SoccerAmericaDaily is reporting on potential visits by pro clubs to the new soccer complex in Casa Grande as part of their preseason preparations. Teams mentioned are Seattle, RSL, Colorado, LA and future MLS club Vancouver.
I have read the same thing. A great idea for Case Grande is to get a team. You'll pull both Tucson and Phoenix, and they have the space to do it.
That would be the worst place to have a team. How many people from Phoenix would drive an hour to get there? From Tucson an hour 15, and this is with no traffic. The 30 mile radius of Casa Grande has how many inhabitants? 20,000? Have fun making that drive on a Tuesday night. Theres a reason LA and San Diego don't share teams in Orange County. Its one or the other.
It is most likely that I would not be going to many games during the week anyway. Obviously I would love a team as close to Tucson as possible, but I will certainly make the trip farther down into Phoenix or Glendale if I have to on weekends. I imagine many party bus trips, since I am not a big fan of making the drive anyway.
This RSL announcement confirms the MLS Cup champions will be at the Casa Grande Performance Institute at the Francisco Grande from Feb. 13-27.
"Fire's preseason will begin in earnest when the club takes to the field at Sun Devil Stadium on the campus of Arizona State University from Feb. 5-18. During the two week stay just outside of Phoenix, the Fire will practice twice daily as they prepare for their first exhibition match of the preseason against USSF Division 2's Vancouver Whitecaps on Feb. 15, at 2:00 pm MST at Arizona State Soccer Stadium" Read full story.
I would be surprised if the Fire don't play RSL at some point. According to the RSL release they will be playing exhibition games.
The Wizards are coming as well. I am surprised there hasn't been a full announcement. http://kc.wizards.mlsnet.com/news/t..._id=7966746&vkey=news_kcw&fext=.jsp&team=t105
Sounders will be in Casa GRande this week. LA is rumored to follow. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ht...-a-day_p.html?syndication=rss&prmid=obnetwork
Arizona State Soccer Stadium? Is this the field east of Rural, across from the baseball & track facilities? I believe there are soccer fields over there ... not much parking (not that they will need much unless word gets around outside of this posting).
Here are the Wizards games for those interested. Date/Time (All Times Central) Opponent Location Saturday, Feb. 6, 12 p.m. Grand Canyon University Grand Canyon University Wednesday, Feb. 10, 12 p.m. San Jose Earthquakes Reach 11 Saturday, Feb. 13, 12 p.m. San Jose Earthquakes Arizona State University Wednesday, Feb. 24, 12 p.m. Chivas USA Reach 11 Friday, Feb. 26, Time TBA Los Angeles Galaxy Reach 11 Thursday, March 4, 12 p.m. Columbus Crew Reach 11 Sunday, March 7, 12 p.m. Grand Canyon University Reach 11
So will there be an organized announcement? Pretty surprising the lack of any communication locally in AZ. Would be nice to have a schedule or anything. Shocked there has been nothing from Phoenix Pro Soccer or MLS Phoenix Rising. You woudl think they would be all over this.
Read through the Wizards press release again and found this expanded schedule: 2/6 – Kansas City vs. Grand Canyon Univ. 2/10 – Kansas City vs. San Jose 2/11 – Seattle vs. Vancouver 2/13 – Kansas City vs. San Jose 2/15 – Chicago vs. Vancouver 2/20 – Real Salt Lake vs. Vancouver 2/21 – Los Angeles vs. Columbus 2/22 – Colorado vs. Columbus 2/24 – Kansas City vs. Chivas USA 2/26 – Kansas City vs. Los Angeles 2/27 – Columbus vs. Chivas USA 3/4 – Columbus vs. Kansas City 3/7 – Grand Canyon Univ. vs. Kansas City
Nice thanks man. Hopefully some of those games will be at night. Hopefully more games are announced by the KC Media Relations team.
That is why I said hopefully some games will be night games, and I was referring to the expanded schedule.
Sounders FC first at new Casa Grande complex Seattle arrived and trained at Arizona's Grande Sports World in Casa Grande. Wednesday, February 3 - Training at 4 p.m. Thursday, February 4 - Training at 10 a.m. & 4 p.m. Friday, February 5 - Training at 10 a.m. (weights 4 p.m.) Saturday, February 6 - Training at 10 a.m. Sunday, February 7 - Training at 10 a.m. Monday, February 8 - Training at 10 a.m. & 4 p.m. Tuesday, February 9 - Training at 10 a.m. & 4 p.m. Wednesday, February 10 - Training at 10 a.m. Thursday, February 11 - Training Game v Vancouver, Grande Sports World, 11 a.m.
Here's a piece where the Wizards are in the forefront of a movement to make Arizona an annual preseason destination for MLS teams.
The soccer field is east of Rural, north of University, a short walk from the Rural light rail stop. I walked up Athlete's Way(off Rural) and it took me directly to the field. "While in Phoenix the Fire will train twice daily from Feb. 5-14 and Feb. 16-17 at Arizona State's Sun Devil Stadium each morning and Arizona State's Soccer Stadium in the afternoon." Monday the 15th is the match v Vancouver in the soccer stadium at 2pm MST ============= Columbus is also scheduled to play Chivas USA on Sat Feb 27 at 11 am. Note the time was posted on Chivas USA website, no location listed.
More info in this article. All about Casa Grande. Rapids will be there Feb 21-27. Games on Feb 20, 24, 26, 27 teams and times not mentioned.