Bucholtz published the same thing a minute prior. Great minds...
MLS has finally released the First Kick schedule for the 2011 season, highlighted by an all-Canadian match at Empire Field.
The Vancouver Whitecaps will kick off their incarnation as an MLS club against the original Canadian club in that league, Toronto FC, on March 19, 2011. If the buzz in BC wasn't big enough for the Whitecaps historic step back into the top tier of continental club football, a visit by the (in)famous Reds should help boost excitement to dizzying levels.
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Some Whitecaps fans have expressed concern that a guaranteed "big game" against TFC is being used as the grand opener, when a match against any side in the league should sell out the 'Caps first ever MLS match. Someone at the league felt otherwise, and I'm sure the CBC and the Whitecaps front office are quite happy with the decision.
Vancouver now has nearly three months to hype up the opener against an opponent that the rest of Canada was born to hate. A raucous, sell-out crowd - which would have happened any way - is now absolutely assured.
The 'Caps follow up their inaugural home opener with a trip to Philadelphia to meet the Union on March 26, 2011.
As for TFC, they follow up the historic first MLS trip to BC by hosting expansion Portland Timbers at BMO Field on March 26, the earliest MLS match ever at the Lakeshore stadium.
You can check out the entire First Kick schedule here. MLS generally releases its full league schedule in late January or early February.