Sons of Ben (MLS supporters association)
| Sons of Ben | |
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| Motto |
Ad Finem Fidelis (Latin: "Faithful to the end") |
| Team | Philadelphia Union |
| Location | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Established | 2007 |
| Membership | 2,750 paid (as of Dec 2011) |
| Leaders |
Bill Gusler (President) Jeffrey Mitchell (Vice-President) Danny Bauder (Membership) Gerry Hendrix (Travel) OPEN (Philanthropy Director) Mollie Suitch (Communications/Social Media) Matt Gendaszek (Tailgates) Ryan Bross (Tifo) |
| Website | sonsofben.com |
The Sons of Ben (SoBs) is an independent supporters group for Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer. The group was created in January 2007 by soccer fans from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and its greater metropolitan area, using such existing Major League Soccer fan clubs as the Screaming Eagles, La Barra Brava and Section 8 Chicago as models. The name of the club alludes to Benjamin Franklin, who was one of the most well-known Founding Fathers of the United States and a particularly iconic figure of Philadelphia.
Bryan James, Andrew Dillon, and David Flagler founded the Sons of Ben supporters club on January 17, 2007, the 301st anniversary of Benjamin Franklin's birthday. Philadelphia soccer fan Ethan Gomberg suggested the name. The Sons of Ben are the first Philadelphia Union supporters club, and use the Philadelphia civic colors of light blue and yellow as opposed to the darker shades officially used by the team. The Sons of Ben began during a flurry of rumors regarding Major League Soccer's negotiations with investors regarding a potential team in the Philadelphia region. As of 2009, the group has more than 4,500 members and ran a season ticket drive in 2007, attracting 2,800 requests. Both state and county governments have agreed to partially fund the Rivertown project along the banks of the Delaware River in Chester, Pennsylvania. This mixed-use development will be anchored by the 18,500-seat Talen Energy Stadium, located at the base of the Commodore Barry Bridge. On February 28, 2008, Philadelphia was confirmed to be the league's 16th team, meaning that their initial goal has been accomplished. The Sons of Ben refocused their efforts on the most important mission of any supporters club: supporting the local team. Union began play in 2010.
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