Now that we know our opponents, it might be time to speculate on venues, though the draw for the Hex is still a few weeks away. Considering that Seattle is "rumored" to be getting 2 Gold Cup games in July of 2005, I don't see them getting a WCQ, unfortunately. Here's what I'd like to see & think would give us the BEST home-field advantage: Costa Rica - Soldier Field, Chicago. IMHO Chicago deserves a shot at hosting a WCQ & based on the Poland friendly should draw a solid, pro-USA crowd. Guatemala - PGE, Portland. Probably not gonna happen but WHY NOT?!! Mexico - Crew Stadium, Columbus. Hopefully, in freezin' cold AGAIN!! Panama - HDC, Los Angeles. The "Home of American Soccer" NEEDS a WCQ. Trinidad - Gillette Stadium, Foxboro. Of course, a lot could change depending on the scheduling dates. There's the new stadium in Frisco, Texas that MIGHT get a game & there's always Rice-Eccles in Salt Lake that could get a game since ReAl Salt Lake will join MLS next year. Thoughts?? Opinions??
I think HDC could get the T&T as well as the Panama match. The match against Mexico should be in Alaska, but Columbus would do. Guatemala and Costa Rica are toss ups...probably one in Columbus and another in Foxboro. And if it wasn't for baseball, RFK would be hosting at least two of those matches, not that I'm bitter or anything.
Pick Hartford. I know U.S. Soccer has other concerns, but Hartford's stadium is so much better and more convenient to a lot more people than Foxboro. IF the the USA actually evaluated the stadiums and didn't just care that Kraft puts money in the MLS, Rentschler Stadium would be the best choice in the northeast. Plus we have pubs, not just parking lots like in Foxboro. You might appreciate that if the weather wasn't good. Anyway, play the winter game in Hartford!
I don't think we will be playing in SLC over Frisco for the TnT game. The deal is that US Soccer is supposed to reward those cities that build SSS's.
Crap, I forgot about Frisco. That will probably get one of hte games that would naturally go to the HDC.
RFK is probably out because of baseball. But then again stranger things have happened. Maybe if we're home on the first match day it could happen.
I think they should spread the team across the country as much as possible. It's better for the long term growth, just like a band on tour or politician campaigning.
Keep in mind that The Bruce hates traveling beyond the Mississippi when Euro players are in midseason, so outside of the June home date, look for nothing to be further west than Frisco.
My pathetic guess..... Mexico - Columbus Costa Rica - Foxboro Guatemala - Columbus Trinidad - New York City Panama - HDC
Question - other than Frisco will any other SSS have broken ground? If not, Frisco gets T & T HDC gets shut out. Again Columbus and Foxboro get two games each Everyone else is screwed. Again.
A rumor circulating in Columbus this week had a USSF official saying that we'd be going to some different places. Whatever that means.
Not sure what different places means, but I'd be way surprised if it meant other-than-MLS cities. If different means LA and Dallas versus RFK, well that wouldn't surprise me. Panama--HDC T&T--Dallas Costa Rica--Foxboro Guatemala--Columbus Mexico--Columbus
I'm thinking the Jets stadium won't be done by next year, so you kind of don't have a stadium to have it in. Maybe they could draw a field in Central Park or something.
Correct. At the post-game press conference someone asked if venues had been decided upon for the Hex since the 6 teams were now known, and the USSF spokesperson said not yet but that they would probably be in a few new locations.
Mexico-Columbus Costa Rica-Kansas City Guatemala-Seattle Panama-Portland Trinidad & Tobago-Dallas By "new" venues, I'll take that as the Pacific Northwest. As much as I hate to admit it, the East Coast really has become spoiled with Nat games. Hopefully this creates some scarcity, and makes any East Coast games(Rochester, New Jersey, Boston) for 2009 that much better. I hope the "new" rumor is true because Seattle/Portland is just screaming for a big time Nats game. The shiny new SSS gets a game and the chances of any "away" games is greatly reduced.
I'm holding out hope that Arrowhead gets a game next spring or summer, but with Dallas having a new stadium next year, that's probably unlikely.
So the rumors on the board are that there will be 'new' venues; but at the same time, BA does not like to go too far West because of the Euro based players. So which one will give? Unless the "new" venues are still in the central part of the country (see Chicago and Dallas).