Here it is folks http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-wcup-us&prov=ap&type=lgns Feb 9 @ T&T Mar 26/27 @ MEX Mar 30 vs. GUA Jun 4/5 vs. Costa Rica Jun 8 @ PAN Aug 17 vs. T&T Sep 3/4 vs. MEX Sep 7 @ GUA Oct 8/9 @ Costa Rica Oct 12 vs. Pan Home sites still TBD
I'm assuming the Mexico home match is Labor Day weekend. I think it is safe to say whereever that is played, we will see a record number of Sam's Army supporters.
The early away match with Mexico is key. We really need atleast a draw there. It would be nice to get some early points because of the amount of away matches early. To be able to come back home in a comfortable position with the last 3-4 games at hand would be ideal.
Personally I like the weekend games with CR and Mexico. I can get too all 4 games without having to take a couple of days off from work. I believe the away match with Costa Rica will be a very crucial game in October. 9th game, both teams striving for the final spots.
US Soccer ain't going to like it, though. The 2 easiest games to sell tickets to casual U.S. fans are on weekends. It will really be interesting to see where they put these games and whether or not they decide to try to go for "home crowds" or "large ticket sales".
Sure maybe, but personally I believe the opposite, I'd prefer to have the best games on weekends to guarantee even the bubble supporters coming out. You'll see an incrementally significant number of extra ticket sales for big games on weekends vs. weeknights because you can make it a road trip without large sacrifices (to see a desireable team with significant impact/meaning to the overall standings) If I was a bubble fan, I wouldn't spend the extra dough to go to a long journey to see a weaker team even if it was on a weekend.
Perhaps there are places where they can get both. Edit to include a big stadium/city where I would like to see a match: Adelphia Colliseum (Nashville, TN), grass pitch, a great town to party and eat in and as pro-USA as you can find, but obviously not during American football season.
Key decision to be made is whether to host Mexico in LA (enormous ticket sales; we could probably get 100,000 people into the Rose Bowl, assuming UCLA is not home that weekend) or in a place where the Star Spangled Banner won't be booed and the Nats won't feel like they're on the road, like New England or Columbus. (The same might be said of any Hex contest, other than T&T, that might be played in L.A.)
The Mexico game won't be played in LA. Things have gotten better the last couple times around with scheduling qualifiers in friendly cities. In the Gold Cup we could see a game in the Rose bowl to generate ticket sales, but not when a spot in the world cup is at stake.
In general this seems to be a good schedule for the US. - If it comes down to the last game, I feel pretty good about playing Panama at home. - The two Mexico games take place on holiday weekends - Easter weekend at Mexico (I know not everyone gets off, but some people get off for Good Friday or are on spring break) and at home against Mexico on Labor Day weekend. This will make it more likely that more American fans will go to those games. The Mexican fans would go no matter what day it was.
This is the major news we've been waiting for, so I think we can afford to have this thread sticky'd for a while.
Didn't The Bruce once say he will never play Mexico in LA again? USSF is a little savvier nowadays, and there's more at stake. We will never see the US play a Spanish speaking country in a meaningful game in LA again. We should have T&T play at the Home Depot Center. The second away match against Mexico is also effed up because it's right in the middle of the MLS layoff period, so the lineup is going to be the Euro based guys - and obviously because of who we're playing and where. The first away match at one of the softest opponents is a boon because of the same reason.
I wouldn't be surprised one way or the other. After the Portland 97 Costa Rica game, there were words to the effect of never scheduling an "away" home match ever again. Then came 2002 qualifying and a steady stream of central American countries (Guatemala, Honduras) to RFK Stadium and Caribbean countries to Foxboro, MA (Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica). The fact is, the USSF has to weigh the financial considerations. As long as the U.S. finishes third in the hex, it's all good. Finishing 8 or 9 points clear of the fourth place team would make the fans happy, but if we're kicking ass, look for some late hex home games that are money grabs.
I hope you're not talking about Portland, OR in an attempt to get an entirely pro-USA crowd, because it just wouldn't work. It would be like Honduras in DC. Columbus or New England.
I don't get this. how is the 2nd match against Mexico in the middle of the layoff period? It's a labor day match basically. labor day is 5 weeks before the end of the MLS regular season.
Regardless of when the matches are played, I think playing T & T at the HDC in Carson would be acceptable in terms of maximizing home support. For the Mexico match, I'd pick Columbus. For Guatemala, Panama, and Costa Rica, I think Seattle, Chicago, Foxboro, Kansas City or Denver would be good venues for those matches, although there will be much sentiment to play one of them at RFK. Of course, USSF should not play matches on football fields in September or October, but that won't be a problem for the March, June and August fixtures. Anyway you slice it, come February everyone will be in the same boat--level on points and goal difference!
good idea--west coast but still a great chance for a home field advantage for the Nats and of course Kasey. Of course, the northwest winter misery wouldn't hurt either!
I sent an e-mail suggestion to MLS about the 2005 Schedule. I asked them if they could not schedule the matches on September 3rd & or 4th when Mexico comes to the States. Possibly schedule them 3 to 4 days before the Qualifier so that all the attention is paid to that one and only particular match. Also think about the full sized pro US crowd that can be in attendance depending on where the home stadium will be. I hope it will be done.