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Soccer City embraces MLS All-Star game

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Legend has it that Portland laid claim to the title “Soccer City USA” back in 1975 when the Timbers played their first NASL season. The nickname was later captured on an expansive banner displayed during a visit by Pele.

Nearly 40 years later, the city is primed to solidify the moniker it hosts Major League Soccer’s All-Star game. The match Wednesday night will pit MLS players from across the league against Bundesliga power Bayern Munich.

Portland’s affection for the Beautiful Game has grown in the last four decades — pushed also by the success of the University of Portland’s soccer program — but it has exploded since the Timbers made the jump to MLS in 2011.

“All I know is that once the flame started, it kept building and building,” Timbers owner Merritt Paulson said, joking that he has given up trying to explain the phenomenon. “It’s something unique in and of itself, and bar none one of the best professional sports atmospheres, I believe, in North America. And the most authentic.”

In awarding Portland and Vancouver franchises, MLS wisely capitalized on the ready-made three-way Cascadia Cup rivalry with the Seattle Sounders that stemmed from the North American Soccer League days. Early supporters passed their love of the teams to the next generation, creating a burgeoning fan base.

But the league never could have anticipated the surge that resulted in the game’s popularity in the Pacific Northwest, with young urbanites jumping aboard and lending a kind of hipster-cool vibe to being a supporter.

The Timbers also tapped into the city’s fierce civic pride, a hallmark of the Portland Trail Blazers’ fan base since the team won the NBA championship in 1977.

The result? The Timbers have 10,000 fans on the waiting list to buy season tickets. Portland has sold out 62 regular-season matches — all of its home games since joining MLS.

“Honestly, the people here love to come out at support their town and their team,” said John Nyen, a Timbers supporter and a freelance writer who has covered the team. “It doesn’t surprise me at all that people would embrace the Timbers like they have.”

So even though Providence Park is more intimate with room for just about 20,000 fans, the decision to bring the All-Star game to soccer-crazy Portland was understandable. The match has long been a sellout and secondary market tickets were going for as much as $1,500.

Even the free tickets for Monday night’s homegrown game have all been claimed.

“One of the great stories in Major League Soccer over the last number of years has been the enormous fan passion, civic support and stadium atmosphere in Portland,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said earlier this year. “We look forward to showcasing this phenomenon to the rest of the world.”

There’s good reason for MLS to promote the success that Portland has had.

Major League Soccer is in the midst of its 19th season. While the league has shown steady growth — it is preparing to expand to 24 teams in the coming years — it remains somewhat of a feeder league with young American prodigies still leaving for the fame and lucrative contracts offered in Europe.

But there are signs of a shift, including the return of such stars as Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley, new television contracts and the interest generated by the success of the men’s national team at the World Cup this summer.

Dempsey, who plays for the Sounders, and Bradley, a midfielder for Toronto FC, are among the players on the MLS All-Star team. Other players from the U.S. World Cup team on the All-Star roster include Kyle Beckerman of Real Salt Lake and Graham Zusi of Sporting Kansas City.

L.A. Galaxy forward Landon Donovan, left off the World Cup roster, is making his record 14th All-Star appearance. The Timbers will be represented by Will Johnson and Diego Valeri.

Bayern Munich also is looking to expand its U.S. fan base with the exhibition against the MLS All-Stars. The team has set up a New York office aimed at marketing Bundesliga champions in this country.

The team, which has not visited the United States in a decade, also played an exhibition against Chivas Guadalajara last week at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.

Bayern Munich, which won five titles last year, features six players on its travel roster from the World Cup champion German national team.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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