Feb. 26: Red Bulls vs. Miami FC

Should be awesome. It's on a Saturday so a good crowd show up. They've got Henry and Marquez! Nice!

Last year MFC played Red Bull at Lockhart but it was on a Friday afternoon so hardly anyone could make it.

Should be an great opportunity for the Strikers to recruit new fans and for the supporters group(s) to get some new members.

 

Well, I guess now we know that the name, crest, kit release details have a drop dead date of February 25th. Can't be playing games as Miami FC at that point, it would be clownish. Wonder if season ticket holders are going to be contacted about this game. Four weeks isn't much time to make rebrand announcements and schedule and advertise a friendly against an MLS squad....... If anyone hears more about this, please post any info. Would definitely love to go to this match!

 

Wait a second. I just re-read the article. Am I too sleepy tonight or does it sound like the Red Bulls/Fire matchup is going to be here as well? Perhaps the Fire will be playing the Strikers as well? Ok, just found it on the Fire website, it says they WILL be playing the Red Bulls at Lockhart on February 23rd. Says they will also be playing two more matches with dates, times, and oppoents TBD. Gotta be one with the Strikers as well you'd imagine.

I think I feel like I can say with even more conviction now that the NASL will indeed play in 2011, sanctioned as a USSF league. How can they not settle ofr D3 in 2011 if they have to, after all the money and work that's been spent, everything that is in place, and now MLS friendlies to top it off. If Davidson and Traffic ever want to be taken seriously by MLS organizations in the future, there is no way they can do something like schedule friendlies against MLS teams and then cancel them last minute.

 

It'd be cool if they played Chicago too. It would make sense since Coach Shore was a long time assistant coach with the Fire.

 

We're talking 3 - 4 weeks out now from these friendlies, at our house, and we find out about them on the Fire and Red Bulls pages? I completely understand that there is a lot of pressure on the NASL to act quickly in order to have any shot of D2 sanctioning this year. I also understand that really means Davidson and Traffic doing most of whatever work there is to be done. But come on! We still don't even have an official team name! Hosting and playing friendlies with MLS teams from Chicago and NY and there isn't word one about it even on the website, let alone in the community?

I can understand not wanting to put out anymore press statements or official documents that say Miami FC/Strikers 2011. That is looking pretty bush league at this point. I think they need to just make a small press conference and statement to announce the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers name. I mean, is it still under debate at this point? They MUST know by now what they will name the team. That way you can put some announcements out about the friendlies, and save a bigger splash for the kit unveiling, presumably prior to the friendly matches. And how about contacting season ticket holders about these very important matches that are less then a month away?!?

Sorry guys, just losing my patience a bit. I really wanted to believe that things would be different this year, that the marketing of this team that has been completely absent in the past would stay in the past. Again, I understand the Strikers (Traffic) personnel are almost certainly the ones working on the sanctioning issue. But there's got to be some things that can start happening with their own team with the season so close at hand. Or maybe this is an indication that they are indeed all in with this D2 or nothing business. Maybe they're purposely waiting to see if the sanctioning gets returned before they do ANYTHING else. Very frustrating......

 

At the meeting the Ultras/supporters had on February 5, we heard that the Red Bulls want it closed. It's really their event, they just wanted somebody to play. They don't want a bunch of people in the stands because their evaluating players etc. etc.

BUT, if you show up with the supporters to the other events at the complex earlier that day(Stripe the Stadium and Strikers vs. US U-17s), they might be able to get us in to the RBNY match.

 

All that was said with a lot of "perhaps" and "maybe" and "might happen" in the conversation. There were also a lot of winks and knowing smiles included. Take that as you will.

Evidently the Red Bulls don't want the expense of a public match. Extra $$ for security (police) and such as that. They want the match for practice, evaluations and little else. Probably the Strikers want the same. Especially at someone else's expense....

 

Well, this is understandable from strictly a preseason training standpoint. Would have been a nice event for fans, season ticket holders at least. According to the season ticket package details, the club owes us an additional game TBD, either a USOC, or a friendly. Considering there will be no USOC games, it's going to HAVE to be a friendly. Would be nice if it was an MLS side, or if they could get an international club in. Has anyone heard anything more about the Fire? They're supposed to be here the same time as the Red Bulls, and are scheduled to play each other at Lockhart already.

 

GAME IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT FREE!!!



Sucks that Red Bull held up the promotion of this until now, but better late then never I guess.

SHOW UP PEOPLE!!

 

What a great opportunity to rev up fan interest, and also sell a ton more $99 season ticket packages! This is going to be awesome!!! They need to get the word out all over South Florida tomorrow, all the radio talk shows, the local papers, anything and everything they can!

 

Looks good. Hope I can make it....

 

I might be refereeing at that time, but hopefully I don't get any games or Im done before that!

 

I suggest that everyone does what I did. I was invited on Facebook to the event by a facebook friend who is an Ultra.

I accepted the invitation, and then I suggested the event to ALL of my friends on facebook. I have about 300. Some are really close, some I have only talked to once or twice. Most important is that almost none of them have any idea that there is a professional soccer team here. It took me 3-4 minutes to invite them all. Its a tedious process.

But now, 30 minutes later, there's like 8 or 9 that are confirmed, and many that are maybe. A lot have even asked me about the event since they have no idea.

Truth is, facebook is the entire internet for many people, so you gotta give it to them.

Everyone suggest the event on Facebook to their friends!

 

Good idea. Well done!

 

When I got the mail from Pieter it looked like I could not get to the match, so I checked "NO." The day has opened, so it looks like I can get to the match after all.

I MUST wear my Red Bull shirt, so I will sit somewhere so as not arouse the ire of the Miami masses. -- oops. Ft. Lauderdale, in a much-improved jersey, I hope!

 

They have not unveiled the jersey for this year yet. I'm guessing we'll probably be seeing them play in shirts that are Strikers colors, but certainly nothing official or what we'll see on April 9th. Glad you can come, bring all your friends!!! Let's get a large and loud crowd at Lockhart!!!

 

The Sun-Sentinel site now has an article up for the game. Hopefully lots of South Floridians are seeing it. I suggest everyone local put it on their Facebook page as there are certainly far more Facebook users then newspaper readers these days!

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/thingstodo/2011/02/free_ftl_strikers_vs_henry_mar.html

 

Well I've spread the word to some people at work, who hopefully in turn spread the word as well. The Sun-Sentinel article is good. Hopefully some other things have been done as well. I'm hoping for a really nice crowd, despite the last minute nature of things. This is such a huge opportunity for the team to generate a ton of interest with new fans, it's such a shame that there wasn't at least a few more days to get the word out. If nothing else, we should at least be able to beat that pathetic looking crowd in Orlando from the other night! LOL