Philadelphia Union: Tickets, Rivalries, and History
Philadelphia Union single game tickets for the 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs are now available for purchase from the official Philadelphia Union website. Playoff games in Philly are a special experience, with fans packing Subaru Park with their energy and voices, creating an electric atmosphere for soccer matches.
In other news, Philadelphia Union midfielder José Martinez recently won the AT&T 5G Goal of the Matchday award for Matchday 20, earning 71.8% of the fan vote for his spectacular long-range blast.
The Union has several rivals in MLS, including the New York Red Bulls and D.C. United. There are also rivalries created through merit and respect, such as the one between Philadelphia Union and LAFC. LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington detailed that “The LA Galaxy rivalry will always be there, and it was always going to be a rivalry for us,” “But I think what this rivalry brings with Philly, it is more of that organic growth. It happened not just because of the places in the standings and what have you, but also you have these moments culminating in MLS Cup [2022] and in years past where we’ve had great battles against them. I’m sure, despite the fact the competition is different, it’s a high-stakes game. We’re really looking forward to the test that Philly presents to our group.”
Soccer has a rich history in Philadelphia, with the first game played under proper rules taking place on March 19, 1881. The sport was largely played by British immigrants in its early days and grew in popularity to the point where a professional league was formed in 1894. In its beginnings, soccer in Philadelphia was largely played by British immigrants employed in the city’s textile industry, particularly in neighborhoods such as Kensington, Frankford, Port Richmond, and Tacony. Early teams formed in association with ethnic, social or athletic clubs, some of which were workplace-based. Philadelphia’s first organized league, the Pennsylvania Association Football Union (PAFU), formed in 1889 and included teams from Philadelphia, Chester and Eddystone.
By 1894, soccer had grown in popularity to the point where it seemed that a professional league would be a viable option. In August of 1894, six representatives of National League baseball clubs met in New York to announce the formation of the American League of Professional Football. A.A. Irwin, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team, was named league president and Philadelphia was granted a charter franchise.
Some of the top Philadelphia Union players have recognizable names like Freddy Adu and Conor Casey who have helped raise the profile of the Union in Major League Soccer while other talented players like defender Maurice Edu and goalie Andre Blake might have flown under the radar while establishing themselves among the class of the Philadelphia Union franchise. Alejandro Bedoya who joined Union from Ligue 1 club Nantes back in 2016 has become a leader of the dressing room with his experience.
The current president of the Philadelphia Union based on MLS news is Tim McDermott who joined as Chief Business Officer on Jan. 27, 2016 and oversees all of the club’s business operations including its MLS NEXT Pro team Philadelphia Union II which played its inaugural game in 2016 as well as the Philadelphia Union Academy. In 2019 McDermott became Union President. Jay Sugarman is the Chairman and Majority Owner of the Philadelphia Union and Union Sports & Entertainment. He is also the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of iStar, a leading commercial real estate company in the United States, and the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Safehold, one of the fastest-growing REITs since its IPO in 20171.
Philadelphia union tickets price can vary by game with prices changing based on venue opponent or competition. Expect higher ticket prices for rivalry games against teams like D.C. United. Philadelphia Union regular season tickets average around $40 with cheap tickets for general admission seats found around $25 while premium tickets can be over $68. During MLS Cup ticket prices become more expensive with first-round prices averaging around $70 and tickets becoming more expensive as the tournament is played.
You can purchase tickets from the official Philadelphia Union website or from other ticketing websites such as SeatGeek.
The Philadelphia Union plays their home games at Subaru Park located on the banks of Delaware River in Chester PA with an address of 1 Stadium Dr Chester PA 19013.
The head coach of Philadelphia Union is Jim Curtin who is a native of Oreland PA while assistant coaches are Frank Leicht and Ryan Richter with Phil Wheddon serving as Director of Goalkeeping.
The Union competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of Eastern Conference having been founded on February 28 2008 before beginning play as an expansion team in 2010.