http://twitter.com/rapidssoccer I'm not sure this is actually the first pre-season charity match in MLS history, but its still a cool thing to do.
Isn't the Charity Shield supposed to be between teams that won some hardware the year before? Otherwise, it's just a random preseason game.
The RailHawks hosted the Revs in a "Community Shield" match where all proceeds from the match went to charity last year. These games are very cool, I wish more clubs would do them.
The Wizards played the Thunder in a Charity match last year up in Iowa to help those that sufferred from the flooding up there.
I have to say I would like to see more of this from all teams. What great publicity this would bring to the MLS. Maybe they could extend it have a preseason tournament with a few teams. The teams get their fitness in and also raise money for good causes.
I think in general the charitable works of MLS and its individual teams don't get enough press. there is an interview from earlier this week on footiebusiness with an MLS VP about MLS WORKS which is a pretty good charitable organization. Interesting that they will be doing more to promote WORKS this year. http://footiebusiness.com/2010/01/25/footiebusiness-charity-week-mls-w-o-r-k-s/ "FB: W.O.R.K.S. advertising is present on signboards during games and on MLS broadcasts. How is it determined when/where W.O.R.K.S. programs are advertised. JN: We will be increasing our marketing efforts during the 2010 season to try and give our initiative and charitable partners additional exposure during various times of the season. For instance, leading up to and surrounding Earth Day, we will promote MLS W.O.R.K.S. Greener Goals and during October, W.O.R.K.S. field boards will be pink to support Breast Cancer Awareness."
Do these make much money? I don't expect them to compare to the UNDP-affiliated Match Against Poverty that Zidane and Ronaldo help)ed) organize, but a few hundred people at a Railhawks-Revs game won't clear much after expenses. There were more than 50,000 fans in Portugal for the UNDP Match Against Poverty last weekend. Colorado is the first team that comes to mind for me to host this match. Their past involvement with Fabrice Noel's foundation creates something of a tie to Haiti, so even while there is a Haitian on RSL's roster (Jean Alexander), the team's humanitarian link isn't yet as strong as was there wth Colorado. I imagine RSL will do something, and soon.
The Rapids also had Jean-Phillipe Peguero on the roster in the past, and Fernando Clavijo coached the Haiti Nats before Colorado. One of the big reasons though I think is that our backup GK, Steward Ceus, is the child of Haitian immigrants. As of the last update last week he had not been able to contact any of his family in Haiti. Ceus was the backup GK for the Haitian team in last year's Gold Cup.
Wow, that's great they're doing this for charity! I hope the lovely citizens of Colorado decide to make it to the fundraiser despite there being a Rapids game...
Due to a winter storm that's expected to drop 6-12 inches of snow on the Denver metro area between midnight tonight and midnight tomorrow, the Rapids are canceling the Charity Shield match at DSG Park with the Sounders. http://nofanalone.com/?p=1639 (And anyone who thinks that a winter league schedule or starting at the season at the beginning of March is a good idea can bite me)