2015 Major League Soccer season

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Major League Soccer
MLS crest logo RGB gradient.svg
Season2015
MLS CupPortland Timbers (1st title)
Supporters' ShieldNew York Red Bulls (2nd shield)
Champions League (United States)FC Dallas
New York Red Bulls
Portland Timbers
Sporting Kansas City
Champions League (Canada)Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Matches played340
Goals scored937 (2.76 per match)
Top goalscorerSebastian Giovinco
Kei Kamara
(22 goals each)
Best goalkeeperAdam Kwarasey
David Ousted
(13 shutouts each)
Biggest home win5 goals:
LA 5–0 POR
(Jun 24)
TOR 5–0 ORL
(Aug 22)
CLB 5–0 DC
(Oct 25)
Biggest away win5 goals:
SKC 0–5 SJ
(Aug 19)
Highest scoring10 goals:
DC 6–4 RSL
(Aug 1)
Longest winning run6 games:
New England Revolution
(Aug 1 – Sep 16)
Longest unbeaten run9 games:
New England Revolution
(Mar 21 – May 16)
Portland Timbers
(Oct 14 – Dec 6)
Longest winless run11 games:
New York City FC
(Mar 21 – May 30)
Longest losing run5 games:
New England Revolution
(Jun 21 – Jul 11)
Seattle Sounders FC
(Jul 11 – Aug 9)
Chicago Fire
(Sep 5 – Sep 26)
Highest attendance64,358
SEA 2–1 POR
(Aug 30)
Lowest attendance10,035
MTL 2–1 VAN
(Jun 3)
Total attendance7,335,053
Average attendance21,574
← 2014
2016 →

The 2015 Major League Soccer season featured 20 total clubs (17 based in the United States, 3 based in Canada). The regular season was held from March 6 through to October 25, whereas the MLS Cup Playoffs began on October 28 and ended with MLS Cup 2015 on December 6. The defending MLS Cup champions were the LA Galaxy, while Seattle Sounders FC were the defending Supporters' Shield winners.

It was the first season for expansion teams Orlando City SC and New York City FC, who both joined the Eastern Conference, while both the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City moved from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference. Chivas USA folded at the end of the 2014 season.

At the end of the regular season, the New York Red Bulls of the Eastern Conference won the Supporters' Shield, while the team on top of the Western Conference was FC Dallas. The Portland Timbers won their first MLS Cup, winning 2–1 at Columbus Crew SC.

Overview[]

The 2015 season began on Friday, March 6. The opening weekend saw an average attendance of 25,838 — buoyed by strong attendances in Orlando (62,510), and Seattle (39,782) — with seven of the weekend's ten matches selling out.[1] Additionally, MLS saw strong TV ratings on ESPN2 (539,000 viewers), Unimas (341,000 viewers), and Fox Sports 1 (289,000 and 278,500 viewers).[2]

Franchise changes[]

The 2015 MLS season featured the addition of two expansion teams, New York City FC and Orlando City SC. New York City FC became the second MLS team in the New York metropolitan area (joining the New Jersey-based New York Red Bulls), as well as the first based within New York City itself, as the team played its inaugural season at Yankee Stadium). Orlando was a new market for MLS, which returned to Florida for the first time since folding their Miami and Tampa Bay franchises before the 2002 season. The Lions' ownership previously owned Orlando's team that played in the league then known as USL Pro from 2010–2014; that team that relocated to Louisville for the 2015 season of the rebranded United Soccer League.

While MLS added two teams, one team closed down. Chivas USA, which had called the Los Angeles area home since 2005 and shared the StubHub Center with the LA Galaxy. Chivas had been owned by Mexican club, C.D. Guadalajara, who sold the club back to MLS in 2014. The league folded Chivas in October 2014, after the conclusion of the regular season, though it announced plans to add a second LA-area club, Los Angeles FC, in 2018.[3]

Realignment and playoffs[]

With the addition and subtraction of the above-mentioned teams, the 2015 season saw a realignment of MLS's Eastern and Western conferences: NYCFC and Orlando City joined the East, while Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City moved from the East to the West.[3]

Each team played 34 regular season matches: two or three against conference rivals and once against teams from the opposite conference. The regular season concluded with all teams playing at the same scheduled time, a league first.[4]

12 teams advanced to the MLS Cup Playoffs, up from 10 the previous 3 seasons. The top six teams per conference qualified. The first round per conference had the third-seed hosting the sixth-seed, and the fourth hosting the fifth. In the Conference Semifinals, the top seed played the lowest remaining seed and the second played the next-lowest.

