Major League Soccer has officially become the third most attended sport in the United States, passing the NBA and NHL.

The MLS now only trails the MLB and NFL in average attendance.

Average attendance in the MLS now stands at 17,872 people per a match, a drastic increase from the league low point of 13,766 in 2000. Attendance has not been this high since the MLS had its inaugural season in 1996.

“The MLS is certainly gaining traction, theres an energy about it now, you did not see it three or four years ago but now theres always a game on television and the game is spreading at a rapid rate,” commented sophomore John Russell.

[media-credit name=”Creative Commons ” align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]Becoming the third most attended sport in America is a testament to how much the league has grown and changed in the recent years. The MLS now possesses 19 teams in two leagues and the league is expanding at a rapid rate. It has now added three teams in the last two years, with Vancouver, Portland, and Montreal now boasting new franchises.

The days of the MLS sharing vast stadiums with NFL teams are gone, 13 of the 19 teams now have cozy tailor made soccer stadiums that create a much more enjoyable atmosphere than the daunting football stadiums with rows upon rows of empty seats.

The San Jose Earthquakes and Montreal Impact are expecting to move into new stadiums of their own in the coming years.

“I think its a really great idea for the Earthquakes to finally get their own stadium, because they have come so far and they finally have put together a winning formula on and off the field,” said season ticket holder Jordan Kiss.

The quality of play has also greatly increased. The MLS is now host to a magnitude of bonafide superstars, David Beckham, a midfielder on the Los Angeles Galaxy is a world icon and Theirry Henry is one of the greatest strikers to ever play the game.

If there is one thing to take away from the MLS’s growth and the ability to gain loyal supporters allover the country, it’s this: soccer has arrived in America and it’s only getting started.