http://www.mlsnet.com/content/03/mls0204spring.html This schedule shows DC United doing a final tune-up in Charleston SC prior to their season opener. Can anyone tell me how "open" this practice is? I figure that the team is getting away for last minute focusing and polishing (sort of like when a team stays together at a hotel the night before a big home game) - but are fans allowed to view the practices and/or mingle with the players. I have wanted to go see some soccer in Charleston for a long time and wish I could have made it down for the Under-23 Qualifiers that were recently held. But if the DC United practices are fairly public - I might decide to take Friday off and go catch my club. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
DCU in Charleston They are playing a game against the Battery on 3/29 at Blackbaud. Not sure about the practices though. I'm going to be down in Charleston so I'm planning on going to the game.
Taking bets now on how long until GrillMaster comes a visiting with a proposal for a scrumptuous roadtrip involving...
Liverpool SC I think alot depend on where they are practicing if it at the stadium or the practice fields near there. If its the practice fields there is really no way they can make it a closed practice. If its in Blackbaud stadium, it might be open. I think they are training two days at least, so I imagine they will only train once on the pitch before the match on Sunday. I suggest emailing the Battery PA guy Andrew at andrew.bell@charlestonbattery.com for info like that. He probably wont be able to help you until a few days before the match, though. As for visiting, I will help out anyone who's interested in visiting although I won't be at the match. I'm in the USAF and it seems that the government thinks my time would be better spent somewhere else in the world right now (and for an "indefinate" amount of time). I was really looking forward to seeing Stewart, Hristo, and some of your young guns as well. And watching the US match up in the pub before the match. And just to plug the Three Lions Pub. It is a MUST see if you've never had a chance to check it out. Hope you make it down. You should try out a Battery match or too this year, looks like another good year. And Terry Phelan (ex man. city Rep of Ireland Terry Phelan is still with us) along with Jamican International Lival "Rudi "Dixon Mikey Mikey
We just saw Tom over the weekend. Jan and I are thinking of heading down there too. I want to see what I need to do to get on the field to take pix.
Just to correct Mikey's "typo", the match is actually on Saturday. I can't remember the Battery's practices and scrimmages ever being closed, but the arrangements for DC United will be whatever they want. Frankly, I can't imagine many people even knowing they'll be in town to train, so, it's not like there'll be thousands of onlookers to contend with. As Mikey said, the practice field is surrounded by a chain link fence next to a public street, no way to make that private. The stadium obviously can be locked down. Hope lots of you make it down, Charleston can have some damn fine weather in March.
Future retirement area for my Mom. She's scoping out places there already as a few of her friends already live there. Not a bad drive down....
MikeLasort Good to see you might be heading down, I don't think I've seen you since the US/mexico match in Columbus. I wish I was going to be there. Are you still using the D1? If you have never been to Charleston, you really don't need to be on the sidelines to get good pics. There is only about six or seven feet from the sidelines to the advertising boards and the stands are behind them. You should get some decent shots with 200mm lens and even better ones with a 300mm. Go with the fastest ones you have. As nice as Blackbaud stadium is, I wish there was a little more light (as a photographer, its fine for the players) for night matches, but with a monopod. the 2.8 lens and setting my ISO around 640-800, I can get 1/250- 1/500 sec. exposures. I have a link to my photos of the last two Battery season in my personal forum if your interested. Who knows I might be back (slim chance but I'm hopeful) It would be great to have a Guiness or two and watch to a pair of good matches to get warmed up for what could be a great season for both our teams. Mikey