Union teen phenom Cavan Sullivan drew a crowd of autograph seekers on a day off in Sea Isle City

Sea Isle City has a special place on the Philly sports landscape, from Jason Kelce’s bartending to the Flyers’ summer tours.

Now you can add the Union to that, thanks to the team’s much-hyped teen phenom, Cavan Sullivan.

After the 14-year-old made his MLS debut on Wednesday in the Union’s 5-1 win over New England, manager Jim Curtin revealed that on a recent day off, Sullivan was down the Shore with his family and was found by autograph seekers at Sea Isle’s basketball courts.

» READ MORE: Cavan Sullivan’s record-setting MLS debut was big for the Union, but Tai Baribo’s hat trick was bigger

Curtin didn’t learn this from Sullivan. Curtin has a place in Sea Isle where his family spends much of the summer — in fact, it’s not far from the Kelces’ place — and the Sullivans have a place there, too.

“My kids came home and told me they saw Cavan at the summer league basketball courts and he was signing autographs,” Curtin said. “You could feel the energy in the stadium tonight. Just like there’s energy at a meaningless summer league basketball game for different people down in Sea Isle.”

Sullivan has brought unprecedented global attention to the Union, thanks to his talent and an agreement to join English Premier League superpower Manchester City when he turns 18.

At Wednesday’s game, a crew from sports documentary production company Box to Box trailed Sullivan’s every move, from pregame warmups to holding microphones over him and Curtin as he prepared to take the field. The company that makes Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive series is working with MLS on something similar, and this will be part of it.

» READ MORE: 14-year-old phenom Cavan Sullivan just made his record-setting pro debut for the Union

The attention is only just beginning, and it remains to be seen how the Union will handle it. They have never had a player whom this many people have wanted a piece of, no matter the age.

Fans will tune into game coverage online and maybe even come to town believing they’ll see Sullivan play, even though the Union are rightly being patient with him so that he fulfills his great potential.

How will that go over with those fans who know him only as a much-hyped American who will go to Man City down the road?

» READ MORE: Why Cavan Sullivan, hyped as the world’s best 14-year-old soccer player, chose to turn pro with the Union

“It’s not an easy thing for a young kid to navigate, but he handles it the right way,” Curtin said. “Are there going to be things that we all learn during the process because it is unique for a 14-year-old? Absolutely. But if anyone’s able to handle it — I think he’s going to be a kid that is certainly confident for sure, but you need that to be special and be unique.”

Sullivan said he’ll keep signing autographs when fans want them. He has looked up to plenty of star players in his life and knows that kids will look up to him in future years.

“I always give those guys attention, because I know I was in their shoes once, and I was devastated if I wasn’t getting a picture from one of those celebrities or 76ers players when I went down by the court,” he said. “So I’m always down to giving autograph or a picture for them.”