I don't think it's that big a deal for FCNY as they already have some sort of arrangement with Adelphi being that they recently hired the Men's coach in some sort of advisory position . Last week they had a intrasquad match there.
The side won the Werner Fricker Open Cup last year and in 2008. It is the continuation of the Open Cup for USASA teams. The team was in jubilation last year in winning the Open Cup for the fifth time.
Looks pretty solid. The 8 Northeast teams I mentioned all got grouped together. The 8 westernmost teams stayed west. Interesting that there's only one case of a USL Pro team playing at an opponent from a lower division (Charlotte at Carolina). Based on that alone, I'm going to say don't hold your breath for a ton of upsets this year. Home teams don't always win, but they surely have an advantage. Though at least a few road teams will win obviously. (Looking at the matchups, teams with a decent shot to win on the road include Chicago, Reading, AAC Eagles, Kitsap/Portland, and I suppose Charlotte.)
I don't know what rental agreement FCNY has with Belson, but with the Adelphi coach working for them, I'd guess it's a far better deal for them there for this match. Much like back when the Metro(stars)s existed, they played a US Open cup match at their practice facility at Kean College.
why is it odd? Belson Stadium is the home field for Pancyprian. And they were drawn, at random, as the home side.
I doubt the Texas USASA teams will have trouble fielding full squads for trips to Charleston and Orlando on a Tuesday.... Phoenix is having a tough time getting #'s to travel to Rochester, which is "only" a 5 hour drive.
The teams submit a blind bid to host the USOC matches. I know this applies to the later rounds but I'm pretty sure it is the same in the early rounds as well. the draw has nothing to do with who will host the match.
That was what I thought as well, but I don't think that is the case for these 2 rounds, as Chattanooga FC is traveling to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. CFC wanted to host. They are in a lower league, but I think most of the advantages in a bid to host between the 2 clubs would be in CFC's favor: Attendance - CFC averaged 4,400 fans per game last season. From what I can find online, it appears Pittsburgh averages between 1,000-1,500. Our attendance this year is below average so far this season (we haven't had our big matches yet), but we are still on par with Pittsburgh's average. Stadium and field surface - Field surface is a wash because both teams play on artificial turf with American football markings (CFC does at least have a semi-permanent European-style goal installation, though). Stadium facilities, there is no comparison. Pittsburgh plays at a high school stadium that seats a maybe a couple thousand in typical high school bleachers. CFC plays in an off-campus Div.1 college football stadium that seats 20,000+ with much of the seating on the pressbox side being chairback seating. Amenities - Again, heavy advantage to CFC. Finley Stadium has modern locker room facilities, multiple food vendors open for soccer games, full pressbox with modern media facilities, and BEER SALES . The high school stadium does appear to have a field house, so I assume the locker rooms are adequate. They may have additional concession options beyond what is typically available for a high school event. Other than that, I would imagine not much else. I admittedly don't know what criteria the USSF favors most when evaluating a bid, but I would say their main thing is that they want to make money from selling tickets. At worst, they would have sold just as many in Chattanooga as Pittsburgh. At best, though, they could have sold many, many more.
You could be correct but it has been a blind bid to host as long as I have been following the tourney (1998) The way has worked, in the past is team wishing to host the match puts their proposal in an envelope and sends it to USSF. USSF does the draw and then compares the two teams proposals and the one with the most zeros wins. I have PDF file somewhere with the requirements I know I have posted it before but Ill see if I can dig it up.
You could be correct but it has been a blind bid to host as long as I have been following the tourney (1998) The way has worked in the past is team wishing to host the match puts their proposal in an envelope and sends it to USSF. USSF does the draw and then compares the two teams proposals and the one with the most zeros wins. that might be a bit simplistic but that it basically the way it works. I have PDF file from USSF somewhere with the USOC requirements and rules. I know I have posted it before but Ill see if I can dig it up.
Speaking of rigged bids and DC never playing a road game and all that, I just realized something: there is going to be a home game in Colorado!
LOL, yeah. The Rapids SG's are organizing to go check it out. Its been so long we've forgotten what one looks like! Go Foxes!
Belson is also the home of FC New York. Its just interesting that the CSL teams gets the field instead of the USL team is all I meant
Just as I said. The Pancyprian Freedoms are 3 time US Open Cup champions and have been in the area alot longer than the expansion FC New York side. So they do get first dibs for the field.
USOC Cup Playoff Update Kitsap leads Portland Timbers U23 3-2 in 82nd minute. Kitsap playing a man down.
Entertaining game. Kitsap won 3-2 thumbs up to Portland for broadcasting it hopefully a few of the First and Second Round matches will be streamed too
Interesting to note Galaxy, Red bulls and FC dallas are all in the Cup. I feel the Galaxy are going to exit early since it looks like they're gunning for the supporter's shield. I can see a Seattle NYRB final. If NYRB wants to be taken seriously they should go for a double.
PDL schedules games over the same weekend, so it makes sense that Fresno played Ogden and BYU on the same trip (in fact, less than 24 hours apart). It doesnt make sense that the two Fresno home games were also against those teams. The Socal teams are a 4 hour bus trip away. As for last year, I dont think so, because the rosters change way too much at the PDL level. Starting the US Open and PDL season a week or so later would help PDL teams, as many depend on college players that cant play the early games.
From reading the preview on thecup.us, it sounds like Iowa will be able to field pretty much any player from the Des Moines PDL team that they want. Can anyone elaborate on that? Was this some sort of backdoor double-entry into the cup?