Sky Blue in 2013

Discussion in 'NJ/NY Sky Blue' started by RUfan, Dec 11, 2012.

  1. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    NJ Star-Ledger's Frank Giase has a story (finally) today on the league, quoting Sky Blue's Tom Hofstetter:
    http://www.nj.com/soccer-news/index.ssf/2012/12/on_soccer_new_womens_pro_leagu.html#incart_river

    ...The federation will make a huge difference. They can’t allow this to fail,” said Thomas Hofstetter, CEO and president of Sky Blue FC, who will again head up the New Jersey team in the new league....


    "...The league will play a 22-game schedule from March to August, which means there isn’t too much time before Opening Day.
    “We’re not trying to fill the stadium with 18,000 people. The core people know what’s happening,” said Hofstetter, who expects to announce a home field shortly. “I’m not worried. To get two or three thousand people won’t be that difficult. We still have our database and a huge reach online.”...
     
  2. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
  3. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I saw that at least 2 weeks ago, at least when you asked about the stadium and after the league announcement. But my memory is that it had been up even before then, and could have been up for a while, ie after WPS folded and Tom indicated that the NJ team would come back with a revived or new league.
    The recent Star ledger story above is the only thing that I have seen in the papers about the team. therefore I would have to think that few people in NJ know about the revival, but I don't tweet or facebook .
     
  4. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    Well, Sky Blue's existing twitter account FINALLY got rebooted today, as the website now works. Good signs I guess, though apparently they're staying at Yurcak? Not sure if that's the best plan.
     
  5. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The website may be a revived, revised version of the team's old site, versus a brand new website.

    While it seems to imply that Rutgers will be the home field, the letter from Tom H. includes the following:
    "...Sky Blue FC looks forward to bringing its championship experience to the NWSL. Ticket information and a home stadium for Sky Blue FC games will be announced in the near future. Please be sure to visit the brand new www.SkyBlueFC.com for the latest team news."

    FWIW: Yurcak Field on the Piscataway campus (across river from New Brunswick, central NJ) is near the football stadium with alot of parking, and close to major highways (always important in NJ). It is or at least in the old days was close to Skyblue's offices and training fields. There are not many choices as good (like none?) around here. The gossip back in '09 was that the rent was $10K per game but included security, ticket booth, staff, etc.
     
  6. hykos1045

    hykos1045 Member

    May 10, 2010
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There are certainly other choices if Rutgers is overcharging.

    Roberts Stadium in Princeton has capacity of 2,356. The national team has trained there.
    http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=3753658

    Princeton football stadium holds 27,773 and is a gorgeous field. Presumably it would cost too much to rent but it could host a playoff game or league all star game or the next celebratory "Wambach tour." Of the 27k, open only the 16k "lower bowl" to reduce overhead expenses.

    There may also be cheaper locations in Trenton area, too.
    TCNJ, for instance, has a decent 1984 built footy field which has an official capacity of 6,000. Their men's and women's soccer programs use it as well so it is suitable for the game.

    I'm sure all options are being looked at, all they need is a good bid.
     
  7. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I ran into head coach Jim Gabarra at the North Carolina-Maryland game a couple of months ago. He was actively scouting for the team.
     
  8. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    Someone on Twitter asked about "Fordham in the Bronx". I have no clue how that compares to the above mentioned possibilities in size/quality/etc., but Sky Blue's response was "That's actually a bit out of our range". Could someone shed some light on this for me?
     
  9. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Letter From Sky Blue FC President & CEO Thomas Hofstetter
    http://www.skybluefc.com/home/682886.html

    No comment about playing site but interesting bit of information from new office address
    Sky Blue Soccer
    c/o Points Group
    6 Dumont Place, 4th Floor
    Morristown, NJ 07960

    Tom H. had moved his company's office further north on Rt 287 to Morristown, about 20 minutes (non rush) from his and Sky Blue's old office in Somerset which was about 10 min. north from Rutgers. The team's practice fields were close, down a local road from the Somerset office. It smells as Rutgers is not in the plans (Hykos, forget about anything further south). The closest college in that area is Drew, which has a soccer/lacrosse "stadium" , don't know about size but the school is about 2000 students. Montclair State would be a good hike.

    Take this into account about any specific Jersey Girl being with the team. Lloyd could commute to Chicago in about the same time.
     
  10. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Polite for saying "do people look at maps anymore?".

    Assuming you are from Missouri, that's like saying just across the Miss. river from Columbia. Not as bad as "go to East St Louis with your kids for a soccer game".
     
  11. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    http://ressports.com/news/?article_id=1418

    Well, continued sponsorship is a good thing. Sky Blue may never have good attendance, but with Somerset etc. and now Resolution staying with the club, they've got the business side down. Probably why they're still around, I guess.
     
