Comments
They were supposed to play at Rowan, but the state wouldn’t pony up the cash for the stadium.
Tim found info (but, again, was too lazy to post it): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester_Stadium
they have a website http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/
i’m thinking there is a big chance we’ll be getting season tickets.
Was wondering when you guys would get a team. Stadium looks pretty sweet. Can’t wait for DC United to start kicking Philadelphia Union ass.
Not sure about season tickets but will probably try out a few games to see how it compares.
If I like it we will see.
My main worry is it is too far out from Philly center to attract big enough crowds, hopefully I will be proved wrong.
Kevin, being that you’re a Man U fan, you might be slightly dissapointed with the level of play in the MLS. Probably more than slightly. But it’s the best we have.
I probably have not mentioned this tou you tom but I consider myself to be a Man Utd Fan and a fan of this lot,,,,,,,,,,,http://www.fc-utd.co.uk/.
A few thousand United fans were pissed off with this as well as many things that football had become. it was no longer a working mans game and was run and watched bt dicks in glass boxes who had no clue what was happening and had no idea what a chant was.So we formed our club – they startde as an amateur team 4 years ago and are probably at a semi pro level now.
My point being is that FC United’s level of football was, of course, noy premiership standards. But we were watcjing playerrs give thier all week in, week out, for the love of wearing the shirt and, to me, that was as good as watching any of the primadonna millionaires that play at the highest level.
If I see that heart and desire when I watch philly Union maybe I will become one of their staunchest supporters – if not, i will just get drunk and shout insults at random players and people in the crowd.
excuse any typos above, as i went to the eye doctor earlier today and could not see what the fuck i was typing.
Kev, I want to go to as many games as humanly possible with you.
Should have built a minor league hockey arena!
But either way, good luck to ’em!
For all you artist types, Brand New breaks down the logo: http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/snakes_on_a_logo.php
Very interesting!
Famous,
I have heard a rumor that the area they are clearing by Belmawr on Rt. 42 was going to be a stadium of some sort, but so far it is just heresay.
Anyone know any other details on this project?
John said:For all you artist types, Brand New breaks down the logo: http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/snakes_on_a_logo.php
Very interesting!
this is all on the official site, too with more info.
YOU’RE all on the official site.
I’m disappointed that I’m not more excited for this.
Have you guys ever seen an MLS game? Terrible stuff.
I like the logo a lot though. It looks like a combination of the FOP logo, IBEW logo, and the Delaware license plate.
Also, I’m glad they didn’t name the team the “Raptors” or the “Shredders”, or the “Awesome Dudes”.
Yeah, I’ve watched MLS games before and it is NOTHING compared to what they play overseas and most likely never will be unless America learns to embrace futbol like the rest of the world does.
thats never going to happen. ever.
and besides, that has absolutely nothing to do with the level of play. it doesn’t matter if stands are empty or filled, the talent level is bush league
shmEvan said:Yeah, I’ve watched MLS games before and it is NOTHING compared to what they play overseas and most likely never will be unless America learns to embrace futbol like the rest of the world does.
luke said:thats never going to happen. ever.
and besides, that has absolutely nothing to do with the level of play. it doesn’t matter if stands are empty or filled, the talent level is bush league
it is NOTHING like the super-professional football they play overseas. and luke is right, it will (most likely) never reach the level on support that it has everywhere else.
that said, what kevin wrote above about following FC United, which started out as a amateur league and has shot to what i believe is semi-pro, is true. the level of the game is not nearly as up there as the pros, however the atmosphere was amazing and the players played their asses off. some gameplay was horrible, some was awesome – all of it was a hell of a lot of fun.
it absolutely matters if the stands are empty or filled – if the supporter atmosphere is healthy and excited, it will motivate the players and make it a very enjoyable time, bush-league or not.
Philly has some of the most comparbale American sports fans to any i’ve experienced in Euro football (and some of the highest concentration of UK expats i’ve ever seen). i wouldn’t write it all off so quickly.
If you go and watch an MLS game on the TV, you can see rows of empty seats in the stands, esp. right at field level. I know the new stadium is going to hold 18,500, but outside of the first year, is it realistic to think that the stadium is only going to be half capacity or less for an expansion team and thier trials and tribualtions?
I know that the “Sons of Ben” have stated that they will sell out the supporter section of the field from day 1 on, but what about the other 3/4 of the stadium?
And yes, if there is one thing that will definatley help the atmosphere, is that the fans in Philly are some of the most passionate in the country and will be a tremendous spark to the Union and to the MLS.
Philadelphia does have a passionate fan base, but how many of those fans are going to trek to Chester to watch a soccer game? There’s no easy way to get there on public transportation, there’s nothing else there and Chester is the absolute pits. Most of my mom’s family lives in Delaware County and they won’t even go to Chester in the day time.
I really like soccer, especially after being in Chile, and want this to be a success. But I can’t imagine people flocking to Chester for anything.
shmEvan said:Famous,
I have heard a rumor that the area they are clearing by Belmawr on Rt. 42 was going to be a stadium of some sort, but so far it is just heresay.
