As much as the Metro-Detroit area has been a hotbed for youth soccer in recent years, the love of the sport hasn't translated into the professional realm. While several attempts have been made to establish a professional team in the city, none have stuck.

Michigan's Last Professional Team

The Detroit Ignition, part of the Major Indoor Soccer League and Xtreme Soccer League, was the last professional team to play in the Detroit area.

The team played out of Compuware in Plymouth from 2006 to 2009. When the Xtreme Soccer League folded in 2009, so did the team, but not before winning the Championship against the New Jersey Ironmen on March 28, 2009. The team was owned by John Hantz and included Jamar Beasley, a MLS veteran.

Other Semi-Pro and Pro Teams

The Detroit area has hosted a fair number of semi-pro and professional teams over the years, but few have lasted for long or done particularly well:

• Detroit Arsenal (NPSL III), 2005-2006, NPSL Champions in 2005
• Detroit Jaguars (Women: WPSL), 2004-2005. The Detroit Jaguars came close to winning the Women's Open Cup in 2004, but lost to Ajax Southern California.
• Detroit Rockers (Women: NPSL II/MISL), 1990 to 2002. The Detroit Rocker Hawks won the USASA Women's Open Cup against the Southern California Blues in 2001, 1-0.
• Detroit Dynamite (USL-PDL), 1996 to 1998
• Detroit Safari (CISL), 1997
• Detroit Neon (CISL), 1994 to 1996
• Detroit Wheels (USL/USL-D3Pro), 1994 to 1995
• Detroit Express II (ASL II), 1981 to 1983

• Detroit Express I (NASL), 1978 to 1980
• Detroit Lightning (MISL I), 1979 to 1980. The team moved out west and became the San Francisco Fog.
• Detroit Mustangs (ASL II), 1972 to 1973
• Detroit Cougars (USA/NASL), 1967 to 1968
• Detroit Pioneers (NASFL), 1947
• Detroit Wolverines (NASFL), 1946
• Detroit Chrysler lost the US Open Cup to Pawtucket FC (ASL-NE), 2-4 in 1941.
• Detroit Holley Carburetor (ASL I) lost the US Open Cup to Fall River Marksmen, 0-7 in 1927.

Professional Players from Michigan

While professional teams have failed to thrive in Michigan, the state does produce talent. According to an article posted on Mlive.com in 2012, Josh Gatt from Plymouth, Sean Cunningham from Troy and Steve Clark who played for Oakland University played for professional teams in Norway, while Caleb Stanko from Holly played for a team in Germany. Several MLS players are also from the Metro-Detroit area, including Freddie Braun from Royal Oak, Josh Ford (born in Livonia), Greg Janicki from New Baltimore, Soony Saad from Dearborn, and Justin Meram from Shelby Township.

College Teams

The lack of a sustainable professional team in Detroit might be in small part due to the lack of NCAA Division I teams. While Michigan State has had a Division I men's team since 1956, the University of Michigan didn't have a men's varsity team until 2000. That being said, the Wolverines spawned several All-American players in its limited history, including Knox Cameron (2003), Michael Holody (2008) and Soony Sood (2010).

Michigan State's heyday came in the 1960s under Coach Gene Kenney, who took the team to the Finals of the NCAA College Soccer Championships on four separate occasions. While the Spartans never managed a decisive win, they were co-champions in 1967 and 1968.

As of 2014, Southeast Michigan has four NCAA Division I Soccer Programs, including the University of Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans in the Big Ten Conference and the Oakland Grizzlies (as of 2013) and Detroit Titans in the Horizon Conference (as of 1987).

Minor Leagues

The Michigan Bucks have been around since 1996. Originally, they were based out of Saginaw and were known as the Mid Michigan Bucks. In 2004, however, the team moved to Detroit. The team is part of the United Soccer League's (USL) Premier Development League (PDL).

The Bucks were the first PDL team to ever beat an MLS club in the 2000 Open Cup. The team also won the PDL Regular Season Championship twice and holds several league records. Over the years, over 30 players from the team were drafted by the MLS or played for professional soccer teams abroad.

In 2012, another minor league team came on the scene. The Detroit City Football Club plays in the National Premier Soccer League's Midwest Great Lakes Conference.

Soccer Events Hosted in Detroit

Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor will host Real Madrid vs. Manchester United on August 2, 2014 as part of the Guinness International Champions Cup.

Hope for the Future

According to an article posted on MLSSoccer.com on May 8, 2014, there is an agreement in place that will bring a USL Pro team to Detroit in 2015. The franchise is being brought to the city through the efforts of Dan Duggan, the owner of the Michigan Buck's and brother to Mayor Mike Duggan.

Sources

All Pro Soccer Teams 

USA - List of Cup Winners / The Rec Sport Soccer Statistics Foundatoin

University of Michigan Men's Soccer / Bentley Historical Library / U of M Athletics History

Sports History / Michigan State University

Men's Soccer Championship History / NCAA.com

Detroit Ignition / FunWhileItLasted.com (2012)

Detroit Ignition / ESPN.go.com