Does anyone have any info, or heard spectulation, on where we will play Grenada in the opening round of Qualifying?
Columbus is in position, from what I've read, to get the first home WCQ of the semi-final round, which should be v El Salvador in September. Don't see Columbus getting two WCQs so close together, especially with Crew Stadium slated to get another game in the Hexagonal next year. My preference, for obvious reasons, would be the Home Depot Center in L.A. It would be a chance for the USMNT fans in the SoCal area (yes, we DO exist) to make a case for more games at the "new home of American soccer." The more likely place for the Grenada WCQ is somewhere on the East Coast. How about Birmingham, Alabama??!!
I think Houston is a great location as long as we're not playing El Tri. Reliant is awesome for seeing the field....I was there when we played Mexico last May... I would love to see a qualifier there.
MLS games that weekend - all currently scheduled for Saturday, June 12th. Chicago at Los Angeles (espn2) Kansas City at Columbus Colorado at DC United New England at Dallas MetroStars at San Jose (HDnet) I would think a doubleheader with MLS would make sense. One of these games would have to go to Sunday. I suppose an alternate would be a doubleheader with an A-League matchup... 6/12 Seattle at Minnesota Charleston at Richmond Virginia Beach at Rochester Vancouver at Portland 6/13 Virginia Beach at Syracuse Seattle at Milwaukee
With Grenada, you could really have it anywhere in the country without the fear of being over taken by Grenadans(?) and making it an away game at home.
those in red i just don't see it happening. why play it in LA when they have shown no support for us soccer unless we play mexico <then it is really just mexican support in la> and san jose won't get it thanks to the postage stamp they play on...and when was the last time we played an important us soccer game at the cotton bowl? i think it comes down to d.c. and columbus and who wants it more...i agree with galaxyfan03 in that columbus is poised to get one of the opening games in the semi-final round in the fall...so i doubt they would get 2 qualifiers in one year. i think it'll go to d.c.
The Colorado at DC game on 6/12 is the FSW game. That pretty much leaves KC at Columbus or NE at Dallas if they want to make an MLS/WCQ doubleheader out of the Granada game.
Agreed. You need to spread the games around the country and this is the only game that could be held at RFK.
Wow, that's very gracious of you. My vote is RFK or some place like Seattle/Portland where they think it will do good. Save cowtown for some central american qualies where the home advantage means something.
A) A couple months ago, the Wash. Post reported that the game against the Grenada-Guyana winner would be on the East Coast. B) The same article stated that RFK was NOT going to get that game. C) As I stated in previous threads, I don't see the Grenada game drawing too big a crowd. Despite the Haiti game, this should be a fairly lopsided match and it just isn't going to draw too many people too a big stadium. Thus, I don't see it going to the usual suspects. I think it's going to go to one of the smaller stadiums like SAS in Cary, Blackbaud in Charleston or Lockhart in Ft. Lauderdale. Playing in Ft. Lauderdale in June would have the added advantage of acclimating the team to the weather its likely to see a week later in Grenada, not to mention the direct flight from Miami the team will be able to take to Grenada.
Why put the qualfier in a arge stadium when the draw will be small? Those mentioning MLS stadiums are thinking too big. We would love to go to the match, but how do you market Grenada? I think Charleston would work. Lockhart would also make sense. If Pae-Tech Park was completed, this would be a good match for there.
The rumor from the Washington Post is RFK is in the running for the Panama game. Since all of Panama couldn't fill RFK, this is likely a "safe" game for RFK. Manuel Norriega's parole was also recently denied, making it safer to hold that match in RFK. I'd bet Grenada in the Southeast, hopefully at a site that hasn't gotten a chance before, which rules out Miami. Maybe a place like Blackbaud Stadium or some small site like that. To hold a match like this that will draw no more than 10K in a huge stadium is just ridiculous.
I called. It is not a confirmed date. That's a placeholder. They said that the USSF has not given them an indication on where it will be held. They're waiting to talk to Grenada.
I'm just curious, do many Grenadans hold a grudge against the US for back when Reagan sent the boys in to invade the island?
I don't think so. ON the whole, the 1983 invasion was pretty popular among Grenadians, as Bernard Coard's far-left faction deposed and killed the more popular Marxist Maurice Bishop, making them pretty unpopular. Some members of the Grenadian left might hold a grudge, though. Obligatory soccer content: I think Grenada will give us a better series than people think.