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USL final location: CONFIRMED [R]


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Big chunks of Swangard are still a mud pit though a little better than the last game, predictably the pitch has not recovered much from the damage done by the SFU pointy ball game two weeks ago and won't be much better by next weekend. There will still be large swathes patched with sand.

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quote:Originally posted by Calgary Boomer

It's not just the pitch, it's the fact PR can't get a TV mobile truck there in time, and poor media facilities etc.

Just a question, did someone ever watch a game broadcasted from the Islanders' stadium (either USL or CL) ? Just to know if it's possible.

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quote:Originally posted by the biologist

Just a question, did someone ever watch a game broadcasted from the Islanders' stadium (either USL or CL) ? Just to know if it's possible.

All of their games have been available on USL Live and apparently there was one or two games broadcast on FSC/FSWC last year.

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If the CanWest quote below is correct, it doesn't sound like pitch conditions, and announcing right after the game means they knew it all along and waited to see who won before announcing it.

"Second seed Vancouver advances to host the top-seeded Puerto Rico Islanders in the United Soccer Leagues First Division championship final next Sunday, as word came down right after the game that the Islanders didn't meet the league's minimum requirements for hosting a final."

I really hope this isn't a slight on Puerto Rico...

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quote:Originally posted by Krammerhead

All of their games have been available on USL Live and apparently there was one or two games broadcast on FSC/FSWC last year.

So what's the problem after all [?] Like I said in the other thread, I'm very happy for Van people, but what a slap in the face to PR fans !!! They support their team as well as any other ones (someone said the attendance was about 10,000 for the return leg in PR) and the regular season champions should host the final, is it too obvious to be true ??? If I was a fan of PR, I would be sooooooooo :( at the big bosses of the USL to not have the chance to support in person MY #1 TEAM (in regards of the standings) come finals time.

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It's amazing how soon the announcement came after the match. Many of us stayed at Swangard after the match awaiting a decision. Lenarduzzi was on the phone and Whitecaps officials announced it to the remaining fan's at the stadium. We let out a big roar when we found out.

They must have known ahead of time that PR would not be able to host.If that was the case they should have told the Islander club.

The pitch at Swangard was an improvement over last weekend for the record and I would hope that with better weather later this week it will be even better next Sunday.

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Hmm..after going on the PR Forums, the fans are clamoring for the owners to not back down and demand that the USL give them a proper explanation. I'm sensing the PR Islanders owners won't forget this slight from the USL governors and if Vancouver were to win the final, I'm sure the Islanders fans and owners will question the USL's incompetence of not granting, them the right to host in the 1st place. Bad pitch, no mobile TV or bad facilities or not, this decision makes the USL seem bush league.

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quote:Originally posted by nolbertos

Bad pitch, no mobile TV or bad facilities or not, this decision makes the USL seem bush league.

It's happened in the past (#1 seed not hosting) - one of those ROC-MIN finals.

BUT, the league had specifically changed the rule last season that gave the first seed the right to host (no bid process) if they made it to the final.

There isn't any TV problems when it's the CCL. I'm guessing this is a FSW-related issue...

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quote:Originally posted by Vic

USL League Requirements for Hosting a Final

-------------------------------------------

1.0 Must have a field to play on.

2.0 Cannot be on an island ending in Rico.

Date: October 5, 2008.

Approved: USL Board.

I think Vic you got the exact reason for that to happen ;)

Van fans: :D & [8D]

PR Fans: [:0] & :(

USL governors: [:o)] & [B)] and maybe sooner than later [xx(]

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quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack

This probably has something to do with Fox Soccer Channel. If you take a look at their USL schedule they didn't have a single game this year at the home stadium of Puerto Rico, Seattle or Minnesota.

http://www.uslsoccer.com/recentnews/220786.html

That's my opinion too, but hey, isn't that channel supported by the big full of $$$ Fox corp. ??? That's just another gimmicky decision taken by an admin full of gimmicks. I know money talks, but when it goes as far as it is now, you just make people say "hey, why should I support your product ?" and then less people pay attention to your league, the FSC becomes less interested in broadcasting more games and there goes the downspiral. Very sad. CFL looks very serious besides that.

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quote:Originally posted by the biologist

That's my opinion too, but hey, isn't that channel supported by the big full of $$$ Fox corp. ??? That's just another gimmicky decision taken by an admin full of gimmicks. I know money talks, but when it goes as far as it is now, you just make people say "hey, why should I support your product ?" and then less people pay attention to your league, the FSC becomes less interested in broadcasting more games and there goes the downspiral. Very sad. CFL looks very serious besides that.

While Fox is a large multinational with tons of cash, you have to remember that the USL pays FSC/FSWC to show the games. Therefore the USL is essentially showing an infomercial on that network. USL pays all the production costs and FSC simply provides the air time.

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quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack

While Fox is a large multinational with tons of cash, you have to remember that the USL pays FSC/FSWC to show the games. Therefore the USL is essentially showing an infomercial on that network. USL pays all the production costs and FSC simply provides the air time.

Yes the USL may be looking at the production costs as a reason for moving the game but if so that is incredibly unfair to Puerto Rico and not very professional. If you are going to mandate that the highest seed gets the home game you have to be prepared to have any city in the league host it. Also the revenue of the larger crowd should be able to cover some of the extra broadcasting costs. Vancouver won the game so they deserve to play in the final but the fans of Vancouver in no way deserve to host the final. They could not even sell out their small little stadium for a semi-final game against a Canadian rival on a Sunday afternoon. (And before all the Southsiders go crazy, I don't mean this as a criticism of those who attended the match but rather those who did not).

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