Television[]

The 2015 season saw the launch of a new United States television and media rights deal with English-language ESPN and Fox Sports and Spanish-language Univision Deportes. The deal continues MLS's relationship with ESPN and Univision, while it reestablishes one with Fox Sports, whose Fox Soccer channel carried MLS games until 2011 (NBC Sports carried MLS broadcasts from 2012–2014). The deal, formally announced in May 2014, sees regular weekly game broadcasts on ESPN2 (Sunday afternoons) and Fox Sports 1 (Sunday evenings), as well as a regular Friday night match on UniMás and/or Univision Deportes Network. The networks will share coverage of the MLS Cup Playoffs, while ESPN and Fox will alternate English language carriage of the MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup championship match each year. The 2015 MLS all star game will be on Fox Sports, and MLS Cup 2015 will air on ESPN. As part of the deal, the networks also share coverage of the U.S. Soccer men's and women's national teams.[5]

The league reached a four-year agreement with Sky Sports to televise league matches live in the United Kingdom and Ireland. At least two regular season matches each week, the MLS All-Star Game, and every MLS Cup Playoff match was aired on the Sky family of networks.[6] MLS also reached a four-year agreement with Eurosport to air live matches in many other European countries.[7]

Teams[]

Stadiums and locations[]

Main article: List of Major League Soccer stadiums
Chicago Fire Colorado Rapids Columbus Crew D.C. United FC Dallas Houston Dynamo
Toyota Park Dick's Sporting Goods Park Mapfre Stadium RFK Memorial Stadium Toyota Stadium BBVA Compass Stadium
Capacity: 20,000 Capacity: 18,000 Capacity: 20,145 Capacity: 20,000 Capacity: 20,500 Capacity: 22,000
Toyota Park, 9 March 2013.jpg Dick's Park.jpg Columbus crew stadium mls allstars 2005.jpg Rfkstadium.png Pizza Hut Park.jpg BBVA Compass Stadium, Skyline View.JPG
LA Galaxy Montreal Impact
2015 Major League Soccer season is located in the United States
Fire
Fire
Rapids
Rapids
Crew
Crew
D.C. United
D.C. United
FC Dallas
FC Dallas
Dynamo
Dynamo
Galaxy
Galaxy
Impact
Impact
Revolution
Revolution
NYC FC
NYC FC
Red Bulls
Red Bulls
Orlando City SC
Orlando City SC
Union
Union
Timbers
Timbers
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Earthquakes
Earthquakes
Sounders FC
Sounders FC
Sporting KC
Sporting KC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Whitecaps FC
Whitecaps FC
Locations of teams for the 2015 Major League Soccer season
Blue pog.svg Eastern Conference; Orange pog.svg Western Conference
 New England Revolution New York City FC
StubHub Center Saputo Stadium Gillette Stadium Yankee Stadium
Capacity: 27,000 Capacity: 20,801 Capacity: 22,385 Capacity: 33,444
HomeDepotCenter1.jpg Stade Saputo.27.06.12.jpg Gillette Stadium.jpg Yankee Stadium NYCFC.JPG
New York Red Bulls Orlando City SC Philadelphia Union Portland Timbers
Red Bull Arena Citrus Bowl PPL Park Providence Park
Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 23,000 Capacity: 18,500 Capacity: 22,000
Red Bull Arena.JPG Citrus Bowl Orlando City.jpg PPL Park.JPG Jeldwenfield2011.png
Real Salt Lake San Jose Earthquakes Seattle Sounders FC Sporting Kansas City Toronto FC Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Rio Tinto Stadium Avaya Stadium CenturyLink Field Sporting Park BMO Field BC Place
Capacity: 20,000 Capacity: 18,000 Capacity: 39,115 Capacity: 18,500 Capacity: 30,991 Capacity: 21,000
0811 - Rio Tinto Stadium.jpg Avaya Stadium, 1-7-15.jpg Qwest seattle sounders pregame.jpg Sporting KC vs Houston Dynamo - 26 May 2013.JPG Toronto FC Anthems BMO.jpg BC Place 2011 Whitecaps.jpg

