Good as time as any: Official 8/20 WPS Semifinal Thread

As far as I know FoxSoccerChannel is the network for only the quarterfinal. The final, like the semifinal, will be on the regional Fox Sports networks -- which isn't standard in all regions of the country and where it's up to the individual affiliates to decide whether to broadcast it. (NESN for example is not currently scheduling it)

The best, ok...worst, part about CSN delay for the semi is that they are showing a tape delayed match for the EPL. I would understand if it was the Phillies but a tape delayed soccer match. Could there be anyway to convince them to show the match?

I suspect they don't have the rights to air it live. It's a joke, the playoffs schedule was out so long ago and I thought the whole reason it moved from Sunday to Saturday was for TV. I guess I made a wrong assumption there. Perhaps it was for travel or for stadium availability?

Anyone think we might be giving up homefield advantage to play at PPL ?

This team has not done so well on grass...

I would have thought we should have packed Widener as PPL may look empty for the game

Also, the seating arrangements seem troubling, placing everyone except 2 sections on the opposite side of the field from the players benches.

Your last part is what I wondered about. Seemed like Philly could have made more and made the Widener look PACKED and loud for the semi while also making some $ on concessions/etc. If PPL looks empty even if more people are there (ie 6k in PPL could still look bad on tv) how does that make the team/league look? I just hope the Philly ownership isn't going to lose money on playing at PPL when I think (potentially) they could have made some money playing this game at Widener.

especially if it is true that the SOB folks aren't going to come to the came b/c they want to watch a Union game on tv.

Philly fans, start hard selling the game to folks in all your networks -- online social networks and the people you see. The team will only be able to do so much. Word of mouth recommendation is generally much better marketing anyway. So, sell to your wider group of people as best as you can.

Yes, they did sacrifice familiarity and the ability to sell out the stadium. But the stadium is legit and it will be a thrill for them to play there. Hopefully they have enough practice time to get the feel for the pitch. Just think, we'll even be able to hear the loudspeakers this week. And as long as we get 4,001+ fans to show up, even if it "looks" empty it will be louder and better atmosphere than Widener and its only one concession stand open for sold out games (word!)

I'm glad Widener got the renewal for 2012 but they had better fix things like the line for concessions and the audio line to the speakers.

As for where people might choose to sit, I'm still waiting for the union to send out an email that there's a game in 2 days... They send an email blast for EVERY union game, and we already have our tickets! Why not send another email blast for this, the first ever playoff game at PPL (free $$$)?

Tex will be there...

sorry we bumped to page 2. Yes, they won't make as much $ but once you get 4,001+ fans to come (and with Abby, it could seriously be twice that), then it is a better environment even if there are the appearance of 10k empty seats. Widener can't really accommodate 4,001+, the league should not afford to turn people away at the gate for a playoff game when there is more interest than before.

Here's a good way to get the word out. Someone started an event on facebook called
Philadelphia Independence League Semifinal... only 4 RSVP so far
Please search for it, add yourself and whomever else you want to invite who is a Philly phan.

Heck, I've gotten emails from Sky Blue about the match. (Not sure how the orangesicle fans feel about that one.)

They did not make any money from the concessions at widener as far as I know. They are run by an outside company

It becomes a fan experience issue. People won't go back because the line was too long and they couldn't even get a water...my point is that if the contract allowed for concessions, whoever owns the contract should have had the means to deliver on it. The concessionaire should have known their service was inadequate for a sold out game, and added staff.

The Independence, while maybe not in the position to make money off it, could have used additional concessions stand as better leverage for rent. I am not blaming independence for outsourcing, but in doing so, it has to be a partnership. the other stadiums in the league are selling concessions and making money... look at Harvard's set-up! more than adequate and they don't just sell reheated pizza, they have multiple vendors. constructive critic...

The Freedom ran into that problem once last year: the contractor promised two stands but only opened up one. The line was huge, and Freedom management was furious. The next home game, everyone who could show they attended that game got free hot dogs.

We can suggest to David that they have a drink stand in addition to the main one... that might be better

Finally found the live broadcast since it wasn't on Fox Soccer Channel. The HD looks great, but the MJ uniforms look terrible; they are all wrinkled. Guess they don't have an equipment manager either.

Wambach lays out McNeill.

Made it to the game with three friends. Miserable trip up - we left with close to 45 minutes to spare on a two-hour drive and still missed the first ten minutes of the game due to traffic in Delaware and at the Pennsylvania border.

