NEW YORK RED BULLS

New York Red Bulls

The New York Red Bulls are a professional soccer team in Major League Soccer based in New Jersey, USA. The team plays their home games at Giants Stadium, which will be closed and demolished in 2010 when the New Meadowland Stadium opens. They have planned to move to a new soccer-specific stadium, the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. The new stadium is expected to be open in 2009 with a 25,000 seating capacity. Currently, the New York Red Bulls training facilities are located at Giants Stadium. During the team's first season, the MetroStars had solid black or solid white jerseys and during all other seasons, the home jerseys had red and black vertical stripes.

The team was originally known as the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, after which the NY/NJ part of the name was slowly phased out and then dropped altogether when the Austrian energy drink Red Bull purchased the team on March 9, 2006. Though this decision was the Austrian beverage company's first foray into the U.S. major league, it was not their first into the sport. The company is merely expanding its interest in a process that began with last year's purchase of Austria's team, now Red Bull Salzburg. The team reached three semifinals (1997, 1998, 2000), before finally reaching their first final in 2003, losing 1-0 to the Chicago Fire. In fact, the MetroStars became the first (and at this point, only) MLS team to win a trophy outside of North American soil, a 2004 victory in La Manga Cup. In 2006, the former MetroStars were renamed as the New York Red Bulls including their colors, and logo.

The Empire Supporters Club is the Red Bull’s oldest supporters group, which was created before the team's inception and is still very popular. In the 2005 season, there was another popular supporters group called Raging Bull Nation formerly known as MetroNation, a non-profit corporation well-known for its charitable endeavors. John "Johnny Metro" Russo, a member of MetroNation named as the 2004 MetroStars Fan of the Year. It has become a tradition for all newly signed MetroStars players to sign Johnny Metro's shaved head. The team still continues to strengthen their campaign in Major League Soccer by having training camps, talent scouting, and friendly matches.

Some soccer fans have registered their disdain for the Red Bull name, not dissimilar to the situation in Austria, where Red Bull bought SV Austria Salzburg and renamed it Red Bull Salzburg. They were disappointed with the loss of the Metro identity, others found fault in corporate branding, or with labeling the franchise as New York, when it plays and is headquartered in New Jersey. But there were also several fans whom have accepted the change, in light of the MetroStars' lack of success on the field, and waning support in the stands.

For more information please visit: www.newyorkredbulls.com

Long Island Sports