Personnel and sponsorship[]

Note: All teams use Adidas as kit manufacturer.

Team Head coach Captain Shirt sponsor
Chicago Fire Serbia Veljko Paunović United States Jeff Larentowicz Quaker
Colorado Rapids United States Pablo Mastroeni United States Drew Moor Transamerica
Columbus Crew United States Gregg Berhalter United States Michael Parkhurst Barbasol
D.C. United United States Ben Olsen United States Bobby Boswell Leidos
FC Dallas Colombia Óscar Pareja United States Matt Hedges AdvoCare
Houston Dynamo Republic of Ireland Owen Coyle United States Brad Davis BHP Billiton
LA Galaxy United States Bruce Arena Republic of Ireland Robbie Keane Herbalife
Montreal Impact Canada Mauro Biello Canada Patrice Bernier Bank of Montreal
New England Revolution United States Jay Heaps United States Jermaine Jones UnitedHealthcare
New York City FC United States Jason Kreis Spain David Villa Etihad Airways
New York Red Bulls United States Jesse Marsch United States Dax McCarty Red Bull
Orlando City SC England Adrian Heath Brazil Kaká Orlando Health
Philadelphia Union United States Jim Curtin United States Maurice Edu Bimbo
Portland Timbers United States Caleb Porter Canada Will Johnson Alaska Airlines
Real Salt Lake United States Jeff Cassar United States Kyle Beckerman LifeVantage
San Jose Earthquakes United States Dominic Kinnear United States Chris Wondolowski None
Seattle Sounders FC Germany Sigi Schmid United States Brad Evans Xbox
Sporting Kansas City United States Peter Vermes United States Matt Besler Ivy Funds
Toronto FC United States Greg Vanney United States Michael Bradley Bank of Montreal
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Wales Carl Robinson Chile Pedro Morales Bell Canada

Managerial changes[]

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
San Jose Earthquakes Canada Mark Watson Fired October 16, 2014[8] Preseason United States Dominic Kinnear October 16, 2014[9]
Houston Dynamo United States Dominic Kinnear Signed by San Jose Earthquakes October 16, 2014[9] Republic of Ireland Owen Coyle December 8, 2014[10]
New York Red Bulls United States Mike Petke Fired January 7, 2015[11] United States Jesse Marsch January 7, 2015[12]
Montreal Impact United States Frank Klopas Fired August 29, 2015[13] 7th in East,
17th overall 		Canada Mauro Biello (Interim) August 29, 2015[13]
Chicago Fire Canada Frank Yallop Fired September 20, 2015[14] 10th in East,
20th overall 		United States Brian Bliss (Interim) September 20, 2015[14]
New York City FC United States Jason Kreis Fired November 2, 2015[15] Postseason France Patrick Vieira November 9, 2015
Chicago Fire United States Brian Bliss End of interim November 24, 2015 Serbia Veljko Paunovic November 24, 2015[16]

Regular season[]

Conference tables[]

Eastern Conference[]

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
 Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 New York Red Bulls 34 18 10 6 62 43 +19 60 Conference Semifinals & 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League
2 Columbus Crew 34 15 11 8 58 53 +5 53 Conference Semifinals
3 Montreal Impact 34 15 13 6 48 44 +4 51 Knockout round
4 D.C. United 34 15 13 6 43 45 −2 51
5 New England Revolution 34 14 12 8 48 47 +1 50
6 Toronto FC 34 15 15 4 58 58 0 49
7 Orlando City SC 34 12 14 8 46 56 −10 44
8 New York City FC 34 10 17 7 49 58 −9 37
9 Philadelphia Union 34 10 17 7 42 55 −13 37
10 Chicago Fire 34 8 20 6 43 58 −15 30
Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) disciplinary points; 6) away goals scored; 7) away goal differential; 8) home goals scored; 9) home goal differential; 10) coin toss or drawing of lots

