Portland Timbers kicked off the 2012 MLS season with a big 3-1 victory over Philadelphia Union in front of just over 20,000 fans at JELD-WEN Field.

The atmosphere was something to behold according to those who attended - and played - with the President of Programming for NBC Sports, Jon Miller, raving about the Timbers crowd.

"I'll be honest with you, I've been in the sports business, I've been with NBC for 34 years, and I have never seen anything like this tonight. This has blown me away," Miller said to reporters.

"I've been to NFL playoff games, and World Series game sevens, and this fanbase should be really proud of itself."

Apart from Miller, Union players Freddy Adu and Danny Califf were also taken aback by the European-style crowd with the former describing it as 'electric' and the latter laying even more superlatives on the home side's support.

"This is a European crowd. The more we can have this in the league - you know, I don't think anywhere [in MLS] had this 10 years ago," Union captain Califf said.

"It was never the feel that you get here, or get in Seattle or get in Philly, and so I think the league is heading in the right direction. The teams that are coming it in are doing it right."

 The game is about opinions. Make yours heard! Join the tribalfootball.com nation on Facebook today: Facebook.com/tribalfootball