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Posted: Apr 06, 2020 7:20 AMUpdated: Apr 06, 2020 8:33 AM
Today in Oklahoma Sports History - 4/6
Today Sports History with some Oklahoma tie-ins… On April 6, 1996, Major League Soccer played its first game in the United States.
The match was between the San Jose Clash and DC United in front of an overflow crowd of 31,683 at Spartan Stadium in San Jose.
The MLS still exists in a strong capacity today, with 28 cities represented.
Major League Soccer has the third-highest average attendance in professional sports in America. It is only behind the NFL and Major League Baseball and outdraws indoor sports in the NBA and NHL.
There were only 10-teams in the league for its first eight seasons. The MLS struggled financially until 2002 after the reemergence of soccer in America following the surprising finish from team USA in the World Cup quarterfinals.
There are a few Oklahoma ties both to the MLS and to professional soccer in general.
The "Tulsa Roughnecks" might historically be the state’s most successful professional sports franchise. Tulsa played in the North American Soccer League, which formed in 1968 and collapsed in 1984.
The Roughnecks played mostly at Skelly Field on campus at TU, the team existed from 1977-1984.
The Roughnecks moved from Hawaii to Tulsa in ’77 and won an NASL “Soccer Bowl” championship in 1980 against the Toronto Blizzard. The Roughnecks averaged nearly 20,000 fans-per-game during that 1980 season, much higher than the league average.
Oklahoma does not have an MLS team, but the OKC Energy FC and FC Tulsa both operate in the United Soccer League.
The passing of MAPS 4 in Oklahoma City last year looks like it could lead to a multipurpose outdoor stadium in OKC, many think this could lead to an MLS franchise in the future.
Currently, the Energy play at Taft Stadium in Oklahoma City. FC Tulsa plays at ONEOK Field downtown when the Tulsa Drillers are in the offseason.
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