MLS opened up its 20th season on Friday night with Fire-Galaxy at StubHub Center, where a sellout crowd of 27,000 was on hand as the reigning champion Galaxy won 2-0 (L.A. TIMES, 3/7). Close battles in every MLS game this weekend "reminded many fans why they watch the league." SI.com offers "10 quick reactions to Saturday’s action." Elsewhere, the GLOBE & MAIL looks at how Toronto "turned soccer around in North America."

Below is an attendance roundup for the six matches held yesterday:

• The Whitecaps dropped their home opener 3-1 to Toronto FC "before a sellout crowd of 21,000" at BC Place (VANCOUVER SUN, 3/8).
• The Timbers drew 0-0 with Real Salt Lake "in front of a sellout crowd of 21,144 at Providence Park" (Portland OREGONIAN, 3/8).
• The Dynamo defeated the Crew 1-0 "before a sellout crowd of 22,351" at BBVA Compass Stadium (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 3/8).
• DC United 's 1-0 win over the Impact drew a crowd of 11,549 to RFK Stadium (WASHINGTON POST, 3/8).
• The Union and Rapids played to a 0-0 draw before 18,022 fans at PPL Park (MLSSOCCER.com, 3/7).
• FC Dallas scored a stoppage-time goal to beat the Earthquakes 1-0 in front of 15,236 at Toyota Stadium (MLSSOCCER.com, 3/7).

Today's ORLANDO SENTINEL features a special-edition front page in addition to a special sports section devoted to the city's MLS debut. The paper's Mike Bianchi writes sports history is "being made in a city starving for sports history." The SENTINEL's George Diaz wrote under the header, "Soccer Is The Ticket To Lift Orlando Out Of Its Sporty Doldrums." The paper's Paul Tenorio writes Orlando City and NYC FC "will invariably be linked during their first few years in MLS."

NYC FC-Orlando City airs on ESPN2 at 5:00pm ET, and a team of about 70 ESPN staff members "have descended" on Orlando. A 30-minute preview show "is slated to include interviews" with Orlando City MF Kaka and NYC FC F David Villa (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/8). Meanwhile, the Citrus Bowl's turf field "received a FIFA 2-Star certification" ahead of today's game (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/8).

NBC drew a 2.5 overnight rating for the debut of "Premier Boxing Champions" last night from around 8:30-11:00pm ET. The rating increased every half hour and peaked at a 3.0 rating during the last half hour of the Robert Guerrero-Keith Thurman bout. The fight helped NBC to a primetime win among adults 18-49. For comparison, the 2.5 overnight was well ahead of NBC’s 1.0 overnight for Rangers-Flyers in primetime last Saturday night. The number was closer to NBC’s Saturday primetime coverage of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Jan. 24, which drew a 2.3 (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).

Boxing manager Al Haymon "picked the right fighters for the inaugural main event," as Thurman and Guerrero "put on a 12-round pitched battle that left the crowd of 10,106 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on its feet and roaring during the furious final moments" (BOSTON HERALD, 3/8). Haymon "could scarcely have dreamed of such a positive outcome," as the main event "was everything needed to appeal to the masses and get them to come back for more." NBC's boxing series "is off to a flying start" (USATODAY.com, 3/8).

The Univ. of Missouri System Board of Curators "has called for a special executive session" tomorrow. These meetings "are required when the university is prepared to approve a major personnel hire and could be related" to Mizzou's AD vacancy. MU AD Mike Alden in January announced that will step down at the end of August. Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin "has been heading the search for Alden’s successor and initially said he’d like to make a decision in 'a reasonably fast way.'" A source said that the school approached Ole Miss AD Ross Bjork, "but he declined interest" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/7).

Syracuse Univ. AD Daryl Gross "declined to discuss his contractual situation" in the wake of the NCAA handing down sanctions against the school for alleged violations including academic misconduct and providing players with extra benefits. Gross yesterday said, "We never, ever talk about any personnel issues at Syracuse University." He also said that the school is "still considering an appeal of the NCAA decision handed down Friday morning" (SYRACUSE.com, 3/7).

A UAB task force "reevaluating the decision to kill football" announced last night that it has "selected California-based consulting firm OSKR to perform a new study." OSKR co-Founder Andy Schwarz has "provided expert testimony on several antitrust college sports cases, including on behalf of the Ed O'Bannon plaintiffs, and won the UAB consulting job over College Sports Solutions." The UAB task force "hopes to release a final report from OSKR by April 2" (CBSSPORTS.com, 3/8).

