I'm a huge soccer fan, and will watch any teams from any league play. I read that we get ESPN on our teevees in the apartments, which means we can watch some of the games. So I was wondering a few things that hopefully can be answered: 1. Since most of Europe is in the off season over the Summer, what other leagues will be shown on television? Brazilian? Mexican? Argentinian? 2. Is there anywhere nearby for us to play soccer? I'm sure a lot of my fellow Brits will get itchy feet having to go so long without playing football. 3. For a bit of fun, what teams do you support? My favourite team from th MLS is New York Red Bulls, but my one true love is Blackburn Rovers. ;D
I think we have footy pitches by where we will be living (part of Mickey's retreat if I remember correctly) I assume that all the South American leagues play the same sort of season as Europe or they wouldn't be able to compete in the world cup! ESPN2 was showing champions league games when I went over in march (which was a bit watching them at 4 in the afternoon!) And I am a lifelong Manchester United fan who has adopted Nottingham Forest as my second team after living there for 5 years! I don't follow MLS too much, last time I saw a soccer game in the US, the Tampa Bay Mutiny still existed!
What are the pitches like? Grass or astroturf? Doing my research: Argentina: - Clausura, February - June - Apertura, August - December Fox Sports, Fox Soccer Channel Brazil: May - December Copa Sudamericana: July - December, Fox Sports Copa Libertadores: January - July, Fox Sports Mexico: - Apertura, July - December - Clausura, ??? - ??? Fox Sports, ESPN MLS: March - November Fox Sports, ESPN I don't think we get Fox Sports, so are there any bars around likely to show the games?
Tampa used to play by the university on a grass pitch. It was an enormous stadium (possibly the Tampa Bay Bucs old stadium) that must have easily held over 40,000 & when I went I think the attendance was a couple of thousand. This was in the mid 90's though, things may be better these days. It was an awesome game though, Tampa won 5-1! No idea about where shows the game...I found a place called Friday's on I-drive that was a bar/grill that had loads of TV's showing any sport that was on tv at the time so that would probably be the best bet. Bet you must be gutted with the state Rovers are in at the moment!
MLS as a league is doing very well these days...my home team, Toronto FC, has sold out two consecutive seasons now since joining the league. They play on FieldTurf, but most teams play on grass. The atmosphere of a TFC game is easily on par, if not better, to all the Swansea City games I have been to, both at the Vetch and Liberty. Who said football would never take off over here?
I watched the Allstars game this season, which was at Toronto, wasn't it? Decent game, and it's always good to see West Ham lose. And the less said about Blackburn the better. It can only improve. :'(
I forget who Tamp were playing back in the day but they had Carlos Valderamma (sic?) playing for them & there were a lot of other well known players who were maybe a year or two past their prime. A nice way to finish your career compared to playing for Portsmouth though! I feel your pain my friend, things are no better at Forest this season!
andy, you've been to swans games? that's really random, did you live in swansea for a while? i'm a cardiff boy, so i'm supposed to hate them...but i don't really support the bluebirds. liberty's a lush stadium though fair play!
I guess that does sound pretty random, yeah. My wife is from Swansea (I met her while on the CRP), so I did live there for a few years, and go back once a year. As long as I time it right, I get to see a few games. This past August I was there the week prior to the regular season starting, but I caught a friendly and a testimonial, so it was all good. The first football game I ever attended was at The Vetch...I was pretty intimidated by the crowd at first...wow. That place had character though. Liberty is nice and all, but doesn't quite have the same feel. Great sightlines, mind you. I wish I could have been at the Swansea-Cardiff matches this year...sigh...
ah that's really cool. i've been to the liberty twice (more than i've been to ninian park actually i think) but both times were to watch my cousin play rugby...would be scared to go down for football, particularly against cardiff haha
