I don't know when it is, where it will be, whom it will be against, or who will be wearing the Revs' uniform. I just wanted to beat Doc to the punch.
Max Bretos @mbretosESPN Don Garber reporting MLS 2013 will have its first kick on March 2nd. Just around the corner
I sure hope so. Better than opening up before a "crowd" of 8000. I think we're better off playing 4/5 or 5/6 away to start off. As plenty of coaches like to say, extended time on the road builds character and team chemistry. Save the home games for better weather when people are more likely to actually show up.
If the unbalanced schedule rotates as I think it will, SJ, LAG, FCD and RSL would be home matches, and Chivas, Portland, Seattle, Colorado and Vancouver away. We'll see if that holds true.
It should. And all the teams we played 3 times this year, we should next year as well, just switched around (aka 2 times in NY this year, but 2 at home against Montreal, DC, etc).
Playing so many on the road to start has traditionally put the revs in a hole record wise. And people don't show up in the better weather either.
As RevsLiverpool said above, this is the worst case scenario. We then end up with a congested home schedule during the summer with Wednesday night games and interest wanes. The best thing is to have a more balanced schedule where we play a home game once every two weeks. It's the best for fan interest and attendance.
A simple way of doing this would be to have the first 2 away, then the home opener in mid-march, away for the 4th game and then 2 games at home in early April. After 6 games we'd have 3-3. If you must, you can have one of the early April games away make it 2-4 with more home games later to make up for it. If a team's schedule has 2 more games home/away at any time, not a problem. 3 games more should be avoided, unless it's one of those new stadium things where there's no place to play...
That's an interesting fact. I never knew that more than 2 games away must be avoided? Is there some basis for that Tom? Thanks. ps. If the games away occur at the start of the season...so that the "Northern" teams play 3-4 games away in March and open up in April @home..does that still hamper them someway? I figure if they haven't a home game yet to start the season..would it be that much of a hindrance playing away then opening at home a month after the Southern/Western teams do?
Well if you remember way back, a few examples of the revs starting poorly on the road: 1998: started 0-3, all games on the road. 2001: the revs started 0-6, with 5 of their first 6 on the road. 2000: the revs started 0-2-2, with their first win finally coming in the first home game (5th game of the year).
Revolution to open 2013 home slate March 23After bye in Week 1, Revs to open 2013 season at Chicago on March 9
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/12/18/mls-announces-2013-home-openers-all-19-clubs Revs only team with bye in week 1, last team to open at home (week 4 vs DAL).
Chicago's no bargain in early March. Hope the 23rd is a daytime kickoff. Last year was chilly, but not awful.
They're terrified of low attendance, is what that means. No problem putting Philly on March 2nd, Chicago and Colorado on March 9th.
22nd and 26th. Of course, the US having a game on the 22nd will likely hurt our attendance a bit as well as I'm figuring a few people will be traveling.
