Colorado Rapids Fan Site - Unofficial home of Colorado Rapids Fans - Rapids fan sites » MLS Season http://coloradorapidsfan.com Official home of passionate fans of the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:59:21 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 A street of reasons the MLS season better start on time http://coloradorapidsfan.com/2010/03/a-street-of-reasons-the-mls-season-better-start-on-time/ http://coloradorapidsfan.com/2010/03/a-street-of-reasons-the-mls-season-better-start-on-time/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:48:27 +0000 brianrants http://coloradorapidsfan.com/2010/03/a-street-of-reasons-the-mls-season-better-start-on-time/ The Rapids have blanketed the heart of downtown Denver with burgundy and sky blue. It was a beautiful sight to see banners on Denver’s famous 16th Street Mall of Colin Clark, Conor Casey, Pablo Mastroeni, and Omar Cummings.

The banners said April 3rd, and we are all hoping that doesn’t turn out to be false prophecy.

]]> http://coloradorapidsfan.com/2010/03/a-street-of-reasons-the-mls-season-better-start-on-time/feed/ 0 Rapids Training Schedule for week of January 26 http://coloradorapidsfan.com/2009/01/rapids-training-schedule-for-week-of-january-26/ http://coloradorapidsfan.com/2009/01/rapids-training-schedule-for-week-of-january-26/#comments Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:31:57 +0000 brianrants http://coloradorapidsfan.com/?p=65 Rapids Media sent out this schedule today

Colorado Begin Preparation for 14th Season

COMMERCE CITY, COLO. (Monday, January 26, 2009) – The Colorado Rapids kickoff their preseason training sessions in advance of the 2009 MLS season this week with Wednesday, Jan. 28 marking the first day on the pitch.

The Rapids will train at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park over the next two weeks before traveling to Ft. Lauderdale for a seven-day camp environment in Florida.

Colorado’s opening game will be on March 21 against Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center at 8:30 pm MT. The following weekend, on March 28, the Rapids host the Kansas City Wizards at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park at 7:30 pm MT in the club’s 2009 home opener.

PRACTICE & PLAYER MEDIA AVAILABILITY:

All training sessions during the 2009 preseason and regular season are closed to media. Media will be granted a fifteen (15) minute access period at the end of training.

Rapids’ players and coaches will be made available following each practice and can be made available prior to practices if arranged through the Rapids Media Relations Department. Interviews will be done on the practice field as scheduled.

Colorado Rapids Training Schedule for the Week of January 26, 2009:

Monday, January 26
Team meetings

Tuesday, January 27
Player Physicals

Wednesday, January 28
Rapids Training 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Field #8

Thursday, January 29
Rapids Training 10 am – 11:30 am
Field #8
Rapids Training 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Field #8

Friday, January 30
Rapids Training 10 am – 11:30 am
Field #8
Rapids Training 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Field #8

Saturday, January 31
Rapids Training 10 am – 11:30 am
Field #8

Sunday, March 1 (sic: should be February 1)
Players’ Day Off

]]> http://coloradorapidsfan.com/2009/01/rapids-training-schedule-for-week-of-january-26/feed/ 0 Americans like soccer, but American soccer? http://coloradorapidsfan.com/2008/12/americans-like-soccer-but-american-soccer/ http://coloradorapidsfan.com/2008/12/americans-like-soccer-but-american-soccer/#comments Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:28:43 +0000 brianrants http://coloradorapidsfan.com/?p=3 US Soccer fans are among the most dedicated on earth, according to a study reported by Soccer365.com. Barclay’s, the sponsor of the English Premier League, was behind the study which seeks to “better understand the attitudes and lifestyles of football fans around the world.”

Of the 32,000 fans from 185 countries around the world who took part in the survey more than 10% who completed it were from the US, undermining any theory that soccer is not popular in the States. US fans also watch more matches than other global fans (48% of global fans would watch as many matches as they could against 64% of US fans).

I can’t help but wonder if the fanaticism of soccer fans in the US is not somewhat related to the scarcity. People waited for hours in line at the iPhone launch in part because there was a limited number available. in the US, soccer is not as accessible as basketball, football, basketball, or even hockey. As evidence: watch SportsCenter any night during the MLS season. To follow soccer, you have to be dedicated.

The article provides also great insight into Americans particular passion for the English Premier League.

98% of US respondents were big fans of the Barclays Premier League, the top football league in England, ahead of the football World Cup which was appreciated by 93% of fans in the USA, and 36% who followed Major League Soccer.

I am a fan of the EPL myself, and an even bigger fan of the World Cup. However, it does seem to me there is a gap between our passionate soccer fans and our passion for the MLS. I am sure this “passion gap” is not lost on the people who run MLS. However, we are a young league compared to a league like the EPL, and it  takes time to develop a strong base of fans and corporate sponsors.

The MLS is on the right path, here’s hoping more soccer fans in the US will find a home at their local MLS pitch.

Read the full Soccer365.com article here.

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