Western Conference[]

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
 Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 FC Dallas 34 18 10 6 52 39 +13 60 Conference Semifinals & 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League
2 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 34 16 13 5 45 36 +9 53 Conference Semifinals
3 Portland Timbers 34 15 11 8 41 39 +2 53 Knockout round
4 Seattle Sounders FC 34 15 13 6 44 36 +8 51
5 LA Galaxy 34 14 11 9 56 46 +10 51
6 Sporting Kansas City 34 14 11 9 48 45 +3 51
7 San Jose Earthquakes 34 13 13 8 41 39 +2 47
8 Houston Dynamo 34 11 14 9 42 49 −7 42
9 Real Salt Lake 34 11 15 8 38 48 −10 41
10 Colorado Rapids 34 9 15 10 33 43 −10 37
Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) disciplinary points; 6) away goals scored; 7) away goal differential; 8) home goals scored; 9) home goal differential; 10) coin toss or drawing of lots

Overall table[]

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
 Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification[a]
1 New York Red Bulls (X) 34 18 10 6 62 43 +19 60 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League
2 FC Dallas 34 18 10 6 52 39 +13 60
3 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 34 16 13 5 45 36 +9 53
4 Columbus Crew 34 15 11 8 58 53 +5 53
5 Portland Timbers (C) 34 15 11 8 41 39 +2 53 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League
6 Seattle Sounders FC 34 15 13 6 44 36 +8 51
7 Montreal Impact 34 15 13 6 48 44 +4 51
8 D.C. United 34 15 13 6 43 45 −2 51
9 LA Galaxy 34 14 11 9 56 46 +10 51
10 Sporting Kansas City 34 14 11 9 48 45 +3 51 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League
11 New England Revolution 34 14 12 8 48 47 +1 50
12 Toronto FC 34 15 15 4 58 58 0 49
13 San Jose Earthquakes 34 13 13 8 41 39 +2 47
14 Orlando City SC 34 12 14 8 46 56 −10 44
15 Houston Dynamo 34 11 14 9 42 49 −7 42
16 Real Salt Lake 34 11 15 8 38 48 −10 41
17 New York City FC 34 10 17 7 49 58 −9 37
18 Philadelphia Union 34 10 17 7 42 55 −13 37
19 Colorado Rapids 34 9 15 10 33 43 −10 37
20 Chicago Fire 34 8 20 6 43 58 −15 30
Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) disciplinary points; 6) away goals scored; 7) away goal differential; 8) home goals scored; 9) home goal differential; 10) coin toss or drawing of lots
(C) Champion; (X) Supporters' Shield winner
Notes:
  1. ^
    CONCACAF Champions League
    Selection Procedure
    • Four US-based teams qualify for the 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League:
      1. The winner of the MLS Cup 2015 (Portland Timbers);
      2. The winner of the Supporters' Shield (New York Red Bulls);
      3. The regular season conference champion that did not win the Supporters Shield (FC Dallas);
      4. The winner of the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (Sporting Kansas City)
      Each qualifier is placed in Pot 3, along with the four qualifiers from Mexico.
      One Canada-based team qualifies for the Champions League (NOTE: Canadian teams cannot qualify through MLS):
      1. The winner of the 2015 Canadian Championship (Vancouver Whitecaps)
      They are placed in Pot 2 along with two qualifiers each from Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras, and one qualifier each from Panama.