Bristol, Tenn., resident Susan Whitlow "paid for a full-page ad" in today's Knoxville News Sentinel opposing the Univ. of Tennessee's decision to "eliminate the Lady Vols logo in all sports except for women’s basketball." She "encouraged other UT fans to write their local newspapers and to contact the board of trustees." Whitlow wrote, "Tell the UT President it’s NOT their way or the highway. Let them know that you want the Lady Vol name & logo to remain for ALL women’s teams" (KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL, 3/8).

Hockey HOFer and Kings President of Business Operations Luc Robitaille last night became the "seventh person honored with a statue outside of Staples Center and first in more than two years." Robitaille, who "has played a huge role in the club's history," is the "highest-scoring left wing in NHL history." The statue "was commissioned by Staples Center and AEG and was created by artists Julie Rotblatt Amrany, Omri Amrany and Itamar Amrany" (L.A. TIMES, 3/8).

ESPN's Curt Schilling appeared as a guest this morning on NBC's "Meet the Press" with Chuck Todd to discuss cyber bullying. Schilling's daughter last week was the target of several profane and inappropriate tweets (THE DAILY).

adidas on Friday announced that it has signed Brewers CF Carlos Gomez to an endorsement deal (TWITTER.com, 3/6).

A decision "should come within the next few weeks on whether Charlotte will bid to host" the CFP National Championship in '18, '19 or '20 (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/7).

A crowd of 10,383 yesterday attended USA Gymnastics' AT&T American Cup at AT&T Stadium (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/8).

Friends and family "paid tribute Saturday to White Sox star Minnie Minoso at a funeral in Chicago, recalling the strength that enabled baseball's first black Latino player to smile through the hurt of racial taunts" (AP, 3/7).

Many fans "missed parts" of the Mets' Spring Training Game on Friday "when SNY's signal was disrupted by a phenomenon called 'sun outage'" (NEWSDAY, 3/8).

"If there is a game in July, count me out. Count me out. Count me out. Life is too short" – Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, on the NBA considering changes to its regular-season calendar (ESPN.com, 3/6).

"Really? Bill Cosby’s jersey is not available?" – Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy, criticizing the UMass' decision to retire a jersey in honor of Kentucky coach John Calipari, who coached in Amherst from '88-96 (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/7).

"One of the worst decisions I ever made in life was taking French" – Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein, on his attempts to learn Spanish as the number of Latin American and Hispanic players continues to rise in MLB (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/8).

"Maybe we can get them season passes" – NASCAR driver, team owner and track owner Tony Stewart, on Eldora Speedway's website getting hacked by reported ISIS supporters (USATODAY.com, 3/7).

"What does that say about the NCAA’s processes that it took twice as long as the United States' involvement in World War II to determine what was going on in a basketball program that has about 20, 25 people in it?" – ESPN’s Jeremy Shaap, on the NCAA’s investigation of Syracuse Univ. (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 3/8).

"This year, Michael Jordan was added to Forbes magazine’s list of billionaires. Forbes also added Scottie Pippen to their list of people who sell Forbes magazine" – "Weekend Update" co-host Michael Che (“SNL,” NBC, 3/7).

The WALL STREET JOURNAL MAGAZINE's Tom Perrotta in a cover story writes, "After winning, then losing, his world No. 1 rank, Novak Djokovic is back on top and as determined as ever. But now that he’s a father, there’s more to life than racking up trophies."

The PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW's Bob Cohn writes under the header, "Some Say College Hoops' Slowing Pace Makes Games 'Unwatchable.'" Many view the action "as less compelling and esthetically unpleasing" than in the past, and supporting their claim "is a steady drop in attendance during the past 10 years." Meanwhile, ESPN's Jay Bilas said on the topic, "The regular-season product is fantastic, but there is no marketing strategy, no scheduling strategy. Nobody is in charge."

Elsewhere:

• Engineer who "helped revolutionize safety in auto racing" turns his attention to football.
• NYT: "A Former College Lineman Now on the Streets, Looking for Answers, and Help."

This place has to be the most fan friendly track we go to. It's really cool to see how much fun everyone is having. Thanks @LVMotorSpeedway

— Kasey Kahne (@kaseykahne) March 8, 2015

A.J. Preller is in the press box lunch line. I'll let you know if he flips his cole slaw for a left-handed reliever.

— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) March 7, 2015

Cobb deal a reminder: Play-by-play negotiations provided to reporters by agents are mostly not worth following.

— Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) March 8, 2015

If the uFc did a card at MSG every time they had a date held, we would’ve seen a dozen or so events at MSG already.

— FrontRowBrian® (@FrontRowBrian) March 7, 2015

So proud of @TheRealLailaAli, my baby girl. 1st female boxing analyst with NBC Premier Boxing Champions. #AliTweet pic.twitter.com/gtjkM3rbvw

— Muhammad Ali (@MuhammadAli) March 8, 2015