With the Colorado Rapids currently sporting the league’s best record, the MLS All-Star game could consist of Kroenke versus Kroenke, as the MLS team will be playing against the Premier League’s Arsenal — owned by Stan Kroenke.
The fan voting for the All-Star team opened today at 12 p.m. MT, and fans will have a chance to vote in 10 players. Altogether, the team will total 32 players. MLS Commissioner Don Garber also gets to hand select two players, and the MLS All-Star Game coach gets to select the rest of the game day roster from players who received votes from at least two other players.
Stan Kroenke is a renowned name in Colorado, owning the Nuggets, Mammoth, Avalanche, Rapids and Arsenal. This creates an interesting situation where Kroenke’s Rapids, currently first in the MLS standings, could see several of their players on the All-Star team against Kroenke’s Arsenal.
Although the Rapids and Arsenal have no affiliation other than ownership, this could be a good way for Kroenke to see how his players in the MLS stack up against Premier League talent.
The first name that comes to mind is Jermaine Jones, who was added to the Rapids squad over the offseason. Ever since Jones came onto the scene, the Rapids have looked much more enthused and full of life. Jones is also one of the most well-known players in the league, having been on the U.S. National team since 2009.
A player who has yet to play for the Rapids is Tim Howard; he will be able to join the team in July, when the transfer window opens. Although he has not played a game for the Rapids, he is a fan favorite of many Americans, as he has spent many years playing for the U.S. National team, and could possibly sneak onto the team on name recognition alone.
There is a player who has had a big impact for the Rapids, which is Shkelzen Gashi. Gashi has been key to many of the Rapids goals, where he sends in perfect balls from free kicks and corner kicks.
There are a few other players who could see their name on the all-star roster. These include: Kevin Doyle, Marco Pappa, Luis Solignac, Sam Cronin, Mekeil Williams and Eric Miller.