NY over doubleheader in Chi? Picking (having a crowd of) of 7-10k vs. 40k? Can it get any more moronic?
I assumed it was decided by a coin-flip? If not, then you're right - it is moronic. Not so much that they pick NY over CHI, but that they pick at all.
According to Chicago's very own Peter Wilt, FSW wanted to show the game live, rather than delayed/taped, which would be necessary due to the Chitown double header format. The Fireboys assume only 10k at best will show up for a Final in Giants Stadium. More than that, they are convinced the turnout will be lousy, while the 40k slated to show up for Mex-UR would remain for the OC Final. We will make an effort to disappoint their low expectations for Giants Stadium; there is no way to dispell the myth of 40 thousand Mexican fans hanging around for a US Championship after El Tri's tilt with Uraguay. That will remain the legend that never was.
Oh yeah...it being LIVE vs. TAPE DELAYED is going to make a HUGE dent in that .0000001 rating.....morons......you know how non-event its going to look with 8k fans? And yes, it won't draw well, simply because (unlike regular season MLS) there hasn't been months and months to sell tix for this one... Don't be surprised to see some "Metros win Cup, but who cares? (not soccer fans!) headlines.....you can't draw 8k for a championship match in NYC and expect respect........and those type articles will be well-deserved by the knuckleheads running soccer in this country- who lack of common sense may prove that theory about too much heading of soccer balls after all.....
Not that I disagree with what you said. But didn't Chicago host the Open Cup final a few years ago and drew around 18k?
yes, they drew 18k mls fans that year... imagine how the turnout for the first soccer event in nsf would have been on top of that. *#*#*#*#ing stupid.
Yes, but they also hosted one that drew over 30k I believe... It is difficult for ANY SOCCER MATCH to sell big no. of tickets in walk-up.....NE in championship last year was exception, but that was after a lot of groundwork already....very little groundwork has been laid here, and if Yankees are still in playoffs next week (or even not)....FUGGETABOUTIT.. The whole point is: Why would soccer want to embarrass itself (again) when it doesn't need to....and it could even (again) turn out to be a marquee event....makes no sense...
Is it me, or is Peter Wilt sounding a bit like Arsene Wenger these days? Massive crowd at Nappyville for the Semi. Does it really set the right precedent having the final of the US's oldest soccer competition be on the undercard of a exhibition match?
Yeah. . .. why should having 40K people who are going to the Mexico game watch the US Open Cup Final? As if those fans actually CARE about the Fire anyway. .. Remember, they're just selling tickets to the Mexican game to make enough cash to keep the Fire playing.
This sounds a lot like the 2001 Open Cup final. The Revs last home game was cancelled after September 11, but the club was planning on honoring any tickets for that game for the Open Cup Final, if it was to be played in Foxboro. They had already pre-sold over 15,000 for that game. Instead, the USSF awarded it to LA, and about 3,500 braved the bitter weather of partly sunny skies and 65 degrees in LA. The Galaxy's argument was that it would be "too cold" to play it in New England at the end of October. Some conspiracy theorists may argue that they want to give the Mutts any edge possible to win some sort of hardware, given they are a "marquee" team. I don't know about that. I just think that whatever decision makes the most sense, the USSF will then do the opposite. Tom
Why I keep getting surprised by the absolute dumbasses, the incomptent buffoons at USSF, I have no idea? Tape delay? Tape delay is fine if it gets more people in the stands. Where was the concern for LIVE Open Cup matches when they completely cancelled coverage of teh Metro - DC semi and instead showed a 0-0 4 day old EPL game. I swear to God, I could replace every one of those idiots at USSF tomorrow and replace them with a few select BigSoccer posters and we would have the USSF and CONCACAF headed in the right direction before lunch on Monday. Dumbasses.
I couldn't have said it better. I really think those in "charge" of US soccer are actually dedicated to slow growth. Rapid growth would certainly overwhelm the decision makers and we'd more than likely end up in a worse situation.
That had nothing to do with the USSF's decision. And as the Fire/AEG were the promoters, the US Open Cup wouldn't have been billed as the undercard. This was all TV.
Now I'm confused. Who promotes and benefits or loses financially from the USOC final? The organizers or the home team?
Like it or not, most people subscribe to FSW to get their fix of Euro footie, especially EPL! Not MLS. After all its called Fox Sports WORLD!
The final probably should've been held in Chicago, but let's be fair here. The Fire already got to host two USOC finals. Three in a row? I don't think so...
I don't have a problem with that reasoning. It's not the reasoning USSF used, however. And the USOC has drawn 20,000+ on its own merits in Chicago. While not 40k, it's undetermined how well we could sell it if we had all the time to promote we could have had this year. I'm unsure why some think it would have been "the undercard" or that all of the Mexican national team fans would either suddenly materialise after the USOC final or that they would boo the USOC final. Granted, not all of them might have been there for the USOC final but I'd bet you half would be. And a lot of the Fire fans probably wouldn't stay for the second match. And in the end, who cares? Everyone's money is as good as the next.
(.00001 rating) no sugar rush dude....let's face it, men's soccer TV ratings suck....and FSN ratings are so low, they are local-cable access like....that's OK....soccer will not make it (near-term) on TV ratings anyway....that's not the plan....so why cater to TV? Fox would not change their relationship with MLS/US Soccer if they would have insisted on Chicago.... You can't give up a 40k crowd for a 8k crowd for a championship....as to the dude with "anyone worried about US Open not held as separate event"....the only people nerdy enough to care about that...are on these threads....and they like/follow soccer anyway....the 8k crowd can/will give ammo to the non-soccer media bias, and also look atrocious on TV....
I'm not saying you're wrong, but you're typing as if you're completely on something, thus exaggerating everything out of proportion.
ever here of exaggeration for effect? Common literary tool...however, with soccer TV's numbers...really not too much an exaggeration here (I mean, honestly, how many folks care if that Cup game is live vs. taped...and would decide NOT to watch it based on that.....they could all fit into a studio appartment w/grandma to spare... Seriously, USSF officials in charge on this decision should be in next sequel for Dumber and Dumberer....mindboggling stupid decision...
The major problem concerning the USSF is the schism between the youth soccer leagues and the professionals. This divide is huge and causes the officials at USSF to compromise with the amateur folks and give lip service to such events as the US Open Cup. Awhile ago Dante Washington attended a USSF Annual General Meeting and things got ugly very rapidly. I don't know the details, but it would be interesting to know them. Anyway, there are many people who want better referees, coaches, fields etc. in the amateur game and want to give nothing to our National teams or boost the professional game. This situation had better change if we want a better organized and promoted US Open Cup IMO.