Furlan ’00, There From the Beginning, Enjoys Union at the Pinnacle

When Corey Furlan ’00 was growing up, there weren’t many role models for aspiring soccer players. Without a pro soccer team in the area, there were no local Mike Schmidts, Darren Daultons, or Charles Barkleys for young kids to emulate. International superstars weren’t quite the same.

Thanks to the work of Furlan and a grassroots fan club, the Sons of Ben, this is no longer the case for generations of future soccer fans. With their help, the Philadelphia Union was founded in 2010, and this past Sunday, the Union reached the pinnacle of their sport when they played in the Major League Soccer Cup Championship, losing in penalty kicks in what many are calling the best MLS game of all-time. 

“It was something I always wanted,” says Furlan, of having a professional MLS team in Philadelphia. “For kids and people who played the sport, it was only a matter of time before the light switch flipped. There were a few of us who were crazy about it and worked hard to get the team going. Now the Union are punching above their weight and getting the results. It is such a Philadelphia story.”

Furlan grew up in Delaware County before moving to Lansdale where he commuted to the Prep. He played soccer at the Prep and then played at Susquehanna University. A worsening substance abuse issue led him to find help and in 2005, he found sobriety and has been sober since, something of which he is rightly very proud. He also credits his work with the Sons of Ben in keeping him that way.

“At that time in my life, I needed something else to focus on, and that’s when the Sons of Ben came into being,” Furlan says. “It was perfect.”

The story of the Sons of Ben has been told in many local, national, and international outlets because it is truly remarkable. A small group of soccer fanatics from the Philadelphia area met on an online soccer chat room and shared a strong desire to bring an MLS team to Philadelphia. They met in person in Center City and formulated the “Sons of Ben,” in reference to famous Philadelphian Benjamin Franklin, but also with a cheeky acronym (SOB) that describes how many outsiders feel about Philadelphia sports fans.

Those early days hold fond memories for Furlan. “We met to come up with a plan to see if we could raise awareness for soccer in Philadelphia, and to let everyone know that we needed a team,” he says. “We were a legitimate grassroots organization that had no idea what we were doing, but we were passionate about it.”

They funded Sons of Ben events on personal credit cards, and sketched out the logo on a napkin. The group started to travel the country to go to MLS games decked out in Philadelphia garb. “We went to the MLS draft and rabble roused,” Furlan remembers. “We went to a game in New York City to heckle a New York team. We wanted to get attention for our cause.”

And attention they got: a feature in Sports Illustrated; a TV segment during a Kixx indoor soccer game; a magazine article in England. That article drew the right eyes, and the Sons of Ben were heard. 

“By some stroke of dumb luck, they were looking to create a new expansion team, and we had helped put Philadelphia into the equation,” he says. 

Pretty soon, the group’s hard work paid off and it was announced that a stadium would be built in Chester. The Philadelphia Union were born. “It was incredible,” Furlan says. “A group of fans willed a league to bring an expansion team to the city.”

In the early days, especially newly sober, the Sons of Ben became a big focus for Furlan. He says that it changed his life. “Not only was that an amazing experience for me, but it became a positive outlet. This became my focus and it changed my life.”

His career in banking (he is now manager of Key Bank in Malvern), his wife, and his family can all be tied to the Sons of Ben. Though he doesn’t have as much time to devote to the group, it will always be an important anchor for him. “It made a lasting impact on my life,” Furlan says. “No matter what happens, it will always have a profound impact on my life.” 

The Union won the MLS Eastern Conference Championship at their home park in Chester, during a Phillies World Series run and an Eagles season that has been a wonderful surprise. It is part of a magical time for Philadelphia sports. 

“The building was shaking. I never felt anything like it. The ground was rocking. It was unbelievable. The Phillies having their success, the Eagles having their success, it just carried over,” says Furlan.

He was in Los Angeles for the finals. Everyone who heard that news had the same reaction: there is nobody in the world who deserves to be there more.