Official: Union 2013 Preseason Catch-All

I got that as well, and thought either we would open the season at home the first week or be away the first two weeks if we play both weeks.

 

Personally, I'm already suffering from withdrawal.

 

You need some time for it to go away to appreciate it more. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. At least that's what I tell my wife when I want her to get away from me.

 

I already miss going to the park, but that early in the season it could be a nice 50 degree day, or 15-20 degrees with rain and sleet.

Will it stop me? Nope

but will it put a big dent in attendance? Yup

 

They're already selling "Holiday 4-Packs' for Opening Day: http://ev15.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncom...global-union&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=. There's a good chance that Opening Day will be close to a sell-out no matter the date.

 

If they're selling 4 packs for Opening Day now, that means they're desperate for attendance. I really think we're in for a rude awakening this year with regards to attendance. You would think that season ticket sales would have dropped off, and they're going to be relying on packages more this year. I think we'll average out at about 15,000 a game. Still good by MLS standards, but not as good as where we used to be.

 

They did the same thing last season and also for the second season as well............. Even with a STH base of 11K - 12K that still leaves 6K-7K available seats to sell.......

 

Even still, what good will and positivity does this team have to run on? If our STH base this year is at 9,000 (and I don't know what it is, I'm just guessing based on performance, price, and "newness" factor wearing off) that's 2,000-3,000 extra seats they have to sell. I think that's where the desperation comes in. We'll still sell out the rivalry games against DCU and NY, and get good crowds for Columbus and SKC, but we're also going to have Chivas, Portland, and LA without Goldenballs, so I think the crowds are going to be light for those matches. Any weeknight games will suffer. I think we'll do decent, but I think we'll see attendance dip quite a bit this coming year.

 

I wouldn't call the 4-pack a desperation move since it was done in previous years. It is a way for them to sell something to be used as a holiday gift and is not at all uncommon. The Flyers have their Santa Sack that they do every year (well at least every year that they actually play). Since they start off every year needing to sell 8k-10k tickets for every game they use the holiday gift idea to start with game 1. That is also the only definite that they can target to sell because you will get a general time frame for a date (3/2-3/24?) whereas all the other target games, Pink Cows and DC, won't have a date until the schedule is set in Jan/Feb. Also, while LAG will have their away draw dip do to Goldenballs and Landycakes both not likely to be there, they are still the 2 time defending champs and will probably add 1-2 DPs that wouldn't go anywhere else except NJPC. Now the new DPs won't have the draw that Beckham and Donovan do but not many other players would since neither Messi or Ronaldo have a snowballs chance in hell of playing in MLS right now.

While I know they lost some STH and some new STH came in we do not know the difference. They could have lost 2-4k and only added 1000 or they could have added 4k. Interest may be down on the club but they may benefit from the NHL lockout and the Eagles trying for the first overall pick.

 

Has/does MLS take this into account when setting the schedule? In other words, does MLS purposely have the Union open with Chivas or Toronto rather that DCU or NYRB because those games will sell out anyway? Based upon the last two seasons (VAN in 2011 and COL in 2012) it would seem so.

 

it probably has to do more with TV.

 

Not so sure about that. Having the Union open on a Monday night at 9:30 PM EST last season certainly did not help the ratings as much as a POR-LAG or POR-SJE would have.

 

well. they wanted to show the portland atmosphere in TV, nothing says good atmosphere like a W.

 

I didn't play complete attention to the schedule for opening week but I thought MLS tried to shy away from rivalries opening the season. NFL does it for the most part though they throw 1 or 2 out for opening week like NYG-WSH as marquee matchups. To me it makes more sense to not have a rivalry as the opening match because the first game usually gets more attention then a normal non-rivalry game. Any WC team would not be a bad idea for our opener or Chi, Tor, or Mtl from the east. Personally I would like to see Chivas be our opener, good chance to start off with 3 and the team I am least looking forward to seeing at PPL.

 

They got ratings out of my house. Had I been able to stay awake, I definitely would've changed the channel.

 

Only looking back at the stats for this season did I see something I was totally unaware of that concerns me. Michael Farfan took 54 shots last year (which is great becuase this team doesn't shoot enough) but his on-target rate was very poor. With his team-leading 54 shots, he put 15 on target, and scored 1 goal. That kind of return rate doesn't excite me. I'd be curious to see what his numbers are from the wing vs. playing centrally.

 

I don't get it. How can the Union do both at the same time on February 15:

1. Host a "Welcome reception with Union Players" in Orlando at 7:00 PM: http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/Preseason2013 AND

2. Play a game 200 miles away in Jacksonville at 7:30 PM: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/2200498AA0DC6031?artistid=1418418&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=11#

 

By the price of tickets, Im expecting a USL, NASL type opponent, MAYBE a Liga MX team. Only thing making me doubt a Liga MX team is they are trying to promote the Union, not Mexican soccer.

Ticket Prices: $15 and $21 with a reasonable 10 processing fee through ticketmaster.

 

Hmmm......... my guess is one of the following will be the opponent: Orlando City SC, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Tampa Flames, or Carolina Railhawks.

 

I know it's not us, but Sharting KC acquired Whiny Failhaber, so that makes them that much more hateable. I'm already looking forward to next season, and I don't care who we have.

 

You literates all think you're better then the rest of us!

 

So I guess this means no chance of a Desert Cup appearance through 2015? That kid from AZ is gonna be crushed