/27/fox-sports-and-espn-both-see-gains-in-mls-tv-viewership-compared-to-last-season/