MLS Cup Playoffs[]

Main article: 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs
                                           
Knockout Round
  • v
  • t
 Conference Semifinals Conference Finals MLS Cup
October 29 – Stade Saputo              
E6  Toronto FC  0
E3  Montreal Impact  2  1  3
E3  Montreal Impact  3      
E2  Columbus Crew (a.e.t.)  1  3  4  
Eastern Conference
October 28 – RFK Stadium E2  Columbus Crew  2  0  2
 
  E1  New York Red Bulls  0  1  1  
E5  New England Revolution  1
E4  D.C. United  0  0  0
E4  D.C. United  2   December 6 – Mapfre Stadium
E1  New York Red Bulls  1  1  2  
 
October 29 – Providence Park E2  Columbus Crew  1
 
  W3  Portland Timbers  2
W6  Sporting Kansas City  2 (6)
W3  Portland Timbers  0  2  2
W3  Portland Timbers (p)  2 (7)      
W2  Vancouver Whitecaps FC  0  0  0  
Western Conference
October 28 – CenturyLink Field W3  Portland Timbers  3  2  5
 
  W1  FC Dallas  1  2  3  
W5  LA Galaxy  2
W4  Seattle Sounders FC  2  1  3 (2)
W4  Seattle Sounders FC  3  
W1  FC Dallas (p)  1  2  3 (4)  

Source: [17]

Attendance[]

See also: Major League Soccer attendance

Average home attendances[]

Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.[18]

Team GP Total High Low Average
Seattle Sounders FC 17 752,192 64,358 39,175 44,247
Orlando City SC 17 558,407 62,510 23,372 32,847
New York City FC 17 493,267 48,047 20,461 29,016
Toronto FC 17 398,671 30,266 16,382 23,451
LA Galaxy 17 397,668 27,000 13,391 23,392
Portland Timbers 17 359,418 21,144 21,144 21,144
San Jose Earthquakes 17 356,646 50,422 18,000 20,979
Houston Dynamo 17 351,187 22,651 16,018 20,658
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 17 348,624 22,500 18,083 20,507
Real Salt Lake 17 342,718 21,004 18,895 20,160
Sporting Kansas City 17 334,684 21,505 18,864 19,687
New York Red Bulls 17 334,172 25,219 12,540 19,657
New England Revolution 17 333,652 42,947 10,668 19,627
Montreal Impact 17 301,742 25,245 10,035 17,750
Philadelphia Union 17 296,674 18,883 15,374 17,451
Columbus Crew 17 288,747 22,719 10,302 16,985
D.C. United 17 276,152 21,517 11,218 16,244
FC Dallas 17 272,221 21,907 12,640 16,013
Chicago Fire 17 272,043 20,124 11,196 16,003
Colorado Rapids 17 266,168 18,597 10,439 15,657
Total 340 7,335,053 64,358 10,035 21,574

Highest attendances[]

Regular season

Rank Home team Score Away team Attendance Date Stadium
1 Seattle Sounders FC 2–1 Portland Timbers 64,358 August 30, 2015 (2015-08-30) CenturyLink Field
2 Orlando City SC 1–1 New York City FC 62,510 March 8, 2015 (2015-03-08) Citrus Bowl
3 Seattle Sounders FC 1–1 LA Galaxy 56,097 October 4, 2015 (2015-10-04) CenturyLink Field
4 Seattle Sounders FC 3–1 Real Salt Lake 55,435 October 25, 2015 (2015-10-25) CenturyLink Field
5 Seattle Sounders FC 0–3 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 53,125 August 2, 2015 (2015-08-02) CenturyLink Field
6 San Jose Earthquakes 3–1 LA Galaxy 50,422 June 27, 2015 (2015-06-27) Stanford Stadium
7 New York City FC 1–3 New York Red Bulls 48,047 June 28, 2015 (2015-06-28) Yankee Stadium
8 New York City FC 2–0 New England Revolution 43,507 March 15, 2015 (2015-03-15) Yankee Stadium
9 Orlando City SC 2–1 New York City FC 43,179 October 16, 2015 (2015-10-16) Citrus Bowl
10 New England Revolution 0–1 Montreal Impact 42,947 October 17, 2015 (2015-10-17) Gillette Stadium

Updated to games played on October 25, 2015. Source: MLS Soccer

Statistics[]

See also: Major League Soccer § Player records

Awards[]

Monthly awards[]

