Random Soccer Chatter

• OSH

  

  ohiobucks1;1197813 wrote:Anyone going to the USA game at CCS?

  hoops23;1197821 wrote:I'm really going to try to. Any idea on when tix go up for sale?

  I hope to go. We moved a game to hopefully take the team, as well.
  
  Tickets usually go on sale a month or so before the game...I anticipate the end of July.
• NilesPacMan

  Really would have liked to see the win last night, getting the monkey of a decent road win off our backs before the hexagonal. Speaking of which, does the hexagonal scare anyone else as much as it scares me?
• gorocks99

  

  NilesPacMan;1198982 wrote:Really would have liked to see the win last night, getting the monkey of a decent road win off our backs before the hexagonal. Speaking of which, does the hexagonal scare anyone else as much as it scares me?

  I wouldn't say it scares me ... I think when playing well we're the second best team in the confederation by far. And, to our advantage, only one of El Salvador/Costa Rica will advance. If the groups play out "by the numbers" we're looking at:
  
  USA
  Guatemala (US holds a 2-0-1 record against them over the past 4 years)
  Mexico (1-3-1)
  El Salvador (2-0-1)
  Panama (3-1-0)
  Honduras (5-1-0)
  
  Granted, it's a whole new beast with Klinsmann at the helm, who knows how it will play out. That part scares me. But, I think we'll be good enough to finish top 3 in the hexagonal.
• NilesPacMan

  gorocks99;1198996 wrote:I wouldn't say it scares me ... I think when playing well we're the second best team in the confederation by far. And, to our advantage, only one of El Salvador/Costa Rica will advance. If the groups play out "by the numbers" we're looking at:
  
  USA
  Guatemala (US holds a 2-0-1 record against them over the past 4 years)
  Mexico (1-3-1)
  El Salvador (2-0-1)
  Panama (3-1-0)
  Honduras (5-1-0)
  
  Granted, it's a whole new beast with Klinsmann at the helm, who knows how it will play out. That part scares me. But, I think we'll be good enough to finish top 3 in the hexagonal.

  True. I don't doubt our ability in getting to the World Cup because we should. However, there's something about the hexagonal that scares me every time. If we win at home and draw on the road (besides the Mexico series), that'll be more than enough to qualify us, but sometimes, it's nerve-wrecking.
• DeyDurkie5

  

  Can't believe Tottenham sacked Harry. I literally have no explanation for that. Anyone know?
• OSH

  

  DeyDurkie5;1199344 wrote:Can't believe Tottenham sacked Harry. I literally have no explanation for that. Anyone know?

  I agree, shocking.
  
  You go from bottom-dweller to almost Champions League qualifier? Lousy. Maybe they didn't like the disappointing finish this season saw?
• Fab1b

  

  Good matchup here between Croatia/Italy!
  
  Germany looked strong yesterday. I expect Spain to take the afternoon game.
• Laley23

  

  Fab1b;1199631 wrote:Good matchup here between Croatia/Italy!
  
  Germany looked strong yesterday. I expect Spain to take the afternoon game.

  Take this to the Euro thread. As I assume you meant it to be there.
• Fab1b

  

  You are correct
• gorocks99

  

  MLS is riding the Euro wave as of late. NYRB has 25k at their last match against DC and the SJ Earthquakes have sold out Stanford Stadium for their game against LA. Portland-Seattle had 888k viewers on ESPN for their match last Sunday.
• Laley23

  

  gorocks99;1212912 wrote:MLS is riding the Euro wave as of late. NYRB has 25k at their last match against DC and the SJ Earthquakes have sold out Stanford Stadium for their game against LA. Portland-Seattle had 888k viewers on ESPN for their match last Sunday.

  This is awesome.
  
  Also, through Group Stage, Euro Ratings have about DOUBLED since the 2008 games. I think it was like 48.2% more. Nearly 1 million viewers per game on ESPN, for mid-day games is awesome.
  
  I would have to think Saturdays Final, especially if it is Spain-Germany would bring in maybe 2 million.
• gorocks99

  

  I agree. Impressively, the league is averaging just over 18,500 attendance per game this year and five teams (Seattle, Montreal, LA Galaxy, Houston, Portland) average over 20k a game. Sadly (for Ohioans) Columbus is third to last in average attendance with just over 13k.
• gorocks99

  

  Also, Sunday's England-Italy match had 2.97 million viewers: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/06/26/sunday-cable-ratings-true-blood-wins-night-falling-skies-real-housewives-of-new-jersey-the-newsroom-army-wives-the-glades-more/139306/
  
  The final (on Sunday btw, not Saturday) should easily surpass that mark.
• OSH

  

  Also announced today...FC Dallas has a jersey sponsor in AdvoCare AND there is no soccer in Vegas, the Vegas Legends in the PASL (Professional Arena Soccer League). Now...I definitely have to get to Vegas!
• gorocks99

  

  As long as we're on an MLS kick, the league has inquired about building a new (privately-funded) stadium in Queens for a second NY team.
  