Beautiful stadium, so glad they moved the game there off the football lines at Widener. Disappointed that attendance wasn't better, though the official number seemed fewer than the number of people that seemed to be there.

OK, after having security explain the UNION rules to me... ran back to the car to put away me cowbells, veluzelas and suntan lotion(?)

Failry upset and in the full sun.... made the best of it and cheered the entire game... disappointed by the non calls in favor of MJ

Happy with the result and got to see a couple of players at Dinner with some of the Cheesesteaks Supporters club

Going to Rochester next week !!!!

No YSA.

No audio doop.

Independence only 2nd team in Philly pro sports history to get to its league final in each of its first 2 years. Chew on THAT, WIP.

What was the official attendance number? Didn't look that great on TV.

I just watched the game on delay. I wasn't able to get to the stadium today. Two nice goals from the players that are supposed to score. Bodes well for the WPS championship game.

I thought it was weak that A-Rod didn't shake hands with the player replacing her. I know it might seem petty, but it is the right thing to do.

There were over 5400 there, it was the largest crowd of the season for Philly. The place seats 18,000, so it's hard to make 5000 look like a lot. The stands behind the player benches were quite full, but I think the opposite side is shown more on TV. They also didn't sell the seats behind the goals, so naturally that looked empty from certain camera angles. The crowd was quite vocal, the place had a really good feel to it. I can see why they'd want to play all of their games there, but not until they can consistently get larger numbers to come to the games.

YEah but when they finally decide to move there hopefully we don't play by UNION rules - Widener is condensed and if they can get bigger stands on the far side of the field, they could seat more (like the stands they had at West Chester)

I like the noise we generate at Widener PPL was great looking - we were on the far side of the field because the only ones they were selling were the Premium seats behind the players - not for the family of four on a tight budget. Other sections on that side (In the shade) were not opened

Dislike not being on the players side.

The hard part about being across was staring into the sun and having to walk all the way around to get to the Lot B and main entrance. Also, binoculars would have come in handy. However, for those concerned about sightlines and player interaction, the players really went out of their way to do the autographs on the field after the game. I especially enjoyed how Amy and Kia came RUNNING over to the corner to give fans hugs, high fives, and autographs. Also like Kai's runs before she scored where she got the Philly crowd to make some noise.

Best was hearing the nationalist kids who were bandwagoners for magicjack pout and moan as they left the stadium. Ummm, Barnie is ahead on the depth chart from Jillian! And Abby is a great player but Philly has the best defense in the league. But magicjack was scary, two shots at least cleared off the post or it could have been a very different result.

I am not opposed to the cowbell and streamers but what was sad was the lack of any communication about this before the game. (Same with bringing in expensive liquids. The parents and grannies were shellshocked at the anti-fan policy which we Union fans have gotten used to by now.) And the SOB's were cleared to bring in smoke but no one got the memo and several APEX like figureheads got on their high horses and tried to mitigate the situation before too much fun could be had in one day at a women's soccer game...

I've read a lot of soccer posts over the years and kinda understand the first paragraph, but have no idea what the rest of it means. Maybe I'm dense but WTF?

All I can say is Philly put on a good solid show for all 90 minutes, and the magicJackers just couldn't put it in the back of the net. And I'll admit I was expecting the Jacks to pull this off.

The Kids were only there to root because Abby was playing...

Yes, they could have told us what we could or could not bring in... Sunscreen in small bottles were rejected

I guess we assumed we could create the same type of noise we always have with cowbells and veluzelas since this was not a Union game... and to the fact that it did take away from the noise we generate at Widener

Their mics at the game were turned down we were audible, just had to turn up the annoying announcers... this was the first philly game they did were they did not mention how noisy it is

But we one and we know for the next playoff (Championship)game next year what to expect. We won and were able to provide some noise just had a different feel to it

No sunscreen... PPL security is pro cancer

What I meant to say is, the no cowbell/noisemaker rule in of itself was not unprecedented for PPL Park. But Philly Cheesesteaks had cowbells at every game for the last 2 seasons and now we have an important playoff match and it's supposed to be a quiet time? Doesn't sit well with the real fans. Just should have had the heads up when tickets were made available, that this event was going to be in the no-fun zone.

The fans who complain about the noises and the yelling... what kind of atmosphere do they want at a game? I don't see them complaining about noisy Phillies crowds.