By William Muawad ’17 | Staff Writer

According to mlssoccer.com, Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber recently announced that the league plans to grow to 28 teams and named Detroit as a city of interest. To help get a MLS team in Detroit, Detroit Pistons owner, Tom Gores, and Cleveland Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert, have teamed up as an investor group.

I absolutely love this idea of having a professional soccer team in the great city of Detroit. As an avid soccer fan, I can say that I would be at almost every game enjoying myself. It would be amazing if the team could be downtown in a brand new, top of the line stadium. There could possibly be four professional sports teams downtown, and if the Pistons moved downtown, all five pro sports in Detroit would be downtown. I think the addition of an MLS team downtown would further help the rebirth of Detroit because it would get people even more people downtown to watch games and spend money, further helping the city and its economy.

Detroit and its people are so ready for a professional soccer team. Right now Detroit has a semi-pro soccer team, called Detroit City FC, which plays in Hamtramck. I went to a game of theirs last weekend, and it was one of the best soccer experiences I have ever had. The most passionate fans, called the supporters, had their own section in the stadium which is where I sat. For the whole game, there was non-stop chanting, clapping, and yelling, plus smoke bombs were lit off every few minutes, leading to a smoky haze over the field. The fans support was amazing. There was over 4,400 people in attendance at the semi-pro soccer game! Just imagine if there was a professional team downtown near Ford Field, Comerica Park, and the new Red Wings stadium. It would be insane! I wouldn’t be surprised if the games were sold out more times than not each year. It will take a few years for the team to get good and establishing a real fan base, but once that happens, I think Detroit has the potential to have one of the best fan bases in all of MLS.

The passion and love of soccer that I felt from the fans at the Detroit City FC game really showed me just how passionate the people of the Detroit area are for soccer. I anticipate that if a MLS team comes to Detroit, we will gulp them up and support and love them, like we do all the rest of our sports teams. Detroit is a city centered around its love for sports, and I think an addition of a pro soccer team wouldn’t change that, it would strengthen it.