  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303640804577491090757743910.html?KEYWORDS=LAURA+KUSISTO
• OSH

  

  gorocks99;1213038 wrote:As long as we're on an MLS kick, the league has inquired about building a new (privately-funded) stadium in Queens for a second NY team.
  
  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303640804577491090757743910.html?KEYWORDS=LAURA+KUSISTO

  To piggy-back there...Orlando has committed to a $175 million renovation to the Citrus Bowl. Looks like they are doing their best to get an MLS team as well. I'll be seeing Orlando City in action on Friday. Looking forward to seeing that team.
• ohiobucks1

  

  I think the crew will raise their average to 14.5-15k by the end of the year which isn't too bad.
• gorocks99

  

  OSH;1213077 wrote:To piggy-back there...Orlando has committed to a $175 million renovation to the Citrus Bowl. Looks like they are doing their best to get an MLS team as well. I'll be seeing Orlando City in action on Friday. Looking forward to seeing that team.

  So, in order of expansion, looks like:
  NY2
  Orlando
  
  then (taking guesses here):
  Phoenix
  Atlanta
  Minneapolis
  
  I imagine that's pretty far down the road (10 years or so) but my guess is within the next decade the league will be up to around 24 teams. I'd be surprised if Miami is high on anyone's list after their failures.
• OSH

  

  ohiobucks1;1213079 wrote:I think the crew will raise their average to 14.5-15k by the end of the year which isn't too bad.

  Wanna bet? :laugh:
  
  The 13k average they are given right now is a bit inflated, in my opinion. It's horrible. They weren't able to get much above 13k average last year and they were in the MLS Cup playoffs.
• OSH

  

  gorocks99;1213099 wrote:So, in order of expansion, looks like:
  NY2
  Orlando
  
  then (taking guesses here):
  Phoenix
  Atlanta
  Minneapolis
  
  I imagine that's pretty far down the road (10 years or so) but my guess is within the next decade the league will be up to around 24 teams. I'd be surprised if Miami is high on anyone's list after their failures.

  I think Detroit is there as well. It won't happen, but they are trying. I think Atlanta should be higher, but it doesn't appear that there are too many moves there. San Antonio has been rumored to be making pretty good moves as well.
  
  Detroit's renovating of the Silverdome has to be the best idea ever!
  
  
• mucalum49

  

  MLS has visited Raleigh where the Carolina Railhawks have a solid following. While there, MLS said they were interested in the Carolinas. Personally I think it's pretty far off. The stadium in Cary where the NCAA was held in 2009 is far away from the stadiums that are popping up in MLS. And in Charlotte we have a nice old stadium near downtown called Memorial Stadium. But it'd need to be widened to fit a soccer pitch and then undergo major rennovations. Plus there is little desire from the majority of the community. Our current pro team has a religious affiliation which drives away a good amount of fans who'd otherwise go to games.
• OSH

  

  mucalum49;1213109 wrote:MLS has visited Raleigh where the Carolina Railhawks have a solid following. While there, MLS said they were interested in the Carolinas. Personally I think it's pretty far off. The stadium in Cary where the NCAA was held in 2009 is far away from the stadiums that are popping up in MLS. And in Charlotte we have a nice old stadium near downtown called Memorial Stadium. But it'd need to be widened to fit a soccer pitch and then undergo major rennovations. Plus there is little desire from the majority of the community. Our current pro team has a religious affiliation which drives away a good amount of fans who'd otherwise go to games.

  Yeah, forgot about the Railhawks deal.
  
  But, concerning Charlotte...it's stupid that the team's affiliation drives fans away. It's still a soccer team. It's quality soccer. They've done tremendous things for the community AND for the USL so far. Not supporting it because they are owned by a missions organization is terrible. They are one of the longest tenured clubs in the United States, they have probably the lowest payroll out of any team, and they compete for titles (although this year is a bit down).
• ohiobucks1

  

  Crew had a nice win 2-0 on Saturday. Anybody else there?
• NilesPacMan

  Tottenham announced Andre Villas-Boas as its new manager today. Interesting to see how he'll do this year in the EPL compared to last year.
• Pick6

  

  NilesPacMan;1218142 wrote:Tottenham announced Andre Villas-Boas as its new manager today. Interesting to see how he'll do this year in the EPL compared to last year.

  haha good luck with him