<P> Philadelphia has had only brief experiences with top - level hockey aside from the Flyers . The Philadelphia Quakers were a National Hockey League team that played only one full season, 1930--31, at the Philadelphia Arena . The franchise, which had moved from Pittsburgh, folded after its only season in Philadelphia, during which the club set a record for the lowest winning percentage and the longest losing streak in league history--records which stood for over forty years . The Quakers were one of several NHL teams that folded in the 1930s, leaving the NHL with just six teams between 1942 and the 1967 expansion that brought the NHL to Philadelphia and five other American cities . Len Peto attempted to bring the Montreal Maroons to Philadelphia in the 1940s, but the lack of both league support and a suitable arena prevented the Maroons from playing in Philadelphia . The Philadelphia Blazers played for one season in the World Hockey Association, a league that attempted to challenge the NHL's supremacy, using a rink constructed in Convention Hall at the Civic Center (later used by the Philadelphia Firebirds of the North American Hockey League and the American Hockey League). After the 1972--1973 season, the Blazers moved to Vancouver and then Calgary, but the franchise folded in 1977 . Another World Hockey Association franchise, the Jersey Knights, moved in November 1973 to the Cherry Hill Arena in Cherry Hill, New Jersey and then relocated to San Diego before the start of the 1974 - 75 season . </P> <P> The Philadelphia Union is a Major League Soccer team that plays in the Eastern Conference . The franchise began play in 2010 . The Union play at Talen Energy Stadium, a soccer - specific stadium located in Chester, Pennsylvania . The Sons of Ben is an independent supporters group that helped bring the Union to the Philadelphia area, and which continues to support the Union . The Union's top affiliate is Bethlehem Steel FC, named in tribute to the early 20th century soccer powerhouse . Bethlehem Steel began play in 2015; the team is a member of the United Soccer League and plays in Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania . The Union has made the playoffs only twice, in 2011 and in 2016 . However, it has also reached the U.S. Open Cup final twice, in 2014 and 2015, losing both games at home (in overtime in 2014 to Seattle and after penalty kicks in 2015 to Kansas City). </P> <P> The original Bethlehem Steel F.C. was one of the most successful early American soccer clubs; the club was sponsored by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation and played from 1907--1930 . The club won league championships in two semi-professional leagues, the AAFBA and the NAFBL . For the inaugural 1921 - 1922 season of the professional American Soccer League, Bethlehem Steel F.C. moved to Philadelphia and competed as the Philadelphia Field Club . The team won the first American Soccer League championship, but moved back to Bethlehem and reverted to its original name . Three other franchises also competed as the Philadelphia Field Club, giving Philadelphia continuous representation in the ASL between 1921 and 1929 (although the second incarnation of Philadelphia Field Club changed its name to the Philadelphia Celtic for one season). During the 1924 - 1925 season, Fleisher Yarn joined the ASL, giving Philadelphia two teams . Excluding the first incarnation of the Philadelphia Field Club, the Philadelphia ASL teams experienced little success . The ASL was one of the most popular sports leagues in the country before it dissolved due to the onset of the Great Depression and disagreements with the United States Football Association and FIFA . After returning to Bethlehem, Bethlehem Steel F.C. won a second ASL championship in 1927, and then played in the Eastern Professional Soccer League from 1928 to 1929, winning the league championship in both seasons . The EPSL and ASL merged after the 1929 season, but Bethlehem Steel FC folded in 1930 and the ASL collapsed in 1933 . Bethlehem Steel F.C. won the US Open Cup five times, which remains a record (shared with Maccabi Los Angeles). The club also won the American Cup six times . Hall of Fame Bethlehem Steel players include Jock Ferguson, Robert Millar, Harry Ratican, Tommy Fleming, and Archie Stark, whose international record of 70 goals in one season stood for 87 years before it was broken by Lionel Messi in 2012 . In 2013, the Philadelphia Union unveiled a third uniform that pays homage to Bethlehem Steel F.C. </P> <P> Following the collapse of the ASL, soccer in the United States declined in popularity and the country lacked a major professional soccer league . In 1967, two major soccer leagues, the National Professional Soccer League and the United Soccer Association, both began play . The Philadelphia Spartans, owned by Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney, played at Temple Stadium for the NPSL's lone season . After one season, the NPSL merged with the USA to form the FIFA - backed North American Soccer League; the Spartans did not make the jump to the NASL, but two different franchises later represented Philadelphia . The Philadelphia Atoms played from 1973 to 1976, winning the championship in their inaugural season . The Atoms folded after the 1976 season, having been bought by Mexican owners whose plans to move the team to San Antonio were not approved by the league . The Philadelphia Fury played from 1978 to 1980, but were bought by Molson Brewery and moved to Montreal to become the Manic . The Atoms and the Fury both played at Veterans Stadium, though the Atoms played their final season in Philadelphia at Franklin Field . The NASL folded in 1984, leaving the United States without a top - level soccer league until Major League Soccer began play in 1996 . </P>

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