  12. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thanks for bringing that to my and our attention!

    I am not sure if a "partnership" is the same thing as a "sponsorship", but maybe if Resolution is providing a service in lieu of cash, its the same thing.

    Nothing definitive about Rutgers?

    Meanwhile, waiting for the US House to approve the Sandy relief/aid package so the Jersey Shore folks could be in the mood to pay to see games.
     
  13. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sky Blue FC Announces Open Tryouts
    Two Sets of Trials Planned for January and March
    http://www.skybluefc.com/home/687164.html

    "...“We are always looking for good all-around soccer players who can make a positive impression on our club,” Sky Blue FC head coach Jim Gabarra remarked. “We will also be having a reserve team this season, which presents even more chances for players...."

    My memory is that Sky Blue did open tryouts in each of the previous years and while some were invited to preseason, no one from the tryouts made the final rosters.
     
  14. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    From today's Star Ledger and Frank Giase:

    Christie Rampone tops list of players allocated to Sky Blue FC by National Women's Soccer League

    http://www.nj.com/soccer-news/index.ssf/2013/01/christie_rampone_tops_list_of.html#incart_river



    "Sky Blue FC did well on the back end of today’s player allocation, but will have to do some work finding its attack before the inaugural National Women’s Soccer League opener this spring.

    With three allocations from the U.S. gold-medal-winning Olympic team, two from Canada’s bronze medal squad and two more from Mexico’s national team, Sky Blue wound up with defender and U.S. captain Christie Rampone, goalkeeper Jillian Loyden and defender/midfielder Kelley O’Hara...."
     
  15. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  16. respite_cdd

    respite_cdd BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 12, 2009
    Harrison, NJ
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  17. hykos1045

    hykos1045 Member

    May 10, 2010
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Rampone has gotten into the sky blue tweeting as well.
     
  18. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  19. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    According to someone from Rutgers that I met this past week, with "knowledge of the situation" as they say in newspapers, it looks like Sky Blue would play at Rutgers this year but nothing was yet final.
     
  20. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    From their Twitter feed: Pending league approval, our four newest players are Brittany Bock, Danesha Adams, Lisa De Vanna and Manya Makoski!

    Pretty good selection.
     
  21. WPS_Movement

    WPS_Movement Member+

    Apr 9, 2008
    No doubt.

    De Vanna = Top 10 forward in the world (and maybe the fastest, certainly Top 3 fastest)
    Adams = clutch player for Independence in the playoffs (valuable reserve now for Sky Blue)
    Bock = All-Star caliber player, and a championship player (always seems to be on winning teams)
    Makoski = versatile utility reserve, as a midfielder or defender

    All these players played on winning teams in WPS.
    De Vanna was on a playoff team with Washington.
    Adams was on a Philly team that made it to the WPS Final.
    Bock was on a championship team with Western New York.
    Makoski was on the Los Angeles Sol team in 2009, who obliterated everyone in the regular season.

    Jim Gabarra has put together a winning environment at Sky Blue.
    Rampone is still there. Great leadership, and players brought in that will demand to win.
    That's the reason why he's the coach, and we're not.
     
  22. Forgedias

    Forgedias Member

    Mar 5, 2012
    Well looks like Brittany Bock will be the crushing destroyer that Skyblue needs. It means Sophie Schmidt will shift to a more attacking/holding midfielder role. I like the Lisa de Vanna pick up alot. Forward with alot of pace, the others like Danesha Adams and Manya Makoski I'm not too familiar with. But overall looks like Skyblue added some good pieces.
     
  23. WPS_Movement

    WPS_Movement Member+

    Apr 9, 2008
    Adams and Makoski are good role players, and roster fillers to have, with good experience at the American professional level.
     
  24. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    All players with Int'l and WPS experience.

    Makoski been around for a while; I'm just surprised she still playing. I remember her on the '02 U-19s champs and with the Wildcats in '05 (broke her ankle that summer while on the U21s vs. the Wildcats in scrimmage).

    Bock very good; very impressed first time I saw her in '09 at NJ, but did she have injuries later years in WPS?

    Adam good off the bench but has been up and down in career.

    De Vanna just a very good pick-up. Been on the Australian teams for years. I must of seen her play in '04 in Greece vs USA, was only 19, that's how long she been around.
     
  25. Forgedias

    Forgedias Member

    Mar 5, 2012
    I remember Brittany Bock when she played for the Flash, she was a terror in the midfield and dished out some crushing tackles to players. This reminds me if Becky Edwards will find a new home, she was a good player for the Flash as well.
     

Share This Page