Anyone know any other details on this project?
Comcast Spectacor was looking to build an arena there, and with news that an arena in Allentown/Leigh Valley is proving to be very difficult they might investigate the Bellmawr location again.
And soccer fans should only worry if I get a job with the team, because apparently I run ’em out!
Just watched some highlights on the FC United site. Level of play looks comparable to the MLS. What I was amazed at were the fans, who seemed to be involved in the action the entire 90 minutes. I also saw something that you never see in any of the top leagues, a player receives a tap on the ankle by a defensive player and instead of acting and falling to the ground like a sack of potatoes, keeps on dribbling, clearly in a bit of pain. In my opinion the typical acting seen in soccer is why it will never be as popular as other sports in this country. For the most part in American sports, after taking a hit, you learn to get back up and keep playing. This is the mindset of sports fans here. The acting just confuses and irritates the average American fan.
Tom said:What I was amazed at were the fans, who seemed to be involved in the action the entire 90 minutes.
exactly right, and that is a huge reason i loved it so much. the atmosphere is loud, insulting, fun & contagious.
As someone who has not one single solitary iota of interest in any sport whatsoever, the whole American indifference to soccer never ceases to amaze me. I mean, o.k. if someone is a basketball or a hockey fan I can almost maybe kinda see that soccer (even soccer played really well) is more subtle and nuanced and slower by comparison. But in a country that likes baseball which is about as fast moving as paint drying or grass growing, and football which is slower than molasses coated crap, I don’t see how that argument holds up.
I mean I have no horse in the race so it doesn’t impact me either way, but as an unbiased observer it’s always confounded me. And keep in mind growing up I did watch and follow all of these sports (including soccer….COSMO’S!!!) so despite being disinterested I am not entirely unfamiliar with the pace and flow of professional games in each sport. Is it a jingoistic thing, where because it’s one of the few sports we’re not the best at we don’t care? Is it really only a matter of the bush league players or is there more to it than that?
I think it’s that there are only so many weekdays or weekends we can devote to watching sports and there are already 4 with a fairly strong foothold in our weekly routines. They all fill up various portions of the year and there isn’t room for another. It’s going to take one going to the wayside for soccer to get more attention. Hockey is pretty much the only contender.
Yeah, that actually makes the most sense. I’d like to see it be football (american football obviously) since that is just insufferable. I mean baseball is boring but at least has the history/culture behind it that I can appreciate. And basketball and hockey are at least fast paced and exciting. But watching a bunch of steak heads stand around, then every once in a while pile on top of each other, with the occassional ball being thrown in between and maybe every once in a while someon running more than a few yards……yeah, I just will never get it no matter how much time I put into trying to get it.
Kevin said:Yeah, that actually makes the most sense. I’d like to see it be football (american football obviously) since that is just insufferable. I mean baseball is boring but at least has the history/culture behind it that I can appreciate. And basketball and hockey are at least fast paced and exciting. But watching a bunch of steak heads stand around, then every once in a while pile on top of each other, with the occassional ball being thrown in between and maybe every once in a while someon running more than a few yards……yeah, I just will never get it no matter how much time I put into trying to get it.
American football is more about strategy than it is about athleticism. That is why the coaches are so famous (relative to those from other sports). It’s a difficult thing to appreciate while watching on TV, and being that I’ve never been to an NFL game probably explains why I’m not a huge fan outside of my obsession with fantasy football.
As far as soccer is concerned, I have gotten WAY into it in recent years. I love the fact that there are several leagues competing for players and that shitty teams can get relegated. I love the concept of a Champion’s League to determine who the best really is. I also love the international aspect of the game, and find it really interesting to see how players trained in different parts of the world play the game so differently.
That said, I totally understand American indifference towards it. First of all, xenophobia plays a huge role. I think this is one of the reasons why hockey (my favorite sport by far) is treated like a bastard step-child as well. The other main detriment is what Tom mentioned above. Players diving and crying all over the pitch have contributed to a general idea that soccer players are pussies, and we all know how that plays into the psyche of your average, macho sports guy.
John said: It’s going to take one going to the wayside for soccer to get more attention. Hockey is pretty much the only contender.
GO FLYERS!
I am very impressed at the number of comments on what is still a football, not soccer, thread.
I hate to go against my wife twice but consider this, I have been at Old Trafford watching Manchester United with 78,000 fans there and you could hear a pin drop.
The noise levels at any FC united game are ridiculous. Even with crowds of 2,000 in a ground built to hold 18.000. We currently groundshare with a higher level club until we can afford to build our own home.
Size does not matter – unless you are the kind of meathead you see on the TV when sports are on and you HAVE to be on camera, them you atr the biggest dick ever
The Manc said:I am very impressed at the number of comments on what is still a football, not soccer, thread.
I hate to go against my wife twice but consider this, I have been at Old Trafford watching Manchester United with 78,000 fans there and you could hear a pin drop.
i was referring more to the supporters being there for the team (vs. no one at the games) and being vocal about it. i don’t know, i am drunk right now.
Looks like you guys have yourself a coach. Pretty damn good one too.