In 2007, Toronto FC joined Major League Soccer and for years, the club was competitively inconsequential. While supporters filled Toronto matches in droves, averaging over 20,000 per game, TFC spent the team’s first eight years of existence outside of the MLS Cup playoffs and failed to make any meaningful impact on the field.
In September of 2013, that began to change thanks to the hiring of a new general manager from Ohio, Tim Bezbatchenko and his signings. Now in his fourth season as the president and general manager of the Columbus Crew, Bezbatchenko has brought another marquee player to the Black & Gold.