MLS Player of the Month
Month Player Club Stats Ref
March Uruguay Octavio Rivero Vancouver Whitecaps FC 3G, 0A [22]
April United States Benny Feilhaber Sporting Kansas City 2G, 3A [23]
May Hungary Krisztián Németh Sporting Kansas City 3G, 2A [24]
June Denmark David Ousted Vancouver Whitecaps FC 30SV, 4GA [25]
July Italy Sebastian Giovinco Toronto FC 5G, 3A [26]
August Italy Sebastian Giovinco Toronto FC 4G, 3A [27]
September Ivory Coast Didier Drogba Montreal Impact 7G, 1A [28]
October Ivory Coast Didier Drogba Montreal Impact 4G, 0A [29]

Weekly awards[]

Week MLS Player of the Week Goal of the Week MLS Save of the Week
Player Club Player Club Player Club
Week 1 United States Jozy Altidore Toronto FC United States Clint Dempsey Seattle Sounders FC United States Nick Rimando Real Salt Lake
Week 2 Spain David Villa New York City FC Switzerland Innocent Emeghara San Jose Earthquakes United States Tyler Deric Houston Dynamo
Week 3 England Bradley Wright-Phillips New York Red Bulls Uruguay Octavio Rivero Vancouver Whitecaps FC United States Tyler Deric Houston Dynamo
Week 4 United States Kelyn Rowe New England Revolution United States Jack McInerney Montreal Impact United States Tyler Deric Houston Dynamo
Week 5 Scotland Shaun Maloney Chicago Fire Argentina Javier Morales Real Salt Lake United States Brek Shea Orlando City SC
Week 6 Panama Jaime Penedo LA Galaxy United States Dillon Serna Colorado Rapids United States Nick Rimando Real Salt Lake
Week 7 Colombia Fabián Castillo FC Dallas Nigeria Obafemi Martins Seattle Sounders FC Ghana Adam Kwarasey Portland Timbers
Week 8 United States Ethan Finlay Columbus Crew SC United States Benny Feilhaber Sporting Kansas City United States Jeff Attinella Real Salt Lake
Week 9 Colombia Fabián Castillo FC Dallas Nigeria Obafemi Martins Seattle Sounders FC Switzerland Stefan Frei Seattle Sounders FC
Week 10 England Bradley Wright-Phillips New York Red Bulls Argentina Diego Valeri Portland Timbers Denmark David Ousted Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Week 11 United States Chad Barrett Seattle Sounders FC United States Devon Sandoval Real Salt Lake United States Steve Clark Columbus Crew SC
Week 12 Sierra Leone Kei Kamara Columbus Crew SC England Dom Dwyer Sporting Kansas City United States Evan Bush Montreal Impact
Week 13 Italy Sebastian Giovinco Toronto FC Guatemala Marco Pappa Seattle Sounders FC Switzerland Stefan Frei Seattle Sounders FC
Week 14 Italy Sebastian Giovinco Toronto FC United States Thomas McNamara New York City FC United States Andrew Dykstra D.C. United
Week 15 Spain David Villa New York City FC Uruguay Diego Fagúndez New England Revolution Switzerland Stefan Frei Seattle Sounders FC
Week 16 United States Gyasi Zardes LA Galaxy Argentina Matías Pérez García San Jose Earthquakes Denmark David Ousted Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Week 17 Nigeria Fanendo Adi Portland Timbers Colombia Olmes Garcia Real Salt Lake Denmark David Ousted Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Week 18 Republic of Ireland Robbie Keane LA Galaxy England Tyrone Mears Seattle Sounders FC Denmark David Ousted Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Week 19 Italy Sebastian Giovinco Toronto FC Italy Marco Donadel Montreal Impact United States Evan Bush Montreal Impact
Week 20 Republic of Ireland Robbie Keane LA Galaxy Argentina Javier Morales Real Salt Lake United States Tyler Deric Houston Dynamo
Week 21 Canada Cyle Larin Orlando City SC United States Benny Feilhaber Sporting Kansas City United States Jeff Attinella Real Salt Lake
Week 22 Norway Pa Modou Kah Vancouver Whitecaps FC United States Taylor Kemp D.C. United United States Jeff Attinella Real Salt Lake
Week 23 Sierra Leone Kei Kamara Columbus Crew SC Italy Sebastian Giovinco Toronto FC United States Luis Robles New York Red Bulls
Week 24 Brazil Paulo Nagamura Sporting Kansas City Nigeria Obafemi Martins Seattle Sounders FC Ghana Adam Kwarasey Portland Timbers
Week 25 Republic of Ireland Robbie Keane LA Galaxy Uruguay Cristian Techera Vancouver Whitecaps FC Switzerland Stefan Frei Seattle Sounders FC
Week 26 England Bradley Wright-Phillips New York Red Bulls England Bradley Wright-Phillips New York Red Bulls Switzerland Stefan Frei Seattle Sounders FC
Week 27 Ivory Coast Didier Drogba Montreal Impact Ivory Coast Didier Drogba Montreal Impact Switzerland Stefan Frei Seattle Sounders FC
Week 28 Sierra Leone Kei Kamara Columbus Crew SC Hungary Krisztián Németh Sporting Kansas City United States Nick Rimando Real Salt Lake
Week 29 United States Benny Feilhaber Sporting Kansas City Mexico Gonzalo Pineda Seattle Sounders FC United States Luis Robles New York Red Bulls
Week 30 Ivory Coast Didier Drogba Montreal Impact Ivory Coast Didier Drogba Montreal Impact United States Nick Rimando Real Salt Lake
Week 31 United States Tim Melia Sporting Kansas City Hungary Krisztián Németh Sporting Kansas City United States Luis Robles New York Red Bulls
Week 32 None awarded[30]
Week 33 Nigeria Fanendo Adi Portland Timbers Argentina Ignacio Piatti Montreal Impact United States Luis Robles New York Red Bulls
Week 34 Liberia Darlington Nagbe Portland Timbers Liberia Darlington Nagbe Portland Timbers United States Evan Bush Montreal Impact

