May's college cup will still be in Santa Barbara. Here are the future cup locations: The NCAA 2020 May Cup is still in Santa Barbara and future sites have been named. Cup Hosts: 2021 - WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, North Carolina 2022 - WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, North Carolina 2023 - Lynn Family Stadium, Louisville, Kentucky 2024 - Sacramento Republic FC Stadium, Sacramento, California 2025 - WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, North Carolina See a pattern here? Three of five Cups hosted in Cary. It's always nice to play at home.
As a matter of fact, I don't think it was going to be in IN this year. Last year it was at MD. Remember, there hasn't actually been any sort of announcement about the whens or wheres of the fall "olympic sports" by the B1G.
Having been to the soccer version of the Frozen Four, in Philadelphia/Chester three times, I understand seeking a warmer venue, but I would like to see greater variety in the College Cup choices.
100% agreed. SO many great warm-weather venues out there that could host. However, have to wonder how many of them put in to host. NCAA can't select a location that doesn't want to be considered.
I wonder what the typical profit/loss from holding the College Cup is, especially for northern sites although somewhere like Hoover, AL or somewhere out west wouldn't be much different with the exception of weather. You would think that and a local team making the CC would be major influences on revenue. I suspect hosting is a total crap shoot from an accounting perspective so it doesn't make sense for very many venues to take the risk. I guess that all assumes the venue/organizing school is reliant on attendance instead of getting a flat fee for hosting...
I don't know if Kennesaw State has put in to host but they have a state of the art facility in Fifth Third Bank Stadium. It's also very accessible being located in the northern suburbs of Atlanta and only about 35 miles from Hartsfield Airport. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Third_Bank_Stadium I posted what is below about two years ago on this forum and have copied and pasted it: The College Cup location is mapped out for the next 3 years. It's back at Wake Med (Cary) next year in 2019, then back to Santa Barbara in 2020, then Cary again in 2021. Atlanta would be a good location. The field that Atlanta United plays on, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, wouldn't be a good option. It has a synthetic surface and is cavernous. It would not be a very intimate setting. A good Atlanta location would be Kennesaw State University at Fifth Third Bank Stadium. It is easily accessible off of 285 in the north-western suburbs. It hosted the Women's College Cup in the early '10s. FifthThird Bank Stadium was the home field of the now defunct women's professional team, the Atlanta Beat. Interestingly, Atlanta United did use this facility this past summer when they played a USL team in the Lamar Hunt Cup. The venue seats a bit over 8000 and is home to Kennesaw State's men's football team, the women's soccer and lacrosse teams, and the Atlanta Blaze men's professional lacrosse team. Also, of interest at this venue, is the playing surface. I'm a soccer purist and believe that soccer should be played on grass but the KSU facility uses something called PlayMaster. PlayMaster is really unique in that it is natural grass that is combined with artificial fibers. KSU may have been the first venue in the United States with this surface. I was a bit skeptical about this surface when I first heard about it but Man U uses it at Old Trafford. If it's good enough for Man U, it's good enough for the College Cup. GrassMaster is another variation of the surface and is made by the same company. Ajax, Juventus, Liverpool, Barcelona, and many other clubs are beginning to install this surface in their stadiums. It's going to become a big thing over the next few years. Here is more about PlayMaster, the surface of Fifth Third Bank Stadium: https://www.grassmastersolutions.com/en/playmaster-overview
And now, the Spring'21 venue has been changed: "As a soccer fan, we want to keep you up-to-date on the latest news regarding the Men's College Cup® and Women's College Cup®. Both championships are confirmed to be played in Cary, NC on May 13-17, 2021." If they also hold the fall'21 Cup there as was previously scheduled, that's 5 of the next 6 Cups being held at ACC venues.
I mean....the two big complaints about the College Cup are that the weather can be awful and no one attends. With good weather in November (I know, I know..the post was about the change for this May) and a large concentration of very good programs (with strong fan bases) in the direct area and in region, its hard to argue against Cary as a great spot for the CC. However, I guess if there every was to be a good time for a Big 10 team to host, this May would have been it... Hopefully this isn't all a moot conversation anyway. With the way things are going right now.......
My annual thoughts of...wouldn't it make much more sense to get the United Soccer Coaches National Convention to the same spot as the College Cup each year? But...that makes too much sense.
Soccer Coaches convention is in January since it has cheaper rates to rent convention centers and a very opportune time for people to travel 2-3 weeks into the new year, unlike the College Cup which takes place during finals for most college kids and 2 weeks before Christmas.
Funny how college basketball manages it during April. Wouldn't be that hard. End of the year rates are probably not much that bad. If organizations wanted it to happen bad enough, they'd make it happen. With the MLS SuperDraft going virtual, maybe we could be on our way to seeing it as more of a possibility. Not holding my breath on it.
Yes... April is a better time for a convention that mid-december. If the NCAA moved the finals to mid-January that would work much better but not sure where you could play. The convention is for coaches of all levels, so high school, club, etc. are not leaving home for a weekend in mid-december. THIS year however would have been great to have the convention in May around the College Cup.
Except May is the meatiest part of the spring club season. I expect to have a game every Saturday and Sunday in May, and I only coach one team.
Can't say that I am the convention expert like yourself. What identifies April as a better time than December? Yet, January is better than December? Your ability to determine the convention in May would be extremely challenging, as noted above. Club is busy, HS in some states is still busy. In December and/or January, there is a bigger void of "busy" soccer -- yes, there are some states playing HS soccer in those months still, but not every season can be avoided. In the end, if the convention is consistent and there is "perks" around going, people will go. Add in free tickets to the College Cup to the convention passes, surely there will be several thousand of the 10,000-15,000 estimated Convention attendees that will go to the College Cup.
How about mid-December in Atlanta? Or Bradenton? SoCal must have some decent options. Texas wasn't great for some reason, iirc. Not in favor of a northern dome with turf - it's a different game - but on grass, okay.
Soccer Wire NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Soccer Championships to be held entirely in North Carolina Other dates for the tournaments are: First round — Women, April 27-28; Men, April 29. Second round — Women, April 30-May 1; Men, May 2. Third round — Women, May 5; Men, May 6. Quarterfinals — Women, May 9; Men, May 10.
Well close enough to Cary I guess: Currently, the campus venues that will host tournament games are at Campbell, East Carolina, University of North Carolina Wilmington, UNC Greensboro and Wake Forest. Off-campus sites for tournament matches include: Bryan Park (Greensboro, North Carolina). J. Burt Gillette Athletic Complex (Wilson, North Carolina). Sportsplex (Matthews, North Carolina). WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, North Carolina).