Domestic Soccer 2009-10

[BrySmalls]

The expansion draft for the Philadelphia Union was today and here are the results:

Jordan Harvey (D) Colorado Rapids

Andrew Jacobson (M) D.C. United

Brad Knighton (G) New England Revolution

Sebastien Le Toux (F) Seattle Sounders FC

Stefani Miglioranzi (M) LA Galaxy

Alejandro Moreno (F) Columbus Crew

Dave Myrie (D) Chicago Fire

Shea Salinas (M) San Jose Earthquakes

Shavar Thomas (D) Chivas USA

Nick Zimmerman (M) New York Red Bulls

[BB61]

So I'm taking next Thursday off and going to the MLS SuperDraft, which will be at the PA Convention Center. I have no idea who the Union will take or even who is available. All I know is I have the day off and I'll be down there with the jersey and scarf, both Chanukah gifts from my family, and I'ma be at the MLS SuperDraft with everyone else.

I must say, regarding the expansion draft, that the day before there was an article in the Daily News where the head of the Sons of Ben picked out the ten players he thought the Union would take, as well as a number of "dark horses". He went 1 for 20.

[Breakwood]

So I'm taking next Thursday off and going to the MLS SuperDraft, which will be at the PA Convention Center. I have no idea who the Union will take or even who is available. All I know is I have the day off and I'll be down there with the jersey and scarf, both Chanukah gifts from my family, and I'ma be at the MLS SuperDraft with everyone else.

I must say, regarding the expansion draft, that the day before there was an article in the Daily News where the head of the Sons of Ben picked out the ten players he thought the Union would take, as well as a number of "dark horses". He went 1 for 20.

I was at the SuperDraft a couple years ago when it was in Baltimore. There were a bunch of SoB's there then. My friend runs an MLS mock draft site, that may give you some insight into the available players.

http://mlsdraft.net/

I'll be out in Philly when Toronto comes to town. Do you have season tickets?

[BB61]

I'll be out in Philly when Toronto comes to town. Do you have season tickets?

I do, actually.

[dfwabel]

I did not realize that their CBA ends at the end of January.

MLS Lockout Possible

[BrySmalls]

I did not realize that their CBA ends at the end of January.

MLS Lockout Possible

Not mentioned is that the USSF, USL, and NASL have come to an agreement that the USSF will oversee a two conference league for Division 2. The league will consist of two six-team conferences ? the USL Conference and the NASL Conference. The USL Conference will include teams from Austin, Minnesota, Portland, Puerto Rico, Rochester and Tampa Bay. The NASL Conference will consist of teams from Baltimore, Carolina, Miami, Montreal, St. Louis and Vancouver.

Source

[BrySmalls]

Host Cities announced for the US World Cup bid.

Notable host city omissions from the 1994 World Cup: Detroit, Chicago, San Francisco, and Orlando.

[rams80]

Host Cities announced for the US World Cup bid.

Notable host city omissions from the 1994 World Cup: Detroit, Chicago, San Francisco, and Orlando.

It's good to see that the Chicago Park District's insistence on maintaining a poor grass field at Soldier Field in the name of soccer has not paid off backfired to a seemingly impossible degree.

If only Illinois had money, then we could replace your UFO crash site with something aesthetically pleasing and with better turf to boot.

EDIT-wait...doesn't FIFA mandate grass? What stadium is going to be used in Atlanta?

[Breakwood]

Host Cities announced for the US World Cup bid.

Notable host city omissions from the 1994 World Cup: Detroit, Chicago, San Francisco, and Orlando.

There seems to be way too many cities there. I think they can safely cut out 4 to 6 cities.

[xxjdm66]

Host Cities announced for the US World Cup bid.

Notable host city omissions from the 1994 World Cup: Detroit, Chicago, San Francisco, and Orlando.

It's good to see that the Chicago Park District's insistence on maintaining a poor grass field at Soldier Field in the name of soccer has not paid off backfired to a seemingly impossible degree.

If only Illinois had money, then we could replace your UFO crash site with something aesthetically pleasing and with better turf to boot.

EDIT-wait...doesn't FIFA mandate grass? What stadium is going to be used in Atlanta?

Grass will be installed. Not the first time, at the 1994 World Cup they did install grass at the Silverdome in Pontiac. It was FIFA approved.

[BrySmalls]

Washington and Baltimore make the World Cup cut. For now.

The committee overseeing American soccer's bid to host the 2018 or 2022 Cup reduced the number of potential cities from 27 to 18 today. The list will be formally submitted to FIFA before the May 14 deadline for countries interested in staging the tournaments.

The biggest surprises were the absence of Chicago and, to a lesser degree, the San Francisco area.