Scoring[]

  • First goal of the season: Jose Villarreal for LA Galaxy against Chicago Fire, 65 minutes (March 6, 2015)

Discipline[]

  • First yellow card of the season: Shaun Maloney for Chicago Fire against LA Galaxy, 22 minutes (March 6, 2015)
  • First red card of the season: Bobby Burling for Colorado Rapids against Philadelphia Union, 68 minutes (March 7, 2015) - Second yellow card
  • First straight red card of the season: Aurélien Collin for Orlando City SC against New York City FC, 83 minutes (March 8, 2015)

End-of-season awards[]

Award [31] Player/Club
Most Valuable Player Sebastian Giovinco[32]
Defender of the Year Laurent Ciman[33]
Goalkeeper of the Year Luis Robles[34]
Coach of the Year Jesse Marsch[35]
Rookie of the Year Cyle Larin[36]
Newcomer of the Year Sebastian Giovinco[37]
Comeback Player of the Year Tim Melia[38]
Golden Boot Sebastian Giovinco[39]
Fair Play Player Award Darlington Nagbe[40]
Fair Play Team Award Philadelphia Union[40]
Humanitarian of the Year Kei Kamara[41]
Referee of the Year Alan Kelly[42]
Assistant Referee of the Year Corey Parker[42]
Goal of the Year Krisztián Németh[43]
Save of the Year Adam Larsen Kwarasey[44]

MLS Best XI[]

Year Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards
2015 United States Luis Robles, Red Bulls Belgium Laurent Ciman, Montreal
United States Matt Hedges, Dallas
Costa Rica Kendall Waston, Vancouver 		United States Ethan Finlay, Columbus
United States Dax McCarty, Red Bulls
United States Benny Feilhaber, Sporting KC
Colombia Fabian Castillo, Dallas 		Italy Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto
Sierra Leone Kei Kamara, Columbus
Republic of Ireland Robbie Keane, LA Galaxy

Source:[45]

Player transfers[]

Allocation ranking[]

The allocation ranking was the mechanism used to determine which MLS club has first priority to acquire a U.S. National Team player who signs with MLS after playing abroad, or a former MLS player who returns to the league after having gone to a club abroad for a transfer fee.

