First off, if there's an existing thread, please feel free to merge this in. After watching a good part of the match on TV last night, it sure looked like great atmosphere in Chi-town last night. Of course, there were a sizeable number of Polska fans, but there also seemed to be a lot of US fans. I think its ridiculous that Foxboro continues to get qualifier after qualifier. I'd also say the same goes for DC - but less so than Foxboro. Foxboro should get a qualie, but spread the love around (and this is NOT a plea to get matches played in Northern California). Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Birmingham, Salt Lake City, Dallas, Kansas City (outdrew Foxboro last time around IIRC). Did I mention Chicago?
There is another, rather exhaustive, thread on this, but... The US wins in Foxboro and that is the only reason there are qualifiers. You can spread the love through friendlies. Anyplace that gives the US an advantage is where the games should be played. Generally that means anyplace that has a small population of people from south of the US and the colder the better. That said, FIFA has regulations regarding stadiums regarding size of playing field (bye, bye SJ), astroturf etc. Virtually all NFL & major college football teams have exclusive rights to their stadiums during the season so that rules out most places unwilling to completely obliterate the gridiron lines. Foxboro is owned by the Kraft family, as are the Patriots & Revs, Columbus & Home Depot are soccer specific and RFK is without football tenant. Pretty easy to go from there.
Depends who we're playing. Mexico- Columbus Costa Rica- Columbus or Kansas City or somewhere else up north but not the northeast so maybe Seattle or Portland Jamaica- see above Canada-Miami, LA or Texas
For the last time: Qualifier venues are selected by who can control the tickets and prevent us from playing in a hostile stadium at home. MLS front offices sell to their ticket bases. The Revs have proven that they can control tickets. The Crew have proven that they can control tickets. DC has proven that they can control tickets. Dallas, New York and LA won't get qualies because there are too many hispanics in those cities who can get their hands on Tix. Chicago is also a melting pot. San Jose's field is too small. Denver has the altitude problem and unless everyone is training for it a month in advance, it isn't an advantage. The only other viable place may be KC, but other than that, qualifiers will be in C-bus, DC and Dallas. Please stop this nonsense.
It'd be nice to see a qualifier in Birmingham. They had a friendly against Ecuador there. It drew decently. I think they held some 1996 Olympic matches there. I'm not asking for a high-level match against Mexico or Costa Rica -I know what the responses will be- but Canada will do.
I don't think we should really be worried about a significant Canuck invasion if a qualifier is played north of the mason-dixon. Miami should never be allowed sporting events other than jai alai. I also think that soccer specific stadia should be rewarded and used - Columbus and LA when appropriate.
Hopefully once the Burn build the new Palace in Dallas, the Nats might possibly host the Canadians in the frigid Texas summer. I don't think we'd have to worry about the Hispanics buying all the tickets either. While I'd like to see the Nats hit different venues, I'd take sending everyone to Columbus especially early in qualifying when it's so damned cold. With that said, I've often wondered why we don't bring the Mexicans in for a night match in "Death Valley" in Baton Rouge (while school is in session of course) and have $.05 beer night. Every LSU/Cajun swamprat would be there to "support" the States. Talk about hostile! It would make Azteca seem like Sunday school. I can only dream. RM
I think New England is a great home for America, but Foxboro is terrible. This may sound like a shameless plug, but Hartford's new stadium would be perfect for qualifiers. When Rochester finishes their stadium that's another good place. America would always have the advantage in Hartford or Rochester.
Those big land grand football U's are dependent on non-students to fill football games. LSU has 34,000 faculty, staff, and students. Tiger Stadium is a 91,600 seat stadium. That leaves way too many seats for the opposition. Soccer sized stadiums are the answer for qualifiers. Lock in the MLS home team fans and don't leave too many seats for the opposition.
The major problem with a lot of college football stadiums is that they would not provide an adequately sized pitch for soccer.
A lot of players say they like playing in Denver, that the field is one of the best in the league. I think Denver should get a qualifier. Don't come during the Broncos season, come when there are no Broncos football lines on the field and the center isn't chewed to hell. The mile high altitude could kill some Carribean teams.
Its not to stop Canadian supporters from taking over the stadium, its more for Candadian players wilting in the heat.
What about alumni? LSU produces what like 5,000 a year or so? 25 year old Cajuns can be just as rowdy as 22 year olds.
The truth is most alumni don't care about University athletics. Sure there are football crazy LSU alumni that tailgate every homegame etc. but unless they are soccer fans why would they care about a US Soccer match on campus?
Rentschler Field doesn't have that problem. Including a FIFA approved width was amazingly done. I feel like such a plugger, but I don't know of many other soccer-friendly stadiums that have a perfect number of seats in a region with such a high population within a short distance. And it's 5 minutes away from me!
Canadian summers can be pretty warm- at least in the interior. I doubt it would be that much of an advantage for the US players- at least not like playing Mexico in freezing temperatures.
No offense to any city but Denver should get one before ANY of your towns. Denver is a big game town. People will come. Namely AMERICAN peoples. Cause its all American out here. The only opponent I wouldnt play here is Mexico. Everybody else is fair game. Why Denver hasn't gotten a qualifier is beyond me.
Personally I'd like to see them at the HDC myself, but that's also because it's my home field and I can go to the games. The hispanic population is a negative factor against most teams, but I'd still like to see them there. Chicago did a fantastic job and could attract people from WI & IN to travel there. Seattle would be great for neutral, plus I think it would show if they support the USMT for a game they might be able to support a MLS team.
Well maybe its because Denver is completely secluded from any other city. At these games, there is a need for support from neighboring cities, since soccer isn't the biggest draw everywhere in the country. I don't think Denver would be a good draw, but who knows. It couldn't be a regular home because most attendees would have to fly in.
Philly should get one. The Linc would sell out in 2 hours. Location is great, 2 hrs from both DC and New York. Plus Philly fans throw snowballs at Santa Claus and Jimmy Johnson, so that should scare the crap out of those urine throwing Latin Americans.
Baton Rouge, Birmingham, Denver, Seattle & Philly will never get qualifiers played in the fall. Well, at least not until soccer replaces football in the hearts and minds of those who run college & NFL football. You need to get past that and figure out how you're going to get to Foxboro & Columbus.