USA-England

Darn it, it's the chicks.


I was excited there for a second.

 

I assume this is the one tentatively scheduled for Atlanta?

 

USA-England at Birmingham, Alabama

International soccer comes to Birmingham again when the U.S. women's national team plays England in an exhibition game May 17 at Legion Field.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamne..._standard.xsl?/base/news/1045822621312680.xml

It's the first time the women's squad that features Selma native Mia Hamm will play in Birmingham.

 

Thanks for the info tiej.

Has this person even seen the attendance numbers for the USWNT the past couple of years?

 

Here is the USSF press release:

http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=28242&itype=

 

What kind of numbers did they draw for the last men's team friendly?

 

I think they drew in the 20-25K range for the two men's friendlies I know of there (Tunisia 98, Ecuador 02), pretty respectable crowds. I suspect the women will draw better than they have been lately simply because Birmingham is fresh ground for them and the area has supported the men and Olympics well in the past. I can't see it being more than 20K though.

RFK was never in the running - already a Freedom-United doubleheader that day.

 

I hope English tv shows this game but i cant see it

 

More News From BIRMINGHAM POST-HERALD

Inside Legion Field, a faded saying is splayed across the bottom edge of the upper deck.
It reads: "Welcome to the Football Capital of the South."
(scroll in the middle of article)
http://www.postherald.com/sp022103.shtml

 

I'm from Birmingham and have been to every internationl game here ever:

-We had 11 during the '96 Olympics (awesome attendance the USA-Argentina match sold out...and the Tunisia Olympic match had over 40,000),

-2 men's team friendlies (both over 20,000...better than other, bigger cities for friendlies against teams that aren't marquee teams...tunisia & ecuador)

-I can't remember if it was '99 or 2000, but they had a U-17 team tournament here with USA, Mexico, Jamaica, Morocco. Some of those matches drew over 5,000.

I'm just glad USSF keeps picking us for matches.

If anybody is coming to the match, I will be glad to meet up with you or offer advice on where to stay, where to eat, what to do, etc.

 

I guess if its not on tv here i can always follow it on matchtracker

 

Was telling a friend earlier that I am coming home to Birmingham for the May 17th game and she reminded me that it is the same weekend as the annual music festival, City Stages. Should make Malfunction Junction more fun than usual.


http://www.citystages.org/


I wonder if this will have any effect at all on attendance -- good or bad. Of course, it may have more of an effect if they actually start booking and announcing acts.

 

I'm surprised not many people haven't mentioned this but the USWNT will play Ireland's national team on April 26th. Should be an interesting match and it will be on ESPN 2.

 

Whew.

For a second there I thought the USWNT was gonna play Iceland AGAIN on 4/23 like originally rumored.

Good to see that this is a Wednesday night game. The 4/23 game fell on a Saturday and would've definately hurt some WUSA squads. Now they could probably meet up in a mini camp for Monday and Tuesday and then fly back to their respective teams Thursday morning.

 

I'm from B'ham as well and I'm glad to see the women coming(though I'll take the men over the women anytime). I just want one thing out of this match...........Heather Mitts

 

City Stages has been in a downward spiral since about '98 or '99. Attendance has sucked the last couple of years as have most of the acts (of course, I'm sure the second is causual of the first...but I digress.)

I don't think their will be too much crossover there, or at least not enought to adversely affect it.

 

I too am from B'ham and am look foward to the game. Dont know if I will make it or not yet. I dont know what this game will do for soccer in Alabama. It may reenforce the idea that soccer is for girls and men play the other football. Hopefully B'ham will show up and we'll get a WCQ next year. It was nice to here one of the players went to Briarwood, local girl makes good.

PS-Has Finebaum said anything about this yet or should we really care?

 

I try not to read Finebaum's musings on soccer. Only thing I could find so far is from Solomon Crenshaw.


http://www.al.com/sports/birmingham...tandard.xsl?/base/sports/1045822793312680.xml

 

Finebaum

Nothing on his site either.


http://www.finebaum.com/articles_finebaum.html

 

They wouldn't show this in England. At least not when a couple of hundred people turn up when the woman national team of England play in England. Should improve if they can make it less a male only sport in the UK school system.

 

I was wondering about the six hours or so a day he's on the radio. I dont get to hear him everyday.