As fans for DC United and the Philadelphia Union poured into the Baltimore Convention Center for Thursday's MLS draft, the two sides spent several minutes trying to out-chant one another and booed heartily when the other was mentioned during commissioner Don Garber's opening comments.

That type of passion underscores how Baltimore has always been widely regarded as a hot bed for soccer. The city boosted its profile this week as the host of the draft and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's annual convention.

Baltimore's rich soccer tradition was not lost on Garber, who said the city would be attractive an destination for DC United if the team cannot secure a new stadium deal in Washington.

"It absolutely is a viable market. The team is called DC United and they have been down there since the league's inception, but they don't have a stadium deal," Garber said. "They've had very positive discussions here in Baltimore and if these guys can deliver the right kind of facility, [owner] Will Chang and [CEO] Kevin Payne will look hard at a potential stadium solution. They must have a solution because what they have right now is not working. We've been saying that for years, and at some point, it's going to reach the breaking point."

A $100,000 study by the Maryland Stadium Authority found that a new stadium for DC United could mean between 780 and 940 new jobs for the area and as much as $6.4 million in annual tax revenues. A new stadium in the Westport area of Baltimore City would reportedly host between 18,500 and 20,000 spectators for each game.

"I look at the success of the teams up here in this market and they are certainly close enough to D.C. so they are not totally displacing the fan base," Garber said. "It's a good market."

This year's draft was another feather in the cap of Maryland coach Sasho Cirovski. Maryland has now sent 37 players to MLS teams, second only to UCLA's 55. Terrapins goalie Zac MacMath was the first goalie taken with the fifth overall pick by the Philadelphia Union, while midfielder Billy Cortes and forward Jason Herrick were each taken in the third round by New York and Chicago, respectively.

"We have a lot of players who have similar goals," Cirovski said. "They all want to win championships. They all want to earn their degrees and play professional soccer. We play the right way."

MacMath, 19, considered going overseas to play, but decided MLS is the best option at this point of his career.

"A lot of goalies have started in MLS, like Tim Howard, and then prospered overseas," MacMath said. "This gives me the opportunity to mature for a few years."

UMBC's Levi Houapeu, once projected as a first-round pick, was taken in the third round by Philadelphia.

UMBC coach Pete Caringi had some concerns about how Houapeu was used during the recent MLS Combine. Even though he is a naturally gifted striker, Houapeu played on the left side of the midfield, which curtailed his scoring opportunities. Caringi, who played professionally for the old NASL's Washington Diplomats, understands the importance of players being used appropriately to boost their stock in a draft.

"Some mock drafts had him as high as the 10th overall pick," Caringi said. "He got hurt by that combine. Still, it was a great day. We're all very proud."

Akron, last year's national champion, had five players taken in the first seven picks. John Rooney, whose older brother Wayne stars for Manchester United in the English Premier League, was picked in the second round by New York with the 25th pick overall.