If the United States is chosen in December as the host country for one of the events, the number of cities will eventually be cut to 12 in the coming years.

Baltimore offers M&T Bank Stadium, home of the NFL's Ravens. It staged an AC Milan-Chelsea friendly before a sellout crowd last summer. Washington has both RFK Stadium and FedEx Field, but RFK's small size and age virtually rules it out of consideration. RFK hosted five World Cup matches in 1994. FedEx Field -- which holds around 92,000 for Redskins games -- has hosted the Women's World Cup (1999) and international exhibitions. [CLARIFICATION: RFK is not on the formal bid; FedEx is Washington's only representative.]

From today's announcement.....

IN: Atlanta, San Diego, Phoenix, Dallas, Seattle, Denver, Tampa, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Nashville, Kansas City, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Washington, Boston, New York/New Jersey.

OUT: Chicago, Charlotte, Detroit, San Francisco, Oakland, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Orlando, St. Louis. "I think there is a little Olympic fatigue" and FIFA requirements might have been difficult to meet, USSF President Sunil Gulati said of the stunning omission of Chicago's Soldier Field, which is about a mile from USSF headquarters and hosted the opening match of the 1994 World Cup.

Link

[TFoA]

Yeah, they installed grass in the dome for the Mexico/Venezuela & AC Milan/Club America tilts, so they're definitely going to play the games at the Georgia Dome if the US gets the World Club.

That being said, I hope like hell we get it, & I hope even more that I'm still in Atlanta (or any host city) to see it. That would be too awesome.

[raysox]

I voted for Tampa.

I'd love to bring the WC to Tampa, or atleast a place near where ever I go after college.

[Breakwood]

EDIT-wait...doesn't FIFA mandate grass? What stadium is going to be used in Atlanta?

Technically, no. FIFA has a list of approved turfs, that can be used in FIFA tournaments. Notably the U-20 World Cup in Canada in 2007 was played on a turf field in Toronto (including the final). In reality though, I doubt public opinion would allow a World Cup to be played on turf. Look at what public opinion did to the Champions League final that was played in Moscow in 2008, the stadium has field-turf but had to put down a natural pitch to appease the masses.

[Jarred Revolver]

I would love to drive down from Vancouver to Seattle for a World Cup game. Last soccer game I've seen was in Seattle and that was Man U vs. Celtic a bunch of years back.

[dfwabel]

Shocking IN:

San Diego (They bust be relying on a new stadium for it to really make the cut)

Kansas City (I always thought that STL was a bigger soccer town, and while renovated, Arrowhead is pretty old. Did they make it wide enough for an ideal pitch?)

Shocking OUT:

Chicago (The stadium setup with all the premium seats on one side could've been seen as a liability)

Orlando (The Citrus Bowl should be renovated by then, regardless of the current economy)

San Francisco (Only because of the international-ness of the area and airport hub. Stanford stadium is the only viable current venue and it would have the smallest capacity)

[rams80]

Kansas City (I always thought that STL was a bigger soccer town, and while renovated, Arrowhead is pretty old. Did they make it wide enough for an ideal pitch?)

Renovated Arrowhead is still in better shape than the Edward Jones Dome could hope to be, and it limits the number of emergency grasslands that need to be installed in stadia.

[DarkJourney]

I bet the U.S doesn't land either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup anyway.

[-kj]

FIFA knows what's good for it: money. The 1994 WC was wildly successful; in fact, it still holds the record for total attendance, and that's before the tournament expanded from twenty-four teams to thirty-two. I believe you'll see the US get one of those two.

[Saintsfan]

EDIT-wait...doesn't FIFA mandate grass? What stadium is going to be used in Atlanta?

Technically, no. FIFA has a list of approved turfs, that can be used in FIFA tournaments. Notably the U-20 World Cup in Canada in 2007 was played on a turf field in Toronto (including the final). In reality though, I doubt public opinion would allow a World Cup to be played on turf. Look at what public opinion did to the Champions League final that was played in Moscow in 2008, the stadium has field-turf but had to put down a natural pitch to appease the masses.

I am fairly sure without checking that I am right in saying that Russia has held international matches, possibly even WC qualifiers on the plastic in Moscow. I am guessing that FIFA would be happy for WC games to be played on some version of field turf, given that standards have improved greatly since 1994.

On one point, did the USSF just announce the cities or the venues as well? The England bid I believe announced stadia as well as cities. (For instance Wembley and the Emirates, both in London, were on the list.)

On some of the cities missing out, is it maybe to do, especially in St Louis's case I am thinking, with the uncertainty over the NFL franchise? If the Rams moved out of St Louis, what would the status of the Edward Jones Dome be?