RSS
More soccer news
I guess all it takes is a visit from the Daily Times to shake things up in the offices of the Philadelphia Union.
The new Major League Soccer team’s offices in Chester must have been buzzing yesterday.
The day before I had a sit-down with team boss Nick Sakiewicz, who confirmed that he did not think that the team would be able to play its home opener, set for next spring, in the stadium under construction on the Chester waterfront.
Less than 24 hours later the team made it official. Their first home game will be played April 10 against the club they hope will become one of their biggest rivals, D.C. United. But the game will not be played in Chester. Instead it will be played at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Eagles.
As I was chatting with Sakiewicz, I offered the notion that this was not all bad. When the international CONCACAF matches were played at the Linc this summer, they drew as many as 30,000 soccer fans.
You would think the Union could get a similar turnout for what amounts to a historic first home game. Their Chester stadium will hold 18,500.
Attendance at the Linc could double that.
What’s the downside? Well, it certainly would be nice if the game was played in Chester, but that’s not going to happen. There also is this.
Even if they draw 30,000 to South Philly, they still will be playing in a stadium that is half-empty, instead of the atmosphere generated by a stadium in Chester that is packed to the rafters.
There is also the chance the team will have to play more than one game someplace other than Chester as they juggle a very tight construction timeline that is very much dependent on not getting hijacked by severe winter weather.
Look for the team to make a bit more news today. MLS is expected to announce that the Union, the 16th team to enter the MLS, will play in the season opener on March 25 in Seattle.
Here’s something you can count on. They could play their games on Neptune and the Sons of Ben would be there. These soccer zealots are getting their own section, and even their own entrance to the Chester Stadium.
I don’t think they’ll have any trouble finding their way up I-95 to the Linc.
The new Major League Soccer team’s offices in Chester must have been buzzing yesterday.
The day before I had a sit-down with team boss Nick Sakiewicz, who confirmed that he did not think that the team would be able to play its home opener, set for next spring, in the stadium under construction on the Chester waterfront.
Less than 24 hours later the team made it official. Their first home game will be played April 10 against the club they hope will become one of their biggest rivals, D.C. United. But the game will not be played in Chester. Instead it will be played at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Eagles.
As I was chatting with Sakiewicz, I offered the notion that this was not all bad. When the international CONCACAF matches were played at the Linc this summer, they drew as many as 30,000 soccer fans.
You would think the Union could get a similar turnout for what amounts to a historic first home game. Their Chester stadium will hold 18,500.
Attendance at the Linc could double that.
What’s the downside? Well, it certainly would be nice if the game was played in Chester, but that’s not going to happen. There also is this.
Even if they draw 30,000 to South Philly, they still will be playing in a stadium that is half-empty, instead of the atmosphere generated by a stadium in Chester that is packed to the rafters.
There is also the chance the team will have to play more than one game someplace other than Chester as they juggle a very tight construction timeline that is very much dependent on not getting hijacked by severe winter weather.
Look for the team to make a bit more news today. MLS is expected to announce that the Union, the 16th team to enter the MLS, will play in the season opener on March 25 in Seattle.
Here’s something you can count on. They could play their games on Neptune and the Sons of Ben would be there. These soccer zealots are getting their own section, and even their own entrance to the Chester Stadium.
I don’t think they’ll have any trouble finding their way up I-95 to the Linc.
posted by Heron's Nest at
7:51 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home