If the league ever wanted to get away from the summer heat, and join the same schedule as the top leagues, they would need to build better stadiums in the north, and Rocky Mountain region. The main issue would be money, and turf. Teams are already playing on turf in the summer. It's a tough continent to play soccer I guess, if not in a maritime climate.
I think that in some places playing even at 8pm is not conducive to the best performance due to the heat.
Best performance, maybe not. Good enough? Yes. Look, regardless of when you play, weather is going to be a factor. Play in summer, northern teams will struggle with the heat in the south. Play in winter, southern teams will struggle with the freezing cold in the north. I'm a native Chicagoan, come December/January if the Bears had a decent team it was always a massive advantage against a team like LA, Miami, Atlanta, etc. They'd come into Soldier Field and be miserable. The bigger thing is I don't think the MLS fanbase is rabid enough to sit outside for a game when it is in the 20s and windchill lower than that. Summer is still the better route, just have to avoid those afternoon starts in the hot cities.
Well that's why I said that money and turf are an issue with playing on the winter schedule in the north. You'd have to build more expensive stadiums. I spent years in the Rocky Mt region, and it could snow literally every month of the year, and in the winter, it can get very cold. It's not the best for the fan experience either, but a good enclosed stadium would bring the temperature up during the match. Having spent years in Texas, Arizona, and NM, I also think that summer time games are an issue for the fans, and players, even in the evening. When the sport starts bringing in more money, a retractable roof similar to what the NFL, and MLB teams use could solve the issues related to climate.
I'm one that really doesn't mind the heat, so long as I'm not sitting in direct sunlight. Sun burns pretty hot here. My seats are on the shady side, Saturday I was quite comfortable. Never had any complaints at the Dynamo evening games either. Recognize that I'm not the average Houston sports fan, though.
The only evening game i remember being borderline impossible was the Pachuca semifinal in SuperLiga. Even at damn near midnight the temps and humidity were crazy. Everything else was just fine.
If the team is winning at home, it makes the humid mass of bodies more bearable too. If it's hot, humid, and boring, might as well stay at home and BBQ and watch on the big screen.
With Randy Waldrum parting ways, (I guess the FO doesn't fire anyone) does anybody have an idea who they will hire?
Search just getting started. Not easy. Almost impossible to get a college coach, they were lucky to get Randy in that sense. College jobs pay too much and are too cozy. Might have to go unconventional or look overseas.
2017 NWSL Schedule Coverage is go90 unless otherwise noted. Week 7 results: Wednesday, May 24 North Carolina Courage 2-0 Sky Blue FC Saturday, May 27 Houston Dash 0-2 Seattle Reign Chicago Red Stars 3-2 North Carolina Courage Sky Blue FC 2-1 Orlando Pride FC Kansas City 3-2 Washington Spirit Portland Thorns 2-0 Boston Breakers Standings: 1. NCC 8 g.p. 15 pts +2 g.d. 2. CHI 7 g.p. 13 pts +3 g.d. 3. SKY 8 g.p. 13 pts +1 g.d.g.d. 4. SEA 7 g.p. 12 pts +7 g.d. ----------------------------- 5. POR 7 g.p. 12 pts +3 6. KAN 7 g.p. 11 pts +2 g.d. 7. BOS 7 g.p. 8 pts -1 g.d 8. ORL 7 g.p. 6 pts -3 g.d. 9. HOU 7 g.p. 6 pts -8 g.d. 10. WAS 7 g.p. 4 pts -7 g.d.
2017 NWSL Schedule Coverage is go90 unless otherwise noted. Week 8: Saturday, June 3 North Carolina Courage v. FC Kansas City 2:30 pm Lifetime Washington Spirit v. Houston Dash 6:00 pm Sky Blue FC v. Portland Thorns 6:00 pm Orlando Pride v. Boston Breakers 6:30 pm Sunday, June 4 Chicago Red Stars v. Seattle Reign 2:00 pm
Annnnnnnnnnnnd Chris Canetti and his friends still run these two clubs. 🤦🏻♂️— Ay (@aceodonnell10) May 29, 2017
Last time I heard this quote the Dynamo ended up with Owen Coyle: Canetti: "We're going to look at a number of outside candidates... You'd be surprised by how many people have thrown their hats in the ring"— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) May 29, 2017
Waldrum's quote from the team release sounds like a man who let the PR person write the statement in exchange for getting paid his salary for the rest of the season. OK, so was Carli Lloyd involved in this decision?
How much of this firing is on the player who is currently in the UK and not expected to return until after the UK womens season is over? Would her presence have resulted in a better performance and record for the team? In my opinion this league will be a joke as long as assigned players are allowed to play elsewhere.
Alarm bells. 6 pts in 7 games. Fired coach. Carli still not due back until June 17th match. This ship needs to get re-directed soon or the playoffs will be elusive again.
Zero. I picked this team for bottom three before Carli sorted out her loan. There were other much bigger issues. That aside, don't really see the difference between Lloyd missing part of the NWSL season and Beckham going on loan and missing part of the LA Galaxy season, as one example.
Canetti conveniently left out that the national team players played in only about 50% of the games. .@HoustonDash & Coach Randy Waldrum mutually agreed to part ways. Ass't coach Omar Morales will coach next game Saturday. Rest of season TBD pic.twitter.com/55O5gNxjKn— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) May 29, 2017 With @HoustonDash, n midst of coaching change, bout to get 1 of world's best players back n @CarliLloyd who's been playing w/ @ManCityWomen pic.twitter.com/VU1ScpLqye— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) May 29, 2017
He's not just talking about US, talking about all. Apart from that, no player has missed a game for national team duty. Only missed time is due to injuries and Lloyd going on loan to Man City.
There was another Canetti quote in a different Berman tweet that talked about being 71 games in his tenure and the poor record and that was what I was referencing the national team absences to (below). Look, from what I have seen (admittedly not too much), this team has never really looked good on the field. Like an expansion team every year. .@HoustonDash Prez Chris Canetti on parting ways w/Coach Randy Waldrum"I think he knew&we knew going into the season he was on the hot seat" pic.twitter.com/R3ByAaBEcm— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) May 29, 2017
I think the decision was timed so they could shop college or offseason European. If you let it drag into the fall it would have been fairer to Waldrum -- who would get his best player back -- but then the college coaches are committed as are the Euro-season coaches. What is the point to having the world's best player who rarely plays here. Is wikipedia accurate, 17 games? 6 goals? 3 years? Does a marquee player who parachutes in once in a blue moon sell tickets?