The Union are beginning their third MLS season, and the All-Star Game is a reward for building a stadium and filling it on most game days. Average attendance last year was 18,259.
PPL Park's capacity is 18,500, although the Union had two crowds last year of more than 19,000. Sakiewicz said that season tickets will be cut off at 13,000, after being limited to 11,000 in 2010 and 12,000 last year. Group and individual tickets went on sale Tuesday.
For ticket information, visit www.philadelphiaunion.com.
According to Sakiewicz, season-ticket holders will get the first chance at all-star tickets.
"It will be a smoking-hot ticket," he said.
As for the international opponent, Garber said the league was working on that. And MLS hasn't determined who will coach the all-star team.
Last season, the league had New York Red Bulls coach Hans Backe coach the team because the game was played at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. Manchester United beat the MLS all-stars, 4-0, in front of a sellout crowd of 26,750.
The 2012 game will be televised live on ESPN2, plus Galavision or Telefutura, and in Canada on TSN and RDS.
ESPN international will make the game available live worldwide.
Nutter did not have an estimate for the financial benefit to the region, but he expects it to be substantial.
"To have this international event with the world paying attention will mean a whole lot of money," he predicted.
MLS could have made much more money by staging the game at a larger venue such as Lincoln Financial Field, but Garber said the league wants to reward teams that build new stadiums and showcase them.
He added that an international match is planned at Lincoln Financial Field this summer, although there are no details yet.
The Union were a success not only at the gate but on the field, earning a playoff berth in their second season.
Garber said that his high expectations were exceeded in the team's first two years.
"There is a great relevance for the Union in this market," the commissioner said. "It has worked a little better than we envisioned."
Contact staff writer Marc Narducci at mnarducci@phillynews.com, 856-779-3225, or @sjnard on Twitter.