MLS streamlined the allocation mechanism in the middle of 2015 season. Effective on May 1, 2015, the allocation ranking is the mechanism used to determine which MLS club has first priority to acquire a player who is in MLS allocation list.[46] MLS allocation list contains select U.S. National Team players and players transferred outside of MLS garnering a transfer fee of at least $500,000. The allocations will be ranked in reverse order of finish for the 2014 season, taking playoff performance into account.[47]

Once the club uses its allocation ranking to acquire a player, it drops to the bottom of the list. A ranking can be traded provided that part of the compensation received in return is another club's ranking. At all times each club is assigned one ranking. The rankings reset at the end of each MLS season.

Original
Ranking 		Final
Ranking 		Club Date Allocation Used
(Rank on that date) 		Player Signed Previous Club Ref
20 1 LA Galaxydagger [48]
6 2 Chicago Fire
7 3 Houston Dynamo
9 4 Philadelphia Union
10 5 Portland Timbers
11 6 Sporting Kansas City
12 7 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
13 8 Columbus Crew SC
14 9 FC Dallas
15 10 Real Salt Lake
3 11 Montreal Impactdouble-dagger [49]
18 12 Seattle Sounders FC
19 13 New England Revolution
5 14 Colorado Rapidsdagger [48]
1 15 New York City FC January 13, 2015 (1) United States Mix Diskerud Norway Rosenborg [50]
8 16 Toronto FC January 16, 2015 (6) United States Jozy Altidore England Sunderland [51]
17 17 New York Red Bullsdouble-dagger January 28, 2015 (1) United States Sacha Kljestan Belgium Anderlecht [49][52]
2 18 Orlando City SC♯ December 19, 2014 (2) United States Brek Shea England Stoke City [53]
February 2, 2015 (17) United States Eric Avila Mexico Santos Laguna [54][55]
16 19 D.C. United February 10, 2015 (12) United States Michael Farfan Mexico Cruz Azul [56]
4 20 San Jose Earthquakes July 17, 2015 (1) United States Marc Pelosi England Liverpool U-21 [57]

daggerOn January 15, 2015, LA Galaxy acquired the then-number 3 allocation ranking (original ranking number 5) and allocation money from Colorado Rapids in exchange for the then-number 18 allocation ranking (original ranking number 20), Marcelo Sarvas, and an international roster slot.

double-daggerOn January 27, 2015, New York Red Bulls acquired the then-number 1 allocation ranking (original ranking number 3) and Felipe from Montreal Impact in exchange for the then-number 14 allocation ranking (original ranking number 17), Ambroise Oyongo, Eric Alexander, allocation money, and an international roster slot for the 2015 season.

♯ On December 19, 2014, Orlando used its original ranking to acquire Shea.[58] Orlando used their allocation a second time when 16 teams passed and they picked Avila with the then-number 17 allocation ranking.

Coaches[]

Eastern Conference[]

  • Chicago Fire: Frank Yallop
  • Columbus Crew SC: Gregg Berhalter
  • D.C. United: Ben Olsen
  • Montreal Impact: Mauro Biello
  • New England Revolution: Jay Heaps
  • New York City FC: Patrick Vieira
  • New York Red Bulls: Jesse Marsch
  • Orlando City SC: Jason Kreis
  • Philadelphia Union: Jim Curtin
  • Toronto FC: Greg Vanney

Western Conference[]

  • Colorado Rapids: Pablo Mastroeni
  • FC Dallas: Óscar Pareja
  • Houston Dynamo: Owen Coyle
  • Los Angeles Galaxy: Bruce Arena
  • Portland Timbers: Caleb Porter
  • Real Salt Lake: Jeff Cassar
  • San Jose Earthquakes: Dominic Kinnear
  • Seattle Sounders FC: Sigi Schmid and Brian Schmetzer
  • Sporting Kansas City: Peter Vermes
  • Vancouver Whitecaps FC: Carl Robinson

References[]

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External links[]

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