Reserve Team

crewzer1308 · Apr 3, 2005

Did they play today?

swedcrip34 · Apr 3, 2005

I don't think so. First official game is April 24th, first home game May 1.

http://www.ussoccer-data.com/schdmenu.htm

This site seems good for getting schedules. Select developmental league.

There have been threads around each forum when this came out, so I won't list the whole schedule (and remember it's very suspect to late changes).

Some teams start this next weekend April 9-10. There'll probably be several games against non-MLS opponents, but the PDL hasn't started, and most of the USL haven't either. The college season is in the fall though some teams might be available during the spring (but probably not around finals which are probably coming up soon).

Columbus will play DC, Metrostars, Chicago, Colorado, and Salt Lake both home & away. Columbus only plays NE at NE and only plays Chivas at Columbus.

mutinywxgirl · Apr 3, 2005

You're welcome for the initial link to this site....it seems everyone is enjoying using it.

Just make sure you check it right before the game, as any changes will be posted on it, since the referees use it to know where they are going. If there is to be a change, it'll be on there, before it gets published anywhere else.

fidlerre · Apr 3, 2005

That schedule is not "totally" correct in a true sense.

They have not set the venues and time for the reserve matches here in Columbus, those are just current estimates. When I talked to Mark about this he said they'll most probably play the other MLS reserve teams at the stadium and any USL-sides at Obetz. They are still working on the times for the matches...

mutinywxgirl · Apr 3, 2005

It is as "correct" as they have the information as of today. That's the way this site works. The games have to get in there in advance in order to begin finding referees, then, as information is provided, the site gets updated.

myshap · Apr 4, 2005

Sirk has some good info on the reserve games in his Notebook.

MLS Reserve League

McCullers said that the plans for the MLS Reserve League are nearing completion, but there is still some debate as to how it will work.

For example, there are some disagreements about when the games should be played. If the games are played on Sundays, the entire visiting team must stay in town until late afternoon on Sunday, since it will not be known who will play in the MLS game the night before. In the post 9/11 world, it's not easy to swap names on plane tickets based who is and isn't playing in the reserve game. As a result, there will be extra time on the road for everyone.

One thought to combat this would be to have the reserve games occur immediately after the MLS game.

"I was not in favor of that idea," said McCullers. "First of all, the idea is to get these players quality playing time in a competitive environment. Is kicking off a game at 10:00 or 10:30 local time truly a quality playing experience? I don't think it is. And that's not to mention the strain on the staff, who would be at the stadium well into the morning hours. And then on top of that, we'd be playing over the sound of vacuum cleaners while we clean the stadium. It's hardly ideal."

McCullers favors the Sunday games, and thinks they will be a good tool for the team. "One of the benefits of owning season tickets is that you'll get free admittance to the reserve games," he said. "Everyone else will have to pay a couple of bucks that will be donated to charity. But the good thing is that we can use these games to take the Crew out into the community. While we will use the stadium, we might also schedule a couple of the games in suburbs around town, provided that the fields are acceptable."

Playing other MLS reserve sides elsewhere in the state would be a logistical nightmare, but McCullers said that the reserve games against non-MLS teams could be played throughout the region, since travel would not be as complicated. "We have already lined up games against the Kings in Cincinnati and the Riverhounds in Pittsburgh," he said. "I think those independent reserve games could be a good chance to take the brand out into the greater market area, be it those two cities, or Indianapolis or up north. For soccer fans in those areas, it will be a good chance to see the Crew, which they might not be able to do on a regular basis."

These are all long-range goals, he said. "For now, we're focused on making the reserve league happen. But next year, once we've got one season under our belts and have worked out the kinks, we will be looking to see how we can truly use the reserve league games to the fullest benefit for our club, our players, and our fans, both here and throughout the region. I think it's an exciting development."
Click to expand...

Oh by the way the game against the Kings in Cincy is Wed April 13 at Xavier U. I'm not sure about the game in Washington, PA though.

Close by PDL clubs are:
Cleveland Internationals
Indiana Invaders
Kalamazoo Kingdom
Michigan Bucks
Toledo